Just bought a new 1/48 tamiya supermarine spitfire Mk I and i wanna ask how do i go about weathering the plane so it looks used and battered about also i wanna know how do i get all the panelson the plane looking individual do i ink over the plane after to fill the indents?
There are a few techniques you can use to get the effect you want. One is pre shading, painting black along all panel lines before applying your top colors. Or you can apply a wash after you have painted your base colors to accent panel lines and give an overall weather beaten appearance. Also you can post shade- apply lightened version of the appropriate color (or even a very diluted single lighter color such as a buff or dust to lighten it) to the center of each panel after basic painting and a wash. I would suggest trying some of these techniques on an old model before cutting loose on your new build.
Hi ,sorry for the hijack!
I have read about pre-shading.I will be getting a fine airbrush soon and would also like to try it.I assume you have to then do the final collour relatively light as not to cover up the blackend pannellines?Using very thined paint?
Do you give the plane a cover coat and then concentrate more to the middle of the individuall pannels to keep the “shade” in the pannellines?
I have good results with the “washing” of pannellines, but it seems “over kill” on some planes where a hint is all that is actually needed.
Thanx
Theuns
There’s a plethora of weathering techniques out here… First thing you need to remember about weathering… It happens AFTER the aircraft is delivered form the factory… A lot of guys pre-shade panel lines, and it looks good, but I prefer to do it after the aircraft is completely finished, with paint & markings on it… First thing to decide is if you’re going to use pastels or not… Pastels (powdered artist’s chalk, NOT oil pastels) and the new-fangled “weathering powders” need a flat surface to adhere well. Washes (Highly thinned paint) work best over a glossy finish. I use both, and here’s how I usually do it…
After the final painting and decaling is done, I shoot a gloss-coat onto the model. I apply a pinpoint wash (Pin-wash) to the panel lines & recesses, scoops, intakes, etc… I usually use Burnt Umber (a dark brown), since I think black is too intense in 1/48th… Oh, BTW, I use burnt umber just on Earth tones, not on underside light colors… Those get a darker shade of the underside color, or a simple dark grey… Blue aircraft, like the USE Navy camo, get a light grey rather than a dark color. However, I digress…
Once the pin-wash is done, I shoot the whole model with a clear flat overcoat… Oh, before going on further, keep in mind that if you’re using a wash, be sure to use a paint that won’t attack the underlying colors… Best to use an acrylic clear over enamels, and enamel or laquer clears over acrylics. You don’t want you wash to attack the clear either, so apply an acrylic wash over enamel or laquer, and enamel, laquer, & oil-base washes need to go on acrylic clear… Also, always test your clear finishes on a scrap piece or a paint-hulk that’s been painted with the same paint that you used on the model, BEFORE you use it on your model…
Anyway, now the model is given a flat clearcoat… Once cured, I take my pastel chalks (Don’t use the colored “balckboard” chalk… It’s too hard and won’t stick well to the clearcoat ) and powder them on a piece of sandpaper. I then apply them to the areas I want colored with a brush… For exhaust stains, I start with charcoal, then use some browns and greys as well… Powder stains get straight charcoal. One note about powder stains… A lot of guys apply them to wings of planes that have protruding gun barrels… Don’t… If the gun’s muzzle sticks out more than an a couple -three inches (like a P-47 or cannon-armed Spitfire), there won’t be any (or very little) blast stains on the wings… Also, don’t forget the shell ejection chutes… A little staining looks good there, too…
Fluid leaks are done with a pin-wash as well… A little drop is applied, then brought back in the direction of airflow… Not too much though… Fluid leaks are BAD and unless you’re doing a recently returned aircraft that took a hit in the oil tank or coolant tank (which means the aircraft better be REAL close to home or at least some friendlies), there won’t be a lot staining there… A few streaks from the prop hub looks good too… Props leak a little fluid now & then (provided they’re adjustable pitch and not electric)… Don’t forget the gear struts either…
Again, this is done with a pin-wash, but ONLY on RECESSED panel lines… For raised lines, I use charcoal and a brush…
Another thing to consider is fading… For this, you really should use an airbrush, but it CAN be done with pastels and a brush… Just don’t over-do it or your plane will look like it’s hangared in flour mill…
Anyway, that’s a quick & dirty overview, not a “How To”… There’s a few guys that have written some pretty good tutorials that are here, and go into a lot more detail than I did… You’ll have to look around the site to find more ideas, and the Search Function (Search Keyword: Weathering) will help you a lot… Also, try looking over the Techniques Forum:
/forums/13.aspx
And the Painting Forum:
/forums/18.aspx
Hope you enjoy your Spit!
Personally, I don’t pre-shade as then I have to control the top-coat too much, and since I like rattle-cans if I can get away with it, pre-shading is out of the question anyway… I’ll let someone who uses that effect tell about it… Post-shading works better for me using pin-washes… Here’s a post-shade using a darker shade of Olive Drab and Burnt Umber. This picture doesn’t show it well, except on the right wing.
!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Screenshots/Models/P-39 GB/OldCrowDiorama013.jpg?t=1274552019)
No… If I do that, it’s with a lighter shade of the base color, applied over the color coat, to the center of the panel… But I sometimse fade the entire top-surface with the AB first…
!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Screenshots/Models/P-39 GB/ARIIP-40004.jpg?t=1274552516)
Try using a darker (or lighter, depending on color) shade of the base color.
For raised lines on the Earth colors, I use charcoal:
Anyway, just some ideas of mine… You really need to look around the site and see what other guys do as well, and check the Tutes…
Exelent reply, thanx!
I will give the tips a go on the next model 
Theuns