Ok, so I'm gonna buy weathering supplies... mostly sci-fi... what do you guys have in your workshops?
Looking to buy a "complete" set of whatever it is I may need. The simpler the better. I need color and medium suggestions. Thanks!
If you were gonna get stuck in an island with lots of kits to build... what weathering supplies would you take with you?
Pastel chalks if nothing else. But that's a loaded question. It's like asking "I want to build the best model, what one should I buy". There are a lot of different tools and techniques for weathering. Some may work for you some may not. It also depends on skill, how much time to invest as well as money.
Here is what you can do with pastel chalks. The ship was painted white over a black base and the blue was painted along with R2. Everything else is chalk.
Cool!!! I guess what I'm really asking is what medium can "do it all"... seems chalk is versatile... searched around the net and youtube... chalk seems to be what i'm looking for. I've never used it before... but I did use pencil graphite to weather all my Ertls waaaaay back.
There is a product line called MIG.
Also Micro Mark sells assorted weathering sets.
I'm not really sure there is one medium that can "do it all". The problem is what is "do it all"? Each product, chalk, inks, paints, real dirt, real rust, weathering powders, pencils, etc. all have their uses and effects. There are also different techniques used for each product, and then some, to achive different effects.
I guess if I had to choose one I would go with chalks. They come in a ton of colors. You can take a stick and nick the model for a sharp lazer blast. You can rub the stick on a piece of sandpaper and create a powder. Different color powders can be mixed like paint to change the color as well. The powder can then be dry brushed on or even scrubbed in with a stiff brush. You can also mix the powder with rubbing alcohol, slop that into corners and cracks and when it evaporates you get realistic rust.
The only thing to remember with chalks and powders is they need a clear coat to seal the powder so you don't rub it off.
Anyone else?
Thanks... that primer on chalks pretty much sealed the deal for me.
Tamiya's Weathering Master line of products have a lot of versatility.
https://www.tamiyausa.com/product/it...oduct-id=87080
Basically like a pastel in a compact but specifically designed for this purpose.
Id have actually advised to stay away from Pastels, the end result is not all that great, but then, it depends what you are building.
If its a studio scale subject, avoid them, and do it the old fashioned way, using gauche washes and water based smudges.
Oils too if thats your bag, though i find water based and acrylic washes work better and tend not to spread too much.
Graphite, great material to add blast marks or metal sheens too.
A lot of it you tend to find along the way, but as for pastels, to me they are a slippery slope and dont look all that great outside of smaller aircraft/armor modelling.
lee
Lots of video's on YouTube on weathering and good training-- especially for trains which will easily transpose over to ships.
I think my X-Wing turned out pretty good. It was all done with pastel chalks with very little paint. Alot of it has to do with how well you can use the tool at hand.ralphee said:
i know when it came to weathering armor iv always looked for rusted cars/trucks for ideas on how it could be done
iv also head junk yards is another place to look to
C
Robiwon said:
Not detracting from the build, but you can tell its been done with chalk i guess.
ILM didnt use this method, these guys were VERY skilled artists with an airbrush, and countless other methods to achieve the look.
Pastel chalks are very easy for a beginner i guess, they pull off a desired effect in a very easy way, without too much frustration, but, in the end to me, they always look like a pastel chalk, which to me, especially in studio scale, cheapens a model.
lee
Too soft? I think that's what catches the eye.
Exactly, it has no real definition, just looks like a splodge of soot etc etc.Locry said:
With a water based wash, you can create some realy amazing effects is all, and you have more control, over what you want to achieve, its a harder practice, but worth the effort.
I do use graphite sparingly though, that is very handy, but again, you can get some really striking effects from that.
Its what suits you in the end i guess, but dont be afraid to try something new of different, jump in, have fun.
lee
I just love the Maschinen Kruger stuff... one day... i hope I can achieve something like those. Paint chipping is something I'm not even close to achieving.
