The effect of the airbrush blowing the wash around is a very uneven distribution of the wash on the "flat" panels it leaves a sort of faint "mottled" effect on the flats that tricks the eye. Its subtle, but gives a depth to the paint that removes this is a chunk of plastic look.
About the model/toy - this started out as the Hasbro Poe Dameron black and orange T-70. when we had gotten to the class Mike had replaced the laser cannons and nose with resin (and brass) as well as cut off the rear landing pegs that come with the toy. Masked the windows and then primed it in self etching primer and given a base coat of off white.
So when we started the class we were ready to start detailing and weathering... Mike did this for 20+ x-wings just so the class could start.
I'll take pics of mine wen I get a chance and post them here. Its not 100% faithful to any TFA t-70... that was not the point of this class. The point was to learn/practice detailing finishing and weathering techniques... and when your done it does not look like a Hasbro toy anymore. That being said if you were going to do this as a real T-70 replica you'd probably take the time to fill in the screw holes with putty sand off the logos, and study reference photos... stuff like that... things we did not do in this class.
So with the goal of applying weathering and finishing to the model - all of the X-wings were successful. Sure some looked better than others but there was also a WIDE variety of experience amongst the participants. going form a blank base coat to something pretty darn displayable - everyone did well... That is a credit to the participants and especially A CREDIT TO MIKE SALZO!
Jedi Dade