Guys: After I documented my T34/85 weathering steps I decided to condense the list and make it more “generic” to tack to the wall above my workbench. Here it is if you’re interested in a copy too:
- Primer **- Base Color: Airbrushed Acrylic****- Post Shading: (First Coat: One shade lighter than base color. Second Coat: Two shades lighter than base color)-Airbrushed Acrylics****- Filter Washes: (VERY thin mix of paint and mineral spirits): Lamp Black, Burnt Umber and Raw Umber-Oil Paints****- Seal Whole Model: Tamiya Flat Base and Future Floor Polish Mix-Acrylic****- Dry Brush #1: (custom mix of oil paints): Match Base Color****- Dry Brush #2: (custom mix of oil paints): Lightened Base Color****- Dry Brush #3: (custom mix of oil paints): Even Lighter Base Color****- Dry Brush #4: (custom mix of oil paints): Near White Lightened Base Color****- Seal Whole Model: Tamiya Flat Base and Future Floor Polish Mix-Acrylic****- Color Washes: (thin mix of paint and mineral spirits): All were applied with a brush and then, when almost dry, streaked with a CLEAN and slightly dampened ¼" brush: Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Custom Mix to match Base Color, Analagous Colors and Complimentary Color****- Pin Washes and Panel Line Washes: (mix of paint with mineral spirits) Raw Umber, Burnt Umber-Oil Paint****- Seal Whole Model: Tamiya Flat Base and Future Floor Polish Mix-Acrylic****- Chips, Scratches and Exposed Steel Dry Brush #1: (Lamp Black 1/3 and Raw Umber 2/3, NOT thinned)-Oil Paints****- Color Accents: (adding more vibrant color over most prominent existing colors) Custom Color to Match Base Color, Lightened Shade of Base Color w/touch of Yellow, Even Lighter Shade of Base Color-Oil Paint****- Exposed Steel Dry Brush #2: (Lamp Black 1/3 and Raw Umber 2/3, NOT thinned)-Oil Paints****- Rust: (various pin washes, streaks, color accents) Burnt Umber, Orange, Brilliant Red-Oil Paints**__- Color Streaks: colors AND white: (*similar* to "dot" technique but the colors are not mixed all together after applied. Instead, colors are applied in tiny amounts over most prominent existing colors and are intended to add visual interest and texture)-Oil Paint__**- First Layer of Dust & Dirt/ Streaks: Dust-VERY thin mix of Tamiya Deck Tan XF55-Airbrushed Acrylic. Streaks-Tamiya Buff XF57 mixed with water applied with small brush****- Second Layer of Dust & Dirt/ Streaks: Dust-VERY thin mix of choice of dirt color-Airbrushed Acrylic. Streaks-choice of dirt color mixed with water applied with small brush-Acrylic****- Third Layer of Dust & Dirt/ Streaks: Dust-VERY thin mix of darker choice of dirt color-Airbrushed Acrylic. Streaks-darker choice of dirt color mixed with water applied with small brush-Acrylic****- Fourth Layer of Dust & Dirt: (Various colors applied with old paintbrush and then set down by using eyedropper to apply mineral spirits)-Chalk Pastels****- Tracks****- Grease, Oil and Fuel Spills: Raw Umber/ Mineral Spirits and Artists Oil Medium Gloss Varnish Mixes****- Exposed Metal: Graphite Pencils****- Exhaust Stains, Gun Barrel Soot: Chalk Pastels****- Exhaust Pipes: Flat Black Acrylic, Burnt Umber Oil Paint, Chalk Pastels**Just one question. I notice you seal with tamiya flat and future. What sort of finish does it give. I have always gone for a matt look, is yours more semi matt.
FLAT!..but you HAVE TO TEST THE MIX FIRST!!!
If you don’t you WILL ruin your model. The future acts as a carrying agent for the Tamiya flat. I use about 25% flat acrylic, 75% future then dilute it with rubbing alcohol 50%/50%. If you don’t have an old kit, test it on the bottom of the hull (actually I prefer this because I can see how the mix will react to the specific paint job before spraying the whole model)
A little FYI: If you use less flat you will get a semi-gloss look…the ratios can be adjusted as needed depending on the subject. An accomplished AC[yuck] modeler friend of mine uses this technique all the time with great success!
Finally the thing I’ve been looking for! A whole list to know what I should do when!! [:D] [bow]
Awsome, thanks!! I am REALLY thankful for this!! WOHOOO! [#toast]
Excellent, thanks. Could be my answer to a decent flat finish and i can adjust it depending on what i want.
