Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:08 am Post subject: Washes for models
Hi All,
After posting an article on dry brushing i couldnt find a pictorial link for washes on models & so decided to do one for this section on one of my HO cars.
It has had some decalling work already applied and so i made a start with washes ......
What you need ......
Two brushes they dont need to be you best about number 3 mine came from a plastic kit.
Jar with some clean white spirit Or thinner for the type of paint you are using.
Burnt Umber oil paint
Couple of sheets of clean Kitchen Towel
Piece of scrap plasticard
Something to prop your model while you work on it
I used a 9V battery for propping the car while working on it sat at a shallow angle so the wash would run down the side of the car realistically ..........
Here is the car before the wash
I have used wihte spirit to thin the Oil paint here and used oil paint as the pigment of it is very finely ground giving a better effect .... enamel paint works well and thinned again with white spirit or enamel thinners ... acrylic paint will work but can bead on the surface you are working on and so i tend to avoid it.
Put a little well stirred paint onto the scrap plastic and dip your brush in white spirit adding it to the plastic dip the tip of the brush in the paint and mix the spirit with it until you have an opaque colour as here.
Now wash your brush clean and load it with white spirit touching the model in the recess allowing the spirit to run down in the recess if it needs more sprit repeat the process .......
Any excess spirit the build up on the lower edge of the car can be soaked lightly with the edge of the kitchen towel
Now load the brush with your paint/spirit mix touch the recess and allow the mix to flow into it ...... sorry the pic is out of focus the folowing pictures will show things better.
Build up the washes to the desired effect if the mix is to dark add more spirit .... i have allowed the mix to build on the lower edge of the car here and picked out some other detail.
Use more spirit on the flat areas as well adding the mix as before toning down the orginal paint finish giving a used look.
Here is one section ready for drybrushing and powder application thev U.P. shield needing a nipping with the scalpel tip & decalling agents needed in places to flatten it out a little more.
The rivets now stand out and the difference in the end and side door can be seen after the wash treatment.
With oil paints they do take a while to dry out over enamels.
This technique can be applied to any stock buildings etc the brickwork in a building can look bland and flat but with washes it comes alive with detail.
Use the wash sparingly and build it up is the secret to it ... if your not happy add more thinner and soak with the kitchen towel edge and start over.
Hopefully i will get around to finishing this car soon and will take more pictures of it progress to completion here. _________________
Last edited by upnick on Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:57 pm; edited 1 time in total
Thank you Poliss ...... hoping time find time to finish the car with washes today surrounded by cardboard and packing tape at the moment though _________________
Basically, I use the same technique as you do, but instead of oil paints, I use pastels. Pastels give the opportunity to grind them to a consistency between somewhat rough and very fine powder. For instance, on some heavily weathered models, I needed crusts of built-up rust and the pastels provided that opportunity.
I use 80% isopropanol alcohol to thin the pastels. Use a spare paint jar, fill in the pastel chalk and fill up with alcohol until the chalk is just covered, Then stir or shake to solve the chalk, and fill up until you have a barely translucent solution.
The advantage of using alcohol instead of oil paints is IMHO that alcohol evaporates really fast and the model is dry after a few seconds. _________________ Modular Railroading in N-scale
Ummm, I originally didn't intend to publish this but you can always learn from the mistakes made by others...
A customer of mine sent me a small parcel last week which included a loco and letter that basically said : "Sorry, I messed this up. Can you do something about it?"
What I got? See for yourselves (Click image for full size):
Well, in reality, this engine would end up at the scrapyard . I was way too busy with my photo tour to America last week and so I didn't touch the engine yet.
This is a "restauration" project for the first week of September. It clearly shows what happens if you want to get fast results and put on a thick layer of paint instead of going nice and easy with several thin layers. Well, another couple of $$$$ for me
I'll keep you posted about this (and of course I'll also write up a travel report on my website).
Just made a quick inspection. Looks like a mixture of pastels and enamels. Seems, there's a lot of "fun" for me at stake _________________ Modular Railroading in N-scale
Some work ahead as you say Erhard ........ either thinners or a glassfibre pencil carefully may help i have removed mistakes on models with one gently so not to move the paint if thinners doesnt work.
