The Two Hour Challenge, X-Wing, TIE Striker and Mole.

I had a challenge. I was asked by a friend, to weather up three of his models for an upcoming show in February. I am aiming to deliver them to him tomorrow and by 7pm tonight, I had yet to start. Hopefully there is 2.5 Kg of Plaster of Paris in it for me, in it for the big bucks, that's me!

So, on the bench are two nice Rogue One models, both ready build, A TIE Striker and an X-Wing, plus a kit build Thunderbirds Mole. First job, a coat of matt varnish on all three, just to tone down the plastic look. Then food while the paint dried.



First up was the TIE Striker, this wanted a minimal going over. I planned a black wash in all the panel lines. This changed once I got started. First job was to give the model a bit of a buff with a cloth. This gave some of the raised areas and some panels, a slight sheen. A bit of a retrograde step, as I had just matt varnished the whole thing to get rid of sheen!
I used Humbrols Black Wash, didn't stir it enough, then thinned it with a low odour white spirit. This was washed over all the grey sections of the model, concentrating on 'interesting areas. The colour was not black, more a washed out grey. The wash then being lightly stippled about to produce a random effect. Then blasted with a hairdryer to set it off.
Next I set about removing some of the wash with a cotton bud, damp with white spirits. I have not used cotton buds as paint brushes before, very effective, I was able to highlight individual panels, by removing wash, or chase it about the model to produce streaks.
The next job being a pin wash of a slightly darker colour, targeting areas of the cockpit. Finally, I used a HB pencil, run into panel recesses, to produce a buffed edge to panels. This was buffed with a cloth in a fore to aft direction as a final touch.



One down..

X-Wing next. I haven't painted one of these since 1978! This wanted to be grubbier compared to the TIE. So, I mixed a rusty black wash, which I first applied into the usual deep recesses, made for washes. Behind the cockpit and on the aft panel of the fuselage.



Then the model got an overall wash of the same colour, but lighter application, followed by the hairdryer again. Once again the cotton buds came out and I could start removing wash from panels, while creating dirt streaks, as the cotton bud loaded up with wash.



An unexpected discovery came about when I ground up some pencil lead and applied it with a stiff brush..there was still some damp white spirit on the model, this spread the graphite about like a wash. This was a great effect, which I used to cover all the exposed engine detail in graphite powder/wash. Then, as the engines were still looking a bit 'tat', I opted for a Humbrol Weathering Powder, Dark Earth, this I liberally applied over the engine detail, also all over the worktop, good stuff, it goes EVERYWHERE!
Finally, I got my buffing cloth, and gave the engines a good polish. The graphite gave all the raised surfaces a metallic sheen, while the weathering powder gave a flat, almost hot, rusty look. Very Happy



Two down, one to go...

To the Mole. Dirt was needed for this one, so I applied a heavy, spirit based wash over it. Then hair dryer to dry it off.



This one was a pig! I think It already had a coat of paint, this then became tacky, and so did I..
I used a mix of oil washes and weathering powders, wet, plus I tried the graphite trick again. Good job the original was as scruffy as it was,as this was a struggle! I ended up removing much of the weathering with kitchen roll, while all the time trying to get the paint to set off with the hair dryer.
I would call this one a draw, nether I or the model won this one..and I forgot to apply the transfers before weathering!!

So, did I win the two hour challenge? No, 2 hrs 35 minutes..well spent though. I found two new techniques and may have earned myself a free tub of plaster:lol