Hey All its been awhile since iv been on here but i do have a question. What is the best way to make a wash? Iv tried Acrylics thinned out iv tried oil paints, really thin enamels. all with ill results. What am i doing wrong? shoot me a message back cause i need the help and most of you are alot better at building models then me
Andy
i try several methods. the biggest thing id stress first though is to always make sure, that if any part of the base coat is of the same solution as the wash you’re mixing, make sure there is some kind of a barrier, like several light coats of clear either enamel or acrylic, to block or prevent the wash from eating into the base coat.
as for the wash itself, I use some acrylic black, mixed with water, a little brown and dish detergent for the job. it covers well, and holds great. i also mix individual washes from tiem to time depending on what I feel like doing for the model
BTW- the above wash mixture is the same as Paul Boyer uses. there was an article a few years back on it, using a skyraider wingie thingie
Paint on model must be fully cured. This isn’t the same as “dry to the touch”. I usually give it anywhere from three days to a week, weather and paint medium dependent, before going back to the model after getting the colors I want on there.
10 parts thinner to 1 part paint. I use an eye dropper to get the amounts right. Good results using any of the paint mediums you listed.
I only use washes on seams, bolts, and other prominent details, sort of “tracing” the brush around those parts. I don’t use washes on most flat surfaces unless I want to simulate a spill or some such. I use other methods to add some depth to the color if desired.
I make sure the parts are parallel to the ground. This means that for side skirts or bolt detail on the sides of a tank, I turn the tank on its side, apply wash around the detail, let wash dry, do next side.
Some folks will put a gloss clear coat on before doing washes. This keeps any wash from “pooling’” around parts, and makes recovering from mistakes a bit easier as the gloss clear coat seals the model from the effects of the thinner.
As with anything, patience, persistence, and the energy to correct mistakes promptly are the hallmaks to getting good results.