Hi ,
No real secret -
the application of the decals, I gloss coat the entire model for one final time. Using my airbrush, I give the entire model a good coat of clear gloss using
Floquil Crystal Coat. I dilute the Crystal Coat 50/50 with Xylene as thinner. This is actually a lacquer paint and lacquer thinner, but I have never had trouble covering Model Master enamels with them. I thin the Model Master enamels with the same Xylene thinner, which prepares them for over-coating by this gloss finish. The purpose of this clear coat is to prepare the surfaces for application of washes using thinner-based paints. After applying the gloss coat, I let the model dry overnight so the washes do not eat into the gloss paint.
I apply thinner-based enamel paint washes. I tend toward the darker colors, usually black. I generally will also include a medium brown or dark tan wash in select areas. I apply these by dipping a paint brush in the paint color, then swishing the brush in a cap full of mineral spirits (thinner) until the brush is mostly clean. The brush tip, wet with "dirty" thinner, is then carefully touched to the places where panel lines cross and the corners of details. Capillary action draws the "dirty" thinner off the brush and along the panel lines and edges of the details. Controlling the "dirtiness" of the thinner effects the darkness of the washes. Repeated applications also make progressively darker highlights.
Invariably, some of the "dirty" thinner gets onto the model surfaces around the panel lines where I touch the paintbrush. To remove these excesses, I swipe my finger gently over the spot in the direction of the airflow on the aircraft. This will create a small streak. Controlling the locations where I touch the paintbrush to the model controls where these streaks are created.
Raised or engraved panel lines work the same in this process. There are inside edges with raised panel lines, similar to the troughs created by engraved panel lines. On raised lines, I try to only highlight one side of the panel line, thus avoiding the look where a bright line (the top of the raised panel line) is surrounded on both sides by dark highlighting.
Following the washes, I flat coat the model, again using my airbrush. For clear flat paint, I am hooked on
PollyScale (used to be
PollyS) Flat Finish. This paint gives the flattest finish I have found. Here is when the fruits of my labors start to come alive. With the model now a uniform flat sheen, all the subtle variations in colors created by the washes start to become really visible.
After the flat coat, I turn to my air brush to do shading on the model. This shading takes two forms. The first form is the simulation of actual dirt. Many of the streaks created by the washes are rather light in their centers with darker edges. I use the air brush to lightly fill in the centers of these streaks.
I also will lightly draw lines along the panel lines of the model with a very fine silver pencil , works every time.
I use the air brush at very low pressure to create exhaust and gun smoke on the Model - prefer not too much
Hope this answers the question
Best wishes to you
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