i am washing my tanks with an oil artists paint. how long does it take for the paint to dry, so as not to smear? or can i spray something over it to protect it?
oil paints takes a while, give it at least 24 hrs. You can spray a flat coat over it after it drys to give everything the same tone if you like.
i think it really depends on what thinner you use, i use a fast drying thinner and usually within a couple of hours it is dry enough to work with but not cured.
I use mineral spirits with my oil paints and really thin it down. Even so I normally let it sit for 24-48 hours before fooling around with it. I usually put a clear flat coat over it before I weather any further. That’s my way anyhow.
The other thing if you want to speed up the drying process, is by using an oven.
But watch out, if the oven is set to hot, then your tank model may turn out to be something else.
Oil paint best to be fully dry by it self because of it’s character. One full day should be more than enough. You will also notice that the color of the oil paint will change slightly when it is fully dry.
Ben
The most important thing is to pick a good color to wash with, generally black on greys and whites, and a dark brown on everything else (the brown will look like rust on white), and then thin it very very well. You can always apply a second coat later.
If you want a rusty look, you can use a very thin rust colored wash.
One very important thing is to be sure to wipe or blot the excess away after doing just a small section, otherwise it will dry and won’t come off. Also be sure that your brushes and thinner are clean of any particles that could mess up the wash.
I usually use generic mineral spirits without any problems, but be sure your paint has had at least 3 days if not a week to cure before applying a spirit-based wash. It will usually dry enough to apply another coat or color of wash without smearing in about 20 minutes. However, as has been said before it should dry for 24-48 hours before any further weathering, and because it is usually semigloss a flat lacquer coat will be in order, especially if you intend to use weathering powders. A good rule to follow is that if the finish is drying really glossy, you aren’t thinning it enough.
thanks for all the help guys. i have never used anything other than tamiya acrylics before. i just bought my first artists oil set with 10 different colors. but i have the basics, raw umber, yellow orche, and green. when i first tried applying some umber for my rust streaks, i was amazed at how realistic it looks compared to trying to get the same effect with acrylic paint. kudos to everyone who gave some input. the rust looks really great, but your right about me having to spray on a flat finish to dull the semi-gloss down. but i applied almost a straight paint mix around the lower hull to get the dirty mud effect. i think i will have to spray a little flat earth and brown over some of it when it fully dries though. i’ll be sure to get spme pics up as soon as it dries so i can get a little bit more feedback. also what is a good way to go with vinal tracks? how can i get the rusty used look on them?
how do i add pics to my post? i took some of my shermie and want a little feedback…
ok, now i can post some pics of my shermie. any ideas, feedback or suggestions? 
roosterpelo
If you goto the top of the main page click on search type in washes and there is a list that may help you.