For rust drips I have actually put a old rusty bolt in a film canister with a lil water and let it sit from the time I start the build. Then use a syringe and push out a bit and where the rust would originate from and then let gravity do the work. If you want a windswept look a hair dryer on low heat high speed and put it in the direction to get a swept effect. I did a ton of rally car models and used alot of weird techniques to get a desired look. I once held a Impreza rally car out the window in a snow storm on the highway to give it a snow/ salted look for Rally Finland lol. SOmetimes putting the models through real life situations gives a really good look. Like something underwater. Throw it in an aquarium and lots of light and then let it dry out. Looks excellent.
^ haha! We don't have snow here... know of a cheap way to get to Hoth?
First time using Valejo pigments... I LIKE IT! Very predictable and controllable IMO.
Got a small "WASH" bottle too... but it's too small to really cover anything significant, I think the pigments alone will do quite nicely.
Initial testing... base coat is a rattle can grey primer.
For me (and I'm a noob) it's all about salt chipping and then oil wash
You want to buy some grease and dirt.
There's more to weathering than just dirt, rust and leaky gaskets.
What kind of environmental exposure would the subject have been exposed to? Was it in a rainy/humid environment, or a desert environment. Lots of sun, or nothing but snow?
What kind of maintenance did it see? Was it something that was left in the field, or was it washed and cleaned after every use?
How long after the assembly line, is the subject? Did it just roll off the manufacturer's show floor, or is it so old that it's being held together with duct tape and prayers?
Here's why I ask - wet environments are going to be condusive to mud and rust. For that, pastels mixed with some rubbing alcohol (as a carrier), caked into corners.
Sunny, dry environments are going to cause paint fading and possibly hazing, from constant sand abrasion. Paint fading is easy - use the base color with a few drops of white, added, and then sprayed over the original. Sand abrasion, depending on the severity, can be done with a few light swipes from a medium scotch-brite pad, followed by a light dusting of pastels.
Subjects that have been sitting out in the weather for years, would show signs of color modulation - everything from sun fading, to rain, to fluid leaks, to general wear and tear. For that, I like light colored artist oils, thinned with odorless turpenoid, than applied liberally, to the entire model. And don't forget, if the subject has panel joins, or protruding rivets/bolts/screws, junk likes to accumulate in those areas, and that's best done with a pin wash - either a dedicated wash solution, or thinned acrylic paints (if you did an enamel base. Enamel wash, if you did an acrylic base).
I have just about as many weathering solutions as I do paints. It all depends on what you're trying to do.
-Fred
I have never touched artist oils... I've heard good things about them... but i'm afraid to try.
I like your "pro" take on weathering. Have to stock up on reference images.
For reference pictures, this is one of my favorite sites
Prime Portal - The Military Enthusiast & Modeler's Reference Site
Now, the color modulation (aka dot filter) technique is fairly simple and pretty effective. It uses oil paint, to slightly change the color and hue of the underlying paint, in a complately random pattern, just like it happens in real life. If you do it correctly, you'll see the slightest hints of color changes, but not really be able to point out, any one particular color.
You'll need an assortment of light colored artist's oils (reds, blues, greens, yeelows and white - stay away from black and brown), odorless turpenoid (Weber, in the white/blue bottle is the best), 2 fan brushes and some toothpicks.
The first thing to remember, is to only work in small sections (around a 4" x 4" area). Use a clean fan brush to wet the area you're working on, with clean turpenoid. You don't want puddles, but a pre-dampened area, makes blending, easier. Use the toothpicks to place small, random dots of paint, of all the various colors. Now, use the second brush, dampened with clean turpenoid, and pull the paint, in the direction of gravity. The idea is to remove 99% of the oil paint, so clean the brush after 3 or 4 pulls. You want to blend the oils with each other, and the base paint, but you don't want them to get muddy.
After you've finished the entire model, wait a week or so, to give the oils a chance to cure. Because there is so little oil paint left on the model, it doesn't take as long as oil paints normally would. After they've cured, you can overcoat them with anything you want. I've never had any weird interactions, before.
Here's a kit I built and weathered with a dot filter (among other techniques).
-Fred
+1 for the MIG washes and pigments but they are pricey.
AWESOME job there!!!
Dot filter... gotta try that!
Red, blues, greens, yellows and white... will they work with ANY color coat? I'll be doing mostly grey. How dense should the "dotting" be? Less is more? Any rules here?
Thanks! Awesome!
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