I am new to modelling and I am building a Tamiya Stug 3 G and now at the stage where I am looking to weather the model.
So far I have primed, painted with a base colour (dark yellow), and added some camouflage (dark green and rust brown).
I am now not sure what to do next, after looking at YouTube videos I have worked out the following steps.
Place Decals
Apply a Varnish - Not sure whether it should be Gloss, Matte or Satin.
Use Panel Liner to highlight areas on the model to create shadow
Speckling to give the impression of paint wearing off
Wash to show dirt, grime, rust etc
Pigments to show mud, rust
Finish with another coat of varnish, again not sure whether it should be Gloss, Matte or Satin.
I would appreciate any comments on the above steps, have I missed any, what should I add or take away? I am looking to establish a process that I can repeat and refine over time.
Your list looks good. The varnish should go on before the decals. Decals always stick better to a shiny surface(less air trapped underneath). After decals seal with another coat of varnish. Then weather. Last coat should be a flat to show faded weathered look
I find that pigments don’t work as well for me over a gloss varnish, so I’ll usually do them after the matte coat. If I’m worried about the pigments wearing off with handling, another matte coat will seal them in, but it will also tone them down quite a bit, so it’s always a balancing act.
With that said, one thing to consider as you go through the steps: you can add a varnish coat at any time to protect your work so far. Particularly say, after chipping (speckling), but before the grime wash. That way you can correct mistakes or adjust the wash without risking damaging the previous coats of paint.
Lastly, grab some plastic spoons or other scrap plastic pieces to test things out on. In particular I struggled for a long time with matte varnishes, learning how to thin them and spray them. Even a rattlecan matte can take a little practice, and you don’t want to be experimenting on an almost-done model!!
Gloss clear—Decals/Dry transfers—Seal work with gloss clear—Pin washes—Seal work with flat/semigloss clear—Filters/washes/chipping/pigments/rust effects/grease and oil stains
The order of operations on that last bit depends on your desired outcome. For instance, some chipping may be old and covered by dust or dirt but some chipping may be new and look fresh, so it won’t be covered by dirt.
Also, you don’t want to put flat over the model after you’ve finished weathering. That will deaden any glossy stains you’ve added, and affect your dry weathering like pigments. Use pigment fixative to hold your pigments in place.
What about dusting? This is why if you go the whole hog with weathering, you’ll want a place to house and display your model that will protect it, otherwise, when you clean, you run the risk of affecting your weathering.
Hey, this is not a super related question, but do you need an airbrush to paint model planes? I have looked online and haven’t found an answer. But I have used brush painting for a long while, and I wonder if I need an airbrush. Any advice?
No,but the real things are sprayed,so it would stand to reason that a scale model should be sprayed.That being said,there are many modelers that can achieve excellent results by brush painting.So really it depends on the modeler and their abilities.I felt that thd airbrush took my modeling to the next level,I wouldnt be without it.
@Liam_Hayes You can get by without an airbrush…but like @Tojo72 said…the real ones were sprayed. After that…practice and asking questions along the way make perfect.
Depends o ship. Modern kits often can be heavily weathered. Old sailing ships are frequently left unweathered for more artistic look. Emphesis on art or history?
