Tell me about pigments

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Techniques
1

OK Any experiences are appreciated. I’m an old time modeler (more or less) but dont have a lot of experience with pigments and pastels. I have a couple armor subjects in mind and I want to do some convincing weathering. I have used some pastel chalks a couple of times… just scraped a few little piles of powder and scrubbed that onto the surface with a brush. I hear good things about Mig and DOA pigments but I wonder if they are that much different than what I’ve used. My pastels seem to do a decent job but I don’t have much to compare to.

Mig and DOA pigments aren’t real cheap (though not all that expensive) so I dont want to put another $20 or $30 into something no better than what I already have. Are they that much better than generic (actually Alphacolor from Michaels) soft pastels? I like the effect of mixing with water or turp when applying, but again, not much experience.

Thanks much

HeadBang

2

Well headbang,

I use both. They each have their application. Pastels are great and cheap. I use them 70-80% of the time. They are easy to put on, can be wiped away for corrections and tends to stick pretty well on a flat finish. I do not recommend clear coating pastels, they tend to disappear with a clear coat. Be sure to use the powder (oil free) pastels. Some have an oil base.

Now, pigments have their place too. They come in the ready-to-use colors you want (mud, soot, rust, etc) which is nice. They are a little “thicker” than pastels and are designed to stick better to the model. You can get better ‘texture’ with pigments which armor and car modelers like. Plus, you are right, they are a little pricey.

That’s about all I can think of. Hope this helps…