Any specific brands or just any stuff from a art store(micheals)?
Thanks
Windsor and Newton are widley considered the best. MiG’s Abteilung oils are good as well and designed with modellers in mind. Both are very fine and perfect for the task.
Great question. I like the versatility and easy cleanup with oils. Oil weathering is probably the biggest area I like to improve my modeling game. I use Abteilung 502. Great colors and I like their thinners too. They are kinda expensive. I’m sure many guys will chime in with other oils that are just as good but less money.
Yes, that’s going to be me, I’m afraid[:)] I use a set of 10 oil paints I got from an art/craft shop (The Works, for any UK readers) for about £5, I think ($7 - ish). I use it for washes & am currently trying oil-dot filters, both using hardware store white spirit (mineral spirits). I would point out that this isn’t used for any fine work requiring a high-quality finish, and I don’t generally go in for heavy-duty weathering, but for light weathering of AFVs, panel line washes, and pin washes, I find it works fine for what I want.
I’m solidly with Hutch here. Considering the way oils are thinned for filters and weathering, any decent ‘starter’ set of oils will give good service for the technique. Unless it’s something from the ‘dollar store,’ the fineness of the pigment grind isn’t something you’re likely to notice.
Plus – if you’re just starting out – it makes little sense to sink beaucoups bucks into something you may try once or twice, then decide isn’t for you.
Just my [2cnts]…because I’m ‘thrifty’ to my very soul when it comes to overpriced specialty hobby products…[:D]
That pretty much sums up my situation. After doing on-line research about weathering techniques, I bought some black and brown Abteilung 502 and liked the results, but I found the use of solvents on paint work I had worked so hard on to represent an unacceptable risk. Nearly trashed my F-16 with it, but only did a small section and got away with it just looking like normal paint wear. I have found that pre-shading, counter-shading, and random modulation of paint to be much better alternatives, followed by a no-risk application of Flory Wash. I still use the Abteilung 502 for streaking the insides of exhaust tubes and burner cans though…haven’t found a better, more convincing technique for doing that.
Thrifty is good - I like thrifty![:D]
Just so you know, the Artist Loft series of oils that you can get a set of for pretty reasonable money are said to be quite good,in terms of color etc. However, their own literature states they are slow drying. I’m bringing this up because the OP mentioned art/craft stores like Micheals and Artist Loft is their main store line when stepping away from top products like WN, Goldens or Liquitex products. I’ve used the acrylics and find them good, I’m sure the oils are too. In some forms of art slow dry is preferred, aparently these AL oils are void of extra drying agents so you are at the mercy of the lindseed oil rate. I’m just putting it out there is all as a piece of information.
Maybe this doesn’t even apply where adding the heavy saturation of odorless mineral spirits is require to make a wash. Anyway take it for what it’s worth.
I now use oils more than anything else. I use Abt. 502, Winsor and Newton and Holbein. Good quality is important (I’ve had bad luck with cheap, store-brand products), but you don’t need to use W&N’s Professional range - their “Winton” middle range is just fine. I also use their water-mixable “Artisan” range, with its proprietary thinner, particularly on weathering the running gear of 1/72 models with vinyl tracks (such as Trumpeter’s older armour), as I’ve found in the past that solvent-based washes can strip all your previous work away from vinyl. Artisan oils also work well for heavier weathering washes (for filters and pinwashes, not so much).
I have to be very careful with thinners. Turpenoid and Mona Lisa take my breath away … literally. Even when I wear a respiraor while applying them, the residual fumes given off while they dry are too much for me. The only thinner I now use is Eco-House Xtra Mild Citrus Thinner, made, not surprisingly, from citrus fruit. Needless to say, enamels and laquers have been shown the door.
I’ve been eyeballing these as well but haven’t tried them yet. What I do use is a range of oil stains that are water clean up from a company named Duncan that used to be big in the ceramics field of craft. I’ve found those useful in automotive models for engine compartmens, running boards, chassis and such. Very effective, you thin it a little , slobber it on then wipe away excess before it dries but it dries quickly so I do it quickly. If I mopped up too much I just reapply till I get what I want. Anyway, because of those I thought these water clean up oils might be good too.
We only need so many washes lol ! I also do Liquitex acrylic artist paint washes that have been very effective. And to a lesser degree craft paint washes. All that said I still think panel lines and pin washes are best with oils. You don’t need many oils for that, maybe burnt umber and something charcoalish looking.
Late to the discussion, but I’ve recently come back to the hobby and have been experimenting and trying different things to see what I like. My experience so far:
- I definitely like the Tamiya panel line accent color for various things (including cleaning up the tire/rim line on 1/72 aircraft). I use it very sparingly, and I know it’s not exactly “weathering” but it can add some weathering effects in some areas.
- I have the AL paints from Michaels and have not been a huge fan. I think @oldermodelguy might be onto something, but also I find the color selection is very “primary” and it is not easy for me to mix up exactly what I’m looking for without using a lot and then having 90%+ of what I mixed left over. These are being donated to my daughter.
- I bought a couple of MiG Oilbrushers that I’ve been very happy with. Integral brush, colors that work for what I need, and they…‘disperse’ for lack of a better word…quite well. I’m going to stick with these for a while.
- I have a couple of AK water-based weathering pencils and have been happy with those for as little as I’ve used them. I bought an aluminum one for light chipping on props/etc. for 1/72 and again, as little as I’ve used then, I’ve been happy.
- I have one of those Tamiya Weathering System “eye shadow” palettes, haven’t used it yet. The intent was to use it for exhaust residue on aircraft, but I’ve been focused on 1/72 lately and the applicator is a bit large for that (and I can do okay with other methods). So, no news on that, but will share if/when I use it!
- Just got a couple of pigments to try out, haven’t used them yet, but same as above, will report on that if there’s interest.
Anyway, my [2cnts], YMMV, etc. but that’s what I’ve got to add to this.
daniel