what is a pin wash?

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hi guys,

I’m new to this website’s forum and have been lurking around the past few weeks reading some of the threads. what i would like to ask is: what is a pin wash? how do you do it? and how different is it to the washes that are usually given to kits to give them depth and or to dirty them up a bit.

thanks!

2

A pinwash is a much more targeted wash where you use a fine brush and carefully apply the thin, dark paint to small areas like rivets, lines, etc. This is as opposed to a wash which is generally applied to the whole model with a wide brush. It seems to me that more modelers are using pinwashes instead of overall washes, especially on armor.

Cheers, Aaron

3

Yeah, what Aaron said… “Pin” is just modeler shorthand for “Pin-point”…

4

ok, thanks for the clarification!

5

thanks for the explanation!

6

2 key points:

#1 Make sure you only wash enamel over acrylic or acrylic over enamel. It works better over a gloss coat like Future (acrylic floor polish) This can be brushed on and drys flat & smooth.

#2 ALWAYS practice on scrap model / plastic. Some thinners are more aggressive than others. If in doubt thin acrylic with water & a dab of dish soap.

7

hi suppression fire,

thanks for the pointers. i have to admit that i have been using the acrylic paint with water and dish soap combo as a wash, and have been using Future also as a gloss coat. saw/read it on FSM. with regards to enamel paints being as a wash though, this is quite new to me. do you use just paint thinner to dilute the paint? is there any combination or mixture that is being done to enamel paints just like that of the acrylic paint, water, and dish soap combo?

8

Check out the "Tools, Techniques and Reference Materials " section of the forum, there’s tons of stuff to help you out there.

For instance:

/forums/t/124511.aspx

9

I think this guy knows, but I can’t find his Email address;

10

thanks for the link.