Try not to resort to the latter though if possible. _________________
Nick,
as a first treatment, I will give it a thorough wash with "Mr. Thinner". This stuff even dissolves old acrylics. I have been able to make 10 year old paints workable with it. mr. Thinner also doesn't affect decals; painted on numbers have to be covered with masking fluid, though.
I think that after the "cleaning", I will weather it to a "workhorse" state (which the Consolidations actaully were in their late years, serving as shunters in yards and poorly maintained)
i dont have clue what thinners are..... i leave that to my father.....
this is a good question:
does weathering add value to a model or detract value from a model? _________________ * Percy: Isn't a Jubilee a sort of party? Thomas and I took some Scouts to one once.
* Thomas: That was a jamboree.
* Percy: Was it? Sorry.
Paint is usually too thick to put straight on to a model, so you add thinners. I expect you have some turpentine substitute under the sink. Nearly everyone does. Similar thing, but no good for acrylic paint etc.
Value only matters if you have to sell. If you're buying as an investment, you've chosen the wrong hobby. Collect gold when the market is low. _________________ Get off the line Bobby!
http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t184/Poliss_album/
does weathering add value to a model or detract value from a model?
I use weathering to cover up scratch marks or a poor finish
Then sell it on Ebay as weathered and buy one in better condition _________________ Experience is something you don' t get until just after you need it .
does weathering add value to a model or detract value from a model?
That's more or less a matter of personal taste.
I have a few customers who send me their weathered models (which they bought second hand) in order to have them restored to factory condition. Most of them, however, want their models weathered for more realism on their layout. _________________ Modular Railroading in N-scale
does weathering add value to a model or detract value from a model?
That's more or less a matter of personal taste.
I have a few customers who send me their weathered models (which they bought second hand) in order to have them restored to factory condition. Most of them, however, want their models weathered for more realism on their layout.
hmmm... i see... i didn't know if to go and weather some engines and stock as all of it is pristine finish, which isn't realistic.... it's just that i fear that weathered stock will look better than my layout.... Nick has seen the layout....
and why have engines Un-weathered why not buy one which hasn't been weathered
Should`nt worry about it, I am weathered and my wife does`nt think I am worth anymore probably thinks worth less????? _________________ mine is a pint of J Smiths Smooth please
Little tip I just found out ..Don`t weather with water paint on top of Enamel ...leave you to guess the result. _________________ mine is a pint of J Smiths Smooth please
Little tip I just found out ..Don`t weather with water paint on top of Enamel ...leave you to guess the result.
Would think it leaves a beaded finish Dave ........... it does often on loco /stock paint.
Yes Nick, and I have come to the conclusion that it`s easier painting with the water colours, dry`s faster, dosn`t smear when glue gets on it, and if you want a gloss finish, put a coat of gloss over at the finish. Humbrol do a range in water paints not sure if its something new, but my local shop is new to them. _________________ mine is a pint of J Smiths Smooth please
Yes Nick, and I have come to the conclusion that it`s easier painting with the water colours, dry`s faster, dosn`t smear when glue gets on it, and if you want a gloss finish, put a coat of gloss over at the finish. Humbrol do a range in water paints not sure if its something new, but my local shop is new to them.
Hi Dave,
In my start of this thread i did mention i avoid water colour paints in weathering ... the only time i use them is when i know the paint they are being applied to are waterbased.
Erhard gave us a different method with IPA and pastel chalks ... they settle on factory paint finishes and dry quickly, or use a thinners and enamel paint.
Applying gloss over a finish is fine to seal things but stock / locos are either satin or more than like matt after weathering in real life not gloss.
One thing to remember is on steam locos the running gear stays the same shiny finish in service as the gear was smeared in oil therefore deflecting any dirt build up, any weathering there could be an oil spill on joints. _________________
Yes i took note of that, but what I tried was on a building that I had painted with enamel paint, which I think would have been more suitable being painted with water colour for the reason I gave of drying quick and as I said if I wanted a shine after just put a coat of gloss on.
By the way that insulation was it Eurotherme? and what did you cut it with?
_________________ mine is a pint of J Smiths Smooth please
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. I was way too busy with my photo tour to America last week and so I didn't touch the engine yet.
I expect you have some turpentine substitute under the sink. Nearly everyone does. Similar thing, but no good for acrylic paint etc.
why not buy one which hasn't been weathered 
