Do you all have a minimum scale in which to weather a model?
In other words, is there a point where the scale becomes so small that you'd rather do a clean "desk top display" item rather than a miniature of a real-world thing?
I'm finishing up a 1:350 submarine. It's about 18" - 20" long. Not tiny, but if it were closer to 1:144 4' ong, I'd be much more inclined to weather it like a studio model.
At this size, I'm wondering if it may be better to just keep it clean.
I would do slight weathering. Especially at panel lines.
Crap Rob telling you how/why to do something seems disrespectful LOL ...
A good bit of my hobby time is spent painting miniatures for table top war gaming. I've got some B'rel Birds of Prey that are 16mm long. Most minis are in the inch to two inch range. I always weather the models. Nothing is too small to look like it's been in a fight
Having stated that, I do appreciate the difference between "gaming miniatures" and "scale models". Just like make up artists exaggerate theater make up so the people in the back row can see the actors expressions, gaming minis tend to need exaggerated high lights and shadows in order to see the tiny detail on the gaming table. I certainly don't paint a scale model in the same way that I paint a gaming model. However, I still feel that nothing is too small to be given that extra touch. Thin your wash a little more than you normally would. Perhaps mix the wash with a lighter tone of color than normal. It is worth the time to dirty it up and make it more "real".
I find that a light wash is usually good enough at really small scales... just enough to pick out the detailing... "damage" is usually too much...
Jedi Dade
In the early stages of a diorama I am planning, I was going to use a few 1/144 scale Sherman tanks. Plans changed but I had already painted them. Olive drab, grime wash, mud wash and dry brushing. Hand painted markings and an aluminum barrel. With just that mild weathering they look great. Too much at a small scale would be overkill. Less is more.
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