SMJ,
Love the flow chart. One question. In one of your wash steps, you write:
- Color Washes: (thin mix of paint and mineral spirits): All were applied with a brush and then, when almost dry, streaked with a CLEAN and slightly dampened ¼" brush: Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Custom Mix to match Base Color, Analagous Colors and Complimentary Color
Without wanting to make myself sound like a complete rock, what do you mean by analogous colors?
Very helpful Steve…thanks a lot
Boyd - I’m laughing out loud here at work reading this. Ahhhhh, love it! [(-D]
SMJ - interesting list. No wonder your builds cry out in pain once you start! Going to have to give this all a shot on my next victim… [:-,]
Huxy/Bish/Anthony2779: Glad you like the list, let me know if/when you put it to use[tup]!
bbrowniii: You may be a complete rock but not for not knowing what analagous means. It is a term that defines the color to the immediate left and right of a color on the colorwheel. I’ll get more into this on my WIP/upcoming Jagdpanzer!
dupes: I was shocked at how many steps I actually had on that T34[:O]. The drybrushing work is eswpecially exhaustive but it REALLY sets the stage for the following steps!
Ahh, RIGHT!!! The color wheel… gonna have to get me one of those some day… [:-^]
Thanks, SMJ. That is kinda what I had figured (well, not the color wheel part), but having the clarification is great…
Got another question for you if you don’t mind. When you say base colour, how does this apply with a multi coloured scheme such as a German 3 tone scheme. I assume when you say you apply the base colour, thats all the colours you are useing. But then when you dry brush, would base colour refer to the lighter colour, i.e. dark yellow for a Germam scheme.
Thanks.
SMJ, that list was sick. And I mean truly, unequivocally sick…
Thanks bro. Having it in “order” will really help. Appreciate you taking the time to post it.
It was still sick…
Assuming three color scheme, dark yellow, red-brown and green, THOSE ARE the base colors, When I say, for example, “custom mix of oil paint to match base color”, I mean, you will mix the oils to match the color RIGHT OUT OF THE JAR…as best you can…it can be a bit difficult.
NO. The first drybrushing would consist of all three camo’ colors (as noted above). Depending on the amount of wear you plan to depict the lightened dark yellow would represent where the camo’ has worn off and the base, dark yellow is showing.
Any chance you could go single color versus three-color camo’ for your first try at this? It’s much more elaborate when you have multiple colors…BUT…if you do it right…WOW!!!..I expect the results will be amazing.
FYI: Surf over to the GB “1000 Road Wheels” and also watch for a new thread for my Jagdpanzer IV…I’m documenting the process of working with oil paints, specifically dry brushing, washes, color accenting (some call it “mapping”) and color steaking, IN DETAIL!!! last night I added the first dry brushing…the Jagd’s standard dark yellow, it should be very helpful.
Thanks. I am already trying out a few of whats on your list on my 251. I am used to dry brushing as that has always been my main method of weathering. Though only useing the lightest base colour. I am presently trying the colour wash stage, and i must say i am very much likeing it. I am not going to try everything straight off, one step at a time seeing what i like and what suits me. I will keep an eye on your future postings, and thanks agian.
SMJ
I too, have another question on your technique.
In a couple of the steps you reference things as ‘One shade lighter’, ‘Two shades lighter’, etc. Is this based on another color wheel thing or a particular mixing ratio of your paint?
I used a total of 4 shades starting with the base color and ending with almost white. To get “equal” jumps…progressively lighter, smear out your base color on one side of a paint tray and pure white on the other. Then mix three shades in the middle…try 3:1, 2:1 and then 1:3 ratios. If the color “progresses equally” to white you’re good to go! If not, adjust the tints with more white, more base color etc. It takes a bit of practivce but it’s no hard. Good Luck!
By the way, are you using oil paints for this process?!..dry brush steps…correct?
I am not sure if you have tried it, but i picked up something off FSM a few years ago which has been my main means of weathering. Thats to use Acrylics as the base colour mixed with white oil paint. I use that when dry brushing and have found they mix well and you don’t have to worry about mixing oil paint to the right base colour.
Seriously? You can mix oils and acrylics with no adverse side effects? I’m quite surprised.
What’s the benefit of that over mixing acrylic white with the acrylics?
Ahh, that makes sense - and was kind of what I suspected.
No, I have not been using oils, but I will…
EDIT: But wait, now I am a little confused (big surprise, eh?). Your list says (for the one shade/two shade lighter thing) ‘Airbrushed Acrylics’. Are we talking about two different steps here?
Actually, no, i was wrong, its enamels. I believe its a tip i picked up from an article by Tony Greenland in FSM from the late 80’s. The oil paint helps blend the colours better and don’t dry to fast. I have used the metods i read about in his article for years, but his weathering is very light, only dry brushing and pastels.