I’m looking for some tips on hull weathering. I’ve beat the bushes on older forum threads and believe I understand how to do things like adding rust and grime streaks. But, what is the technique for adding the effect of salt-water wear/whitening like that exhibited on the hull of the San Francisco in photos of her return to Pearl and CONUS in December 1942 following her tour in the Solomons?
Just like dot filtering a tank you put some small dots of white paint on the hull and then using a wide brush just slightly (damp) wet with thinner (wipe away any excess thinner before starting) just pull the dot of paint down the hull thinning until the dots disappears. I put down a clear coat and then use an oil paint from a tube when I do this as it gives me more time to work the paint. I also let the oil paint sit on some papertowel to soak up the excess oil from the paint for around 20 minutes before starting. Work in sections if the hull is really long. Don’t over do it, just a fine streak of paint that once dries will leave a very faint coat of white that will look like salt streaks. You can have heavier coats located along the hull if you think those areas would have a larger build up. Experiment and have fun. I alway enjoy this part of the build.
Thanks gents! It’s always a leap of faith trying a new technique on a kit on which you’ve already invested a good deal of time and money. You all make it sound so easy.
You must really use 16s or 18s to TRY to knockout a really determined U.S. Ship and crew ! P.S. Bill , if the streaks stop at the waterline , why did the U.S.S. Ozbourn have nasty streaks all over under that precious waterline ? We never ran aground or sailed through oil or chemicals .
I always wondered about that . A yard -Bird said she got them in the floating Drydock in Sasebo during a prior cruise . T.B.
I’m guessing the anti-fouling paint of your can was out of the water as much as it was in during any 4+ sea state. Or maybe it was scupper trout?
Seriously, though, that’s a head-scratcher. Except for the upper part of the hull below the line that is exposed when the ship is lightened, I don’t think you’d see it. Of all the navy warships I’ve seen in drydock, live or in photos, there is loss of the the boot stripe and anti-fouling paint but not much in the way streaking. I would think you’s see it more in merchies or oilers - but even then, not on the underside of the hull.
I’m not sure how much weathering I’m be able to do on this build, since I hadn’t planned it from the start…I don’t want to show too much wear above the water line with little to none below.
Don’t forget one very important item here . When you do that streaking adjust for the water washing off and draining aft toward the bottom as the ship moves through the water . I saw one where All the staining went straight down . Nah Ah , Don’t happen that way .
That had to be the dirtiest carrier I’d ever seen . Carrier dirty ? Oh , the bigger the ship the nastier they can look sometimes . T.B.