Weathering

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Techniques
1

I tried to weather a 1/72 P-40 and wound up removing the paint I had already applied. HELP? I used Model Master paints and think I used the same type of paint/thinner for the wash. I’ve been out of modeling for several years and am working my way back with my 5-yr old.

2

mookie;

How long did you allow the paint to dry before doing the wash?

What you can do is repaint the P-40 allow it to dry for a couple days. Then seal the colour coat with either a spray on flat or semi gloss clear coat. This will protect the colour coat and allow you to use the wash.

Cheers;

Gregory

3

Thanks. I let it dry for several days (over a week) but did not clear coat it. Is a flat clear coat OK? Part of why I’ve been out is that I am USAF and have been deployed too much.

THanks,

Steve

4

They key is to use a wash made of different material than the paint you use. If you used enamel paint and want to use enamel or oil wash, I would suggest using a coat of Future or acrylic clear to seal the paint job first. This way your wash wont attack your paint finish.

Flat coats are tough to apply a wash over, as the the wash will tend to stay where you put it. As a flat coat is flat because it has microscopic pits, which reflects lights in all directions, giving a flat finish. It’s very difficult to remove wash pigments that have lodged into those pits. A gloss coat is shiny due to its smooth surface, which makes removing excess wash much easier

Hope this helps.

5

Been there, done that. I’m guesing you ran a loaded brush over the entire surface, right? I learned a long time ago that will dislodge paipnt. What I do now with a wash where I’ve used enamel paint is let it dry as you did then make a wash of artists’ oil with off the shelf hardware store thinner, buck or so a gallon, and apply the wash to panel line joints and at the base of raised details. I never drag the brush across the surface, capillary action will pull the wash along. This will create no excess to wipe off.

I’ve applied washes this way over completely flat models successfully. Realistically, though, if you have decalled you model, it’s likely to be glossy, anyway, which will help draw the wash along the crevasses. I

IM(not so)HO with 30+ years of modeling, with a boxful of trophies to show for it, the so called sludge wash is a virtual guarantee to ruin a paint finish and the decal you carefully applied. Some folks have been sold on needed to use acrylic over enamel or enalme over acrylic. Sounds like someone’s pushing the sale of extra paint and decals.

NOw don’t get me started on paint chipping and pre-shading! [soapbox]

6

Sorry for buting in here on the guys post, but im new to weathering and would like to ask a few questions. :wink:

Ok, ive never done a weathering effect yet. I have tamiyas weathering stuff but not used it yet. You say to apply a wash? what is a wash? whats it made of? and i think i understand that you blow the wash into the panel lines and use the air to move it??? (ive no idea lol tell me if im wrong, only going by what i think u ment) ive always wondered when u see panel lines that have been done how perfect straight and even it looks, cant be a paint brush lol???

Im using enamels at the moment, so if i wanted to add weahter id give it a coat of klear/future before applying the wash, as i guess it would not move, stuck to the enamel??

regards gordon

7

Gordon, when I do a wash, I basically use mineral spirits heavily tinted with artists oils, the color which depends on the base color you’re appling it over. The key for my method is to make sure I’m applying it over a non-compatable gloss finish, like Future. Using a fine-tipped brush, I just touch the wash into the recessed panel lines and cappilary action does the rest. Appling a wash over a flat or matt surface is not recommended, because the miniscule nooks of a flat finish tend to wick it away. It does not necessarily stay where you put it…it just goes where you don’t want it to go.

8

I’m going to jump in hear too. I am starting back into the hobby myself. I am also using Model Master enamels for the base. If I want to apply a wash, what would I use, and what would I seal the Model Master (flat) enamels with? I’ve been trying to research this on-line and everyone is using acrylics for their base, which doesn’t help me.

9

If you’re interested, there’s a great article on applying washes in this month’s issue of Fine Scale Modeler… I personally use acryllics to apply a wash over enamels, and vice-versa. I use rubbing alcohol to thin the acryillics. Anytime you use enamels or oils to apply a wash over oil or enamel finishes, you’ll lift the finish if you don’t seal it. Washes are best applied over a gloss finish, so seal the final coat with clear gloss, then apply the wash. After that, start the drybrushing, then seal that with a coat of clear flat, then apply the dry pastels, if you’re going use that.

10

So if I am using enamels for the base, can I seal it with Future, then apply the weathering with acrylics? Or will the wash eat through the Future since both are acrylics?

11

I use plain ol’ rubbing alcohol for thinner in acrylic washes and haven’t had any issues with that.

12

Thanks for the info.

13

I am one who base coats with Model Master enamels. My washes are also Model Master enamels. Here’s the steps I use:

  1. Base paint model with Model Master enamels
  2. Spray Model Master Acryl Gloss Coat on areas to receive decals
  3. Apply decals
  4. Spray Model Master Acryl Flat Coat on the whole model
  5. Use Model Master enamels as a wash
  6. Dry brush
  7. Add pastels

I apply the wash over the whole model. I then wipe off most of the wash in the center areas of the panels leaving plenty of wash in the crevices.

Shep Paine outlined this technique in both of his books.

I have only used this technique on armor models.

Jesse