Kaiser Maximilian II 16th century Armour - IMEX Plastic Model Kit

I picked this one because it is aesthetically pleasing and has the gun-blue metal in contrast to Otto Heinrich model.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum has the work in its collection.

What a stunning piece. My long background in body work, Auto body design, and Auto body surfacing, is only part of what makes up my interest in these craft-works.
I will give credit to the writings of Sir Walter Scott for really peaking this interest.

I ordered a new sheet of Bare Metal Foil in the "Black Chrome" style. Unfortunately it is just the standard chrome with some sort of black coating. That said, it is still far better than paint.

1st level assembly is everything that is shingled under the next level of parts.

Critical for me is edge thinning and grooving edges.

This is to ensure that the foil edge is thin and the painted parts have a distinct ditch to paint into.

Foiling is slow and done in many small pieces. I'm going to redo the parts of the legs with creases.
You have to develop your own plan and so it is best to do an easy area and practice before you can expect to get it right.
This suit has a lot of gold leaf so it will be really nice with the high contrast.

Start of the leafing, the shingled effect of certain parts requires leafing the innermost parts.

I've had just enough experience with leafing that I have become aware of the futility of too much time spent on (faux) leaf.

So don't be afraid waste is an inherent part of the process.

This pic is the worst case, I have found that the best way is the snip strips off of the sheet of leaf and drop those onto the sizing.

So the Black foil is a total bust! I am in do the best you can mode to make something of this model short of a re-purchase.

My current plan is to leaf the parts completely and then paint the black in, maybe this will work better?
The trick with the leaf is as soon as you rub it down you can use compressed air to blow the unglued parts, works pretty well. 

So far so good, Patients!

Knights of Ni?
No "It's only a flesh wound" 

Having a large supply of Corion I picked out a black with specks of grey in it. I machined a 1/8" radius around the perimeter and leafed that, the added the scribe lines to make a tile floor for Max to stand on.

Painting one area at a time and leaving MM hanging in the hot air stream of the furnace is my current system to get the paint to harden over night.

Totally disappointed, but I got a lot of good practice with the leafing.

Gold on black is not an easy road; black enamel paint is difficult to get hard enough so that you can leaf next to it without the potential of it sticking where you don't want it.
I think that a lacquer dried and hardened over at least a week would be a better alternative.

A good model; a tough build in black.

I love the "persuader" in his right hand; 5lbs of "take that"