Righto, I know this is relatively basic stuff but I’m still struggling to find 100% definate answers.
Basically, I’m wanting to do a blackwash (or a series of them) on my Brummbar when I get to that stage. I’ve googled everything I can but can find nothing clear on using washes over enamel paints.
I’m thinking that if I make a wash using black enamel paint and humbrol thinner this wash will attack my basecoat because of the thinner. Is this correct? If yes what do I do?
The Brummbar is being painted with Humbrol enamel-if I wanted to do a blackwash all over WITHOUT risking damaging the basecoat what do type of wash do I need to make up-I need to get this right!
My rule of thumb is to use Acrylic for washes over Enamel base coats & Enamel/Oil washes over Acrlic base coats. Greatly reduces the possibility of the wash thinner attacking the base coat.
Or if you really want to go the enamel/oil route you can just seal the model with Future - I think it’s called Johnson’s Kleer in the UK.
I just put down a light coat, let it dry for about ten minutes, and then hit it with a second coat to make sure I got everything. You don’t need a good airbrush for this just spray the whole thing. The Future is just gloss acrylic paint and will seal the enamel so the thinner won’t attack it.
First off I’m going to strongly recommend that you consider a color other than black for your wash. Black is a very very strong color and it’s going to dramatically darken your finish and will be very hard to undo if you get it just a little bit wrong. I would recommend using something a little ligher such as Raw Umber or Burnt Umber depending instead.
Rick’s got you covered in terms of the enamel vs. acrylic mediums. Since you are base painting in enamels you can’t use oils or enamel paints or thinners as it will lift the base coat if it’s not protected with a sealing barrier such as acrylic Future/Klear to prevent that.
Now, I’ve never ever used Future or varnish to seal a model-if I used Future can I just spray it on straight from the bottle? I’ve also got a small tin of household clear gloss varnish which I use for decals, could I brush that on? Which would be better?
I’ve got a nice variety of enamel and acrylics so I’ll give the black a miss and maybe just use black for small pinwash areas and use Umber/Sienna for the main wash.
If I didn’t want to seal my model could and I use an enamel paint wash what do I thin it with, water or acrylic thinner?
If this Brummbar was YOUR model, what would YOU be doing when you have got your base coat down?
I apply the Future straight from the bottle. Your single action A/B should be perfect. Just don’t spray it on too thick- I’ve had Future run and bead on me and had to sand off the droplets and repaint. A nice misty coat will work. And clean your airbrush well afterward, I run a bottle of water with a little dishwashing detergent though it though some people use glass cleaner.
I’ve also applied it with a brush for decals as well but never done an entire model that way so I’m honestly not sure how well it would work. And if you do use it, you’ll have to hit the model upon finishing with a good coat of matt varnish since after the Future she’ll be as shiny as if you’d just waxed her!
Or you could just go with the acylic wash suggested and skip all of this.
Bill has the right idea on the colour of wash too. Since you’re doing zimmerit the wash will settle down into every nook and cranny in it and if you use black it will make the model much darker. My two cents is to go a little darker than the armour sand on your wash and then adding a little dry-brushing on the zimmerit which should be more than enough to make the detailing ‘pop’.
There are alot of people with more experience here than me so I’ll shut up and let them walk you though the rest of this.
I will second Bill’s comment. Do not use black for a wash. If you do not want to mix your own, look at the MIG Filters…great stuff. Otherwise stick to “browns” if making your own.
Have a tweezer with a paper towel ball, if the filter runs or pools in an area, soak up the excess.
Go with light multiple coats to build the color you want
I’m undecided on wether to use future or an acrylic wash. If I use an acrylic wash do I just need to thin the acrylic paint with water? Recommended approximate ratio?
Off to bed now, early start, so I’ll catch up with this in the morning.
Ben after you get the decals on and they dry spray a light coat of Klear over the decals to seal them as well,let dry and then go with the wash.
After the washes have dried good,give the whole thing a coat of Dull Coat. That so the pigment and or chalks have a rough surface to grab and stay put.
Right, I’ve just been up the LHS to stock up for Christmas weekend. Got a couple of AB propellant cans, some more matt clear rattlecan varnish and various paints.
Back to the painting schedule (remember I’ve never painted this way before)
I’ll have the build complete by the end of this weekend.
Do I need to prime my model before I paint it or is down to personal preference?
When my basecoat is down and dried fully do I apply my first coat of Klear?
Do I now apply my decals?
Do I now put on a second coat of Klear?
Do I now apply washes, filters, dry brushing & other weathering etc?
When all dry do I then apply my layers of matt varnish?
When the matt varnish is dry do I then apply my pigments to the matt surface?
This is how I would do it. If anything is out of sequence please let me know?
Btw, has anyone ever used Games Workshop ‘Citadel’ washes in a pot? The guy in the shop gave me a pot of Sepia and a pot of Black. How is this wash made up? Does anyone know what type of paint they use and how do they thin it down? It’s virtually odourless?
Your sequence looks good. Prime at your discretion really - If you’re painting with enamels there’s really no burning need to prime unless you’re after a particular effect. Priming is more of an issue for painting with acrylics, where adhesion is more of a problem.
The Citadel washes are acrylic and are ready to use straight out of the pot, but can be thinned with water.
We’ll go with that sequence then. It took me bloody ages to find a shop that sold Klear yesterday!
If this goes right then this Brummbar could be a winner. I did wonder how some of you guys got this particular ‘look’ to your work-I know now, you use Future/Klear!
I’ll be interested to see how it goes.
I won’t prime the model but I will prime the metal side panels. Tony said to sand them down a bit first to rough up the shiny smooth metal surface to give the paint something to grip onto. I’m going to have a couple of the panels missing for a battle damage effect and have a couple bent up and dented too.
I’m off to work now then I’m off until next Tuesday-cushty! Loads of build time!
In my humble opinion, you don’t need to go through so many steps.
You don’t absolutely need to prime, it is a matter of personal preference. If you don’t, just apply your basecoat in multiple thin layers, and ensure you have good coverage of everything.
2)After your basecoat is dry, apply your coat of Future/Klear. Personally, I think you made the right choice, as I’ve never had acrylic washes behave properly, or at least as well as enamel/oil
3)You can now apply your decals, and your washes.
I don’t really see a need for you to apply a second coat of Future/Klear. You can just brush paint the small patches where your decals are
When you are satisfied that your washes are exactly what you want them to be, and the model is dry, then you can hit it with a dullcoat. Filters are meant to be applied over a matt coat. You can thereafter apply your drybrushing, pigments, etc, following the dullcoat and filters.