Advice on overall weathering washes

[Stevekir]

My second model is ready for weathering. It is a 1/48 Spitfire with acrylic paint throughout. It has all the decals on and an overall gloss varnish. My objective is to show panel lines and give the model an overall variable well-used rather grimy look but without overdoing it. I have seen advice on the Internet and watched two of Phil Flory's videos on weathering washes which seem to give what I aim for, but his washes are expensive at £37 for the lot (no individual washes) which would give me enough to last 25 years. In one video he adds a dry pigment to dirt up selected areas, but I can't find that on his site. So I need to mix suitable colorants. The steps that I am think of are:

1. Apply a mat varnish;



2. Apply an overall wash, either water based or based on White Spirit (safe with acrylics?), let it dry, then with a slightly damp (water or White Spirit) paper towel, rub off most of the wash, leaving more on edges such as the join of the canopy to the fuselage, corners etc. This is safe because it is reversible.



3. Then apply specific colouring to show exhaust staining, dirt in the wheel wells, on the undercarriage, tyres etc. Also do dry brushing in various areas (edges).

4. An overall mat varnish (to protect).



I can of course experiment a lot but starting from scratch could spoil the model, so could I have some starter advice as follows:



A. Type of wash: artist's water colour, or artists oil colour, or what, from artists shops (probably quite cheap for just a few colours). I would get a very dark grey-brown plus or minus a shade to two to try;



B. Would oil paints (which I assume are based on White Spirit) be safe over Acrylic paint and under a final acrylic mat varnish.



Am I on the right lines? What do you experts do? Thanks

 

[john i am]

Would love to help Steve but with my limited knowledge I'm no expert so I think it best if you wait for someone more experienced than myself but your research seems to echo the bits that I do know myself so I to will be equally interested in people's input on this subject and I look forward to seeing your finished spitfire cheers John

 

[BarryW]

Steve

I use the Flory washes but just two types: The Dark Dirt and Black, they are available separately on his website. I apply over the gloss coat (after sealing the decals with a 2nd gloss coat and leaving it to cure 24 hours).

For oil stains, I use oil paint ( I have three colours, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber and Black). I apply a tiny amount with the end of a cocktail stick and wipe it with a cotton bud in the direction of the airflow. You build it up slowly to the desired effect.

For smoke stains I prefer to use pastels or pigments. I brush it on to get the effect I want.

The order is this:

After sealing the decals with gloss and giving itat least 24 hours to cure I apply a Flory wash with a wide brush all over the plane. When dry I use a cloth and finger to remove it down to the level of grime I want. Cotton buds where my finger cannot reach. The final wipe is always in the direction of the airflow.

I then do a thin matt coat. This seals the wash and gives a 'purchase' for the next stage. I apply my oil stains as described and then brush my pigments or pastels where required. I then do another matt coat to seal the lot.....

One stage I did not mention was chipping. When I do that depends on what method I decide to use and the extent of chipping I want. Mostly I do it with a small pointed brush or silver pencil (sometimes a mix of both). I find it works best after the final matt coat as you get a slight metallic 'glean' that is lost if done before the matt coat.

 

[Dave W]

I use the same two washes and method of application as Barry.Ive got some oil paints but am still experimenting with them.For exhaust stains I use Tamiya 'smoke' airbrushed on.

 

[Stevekir]

Thanks. Really helpful.

Barry: I can't find anywhere on the flory site to buy a single bottle of his weathering wash. Can you please show me where. Thanks.

 

[Stevekir]

"I can't find anywhere'''''"



Found it!!

 

[Dave W]

John sells the Florymodels washes in his shop.Plus you get his legendary lightning quick postal delivery.

 

[tecdes]

Recently got a couple of Vallejo Washes. Experimented with these & they seem very good. They market 35 colours, shame it is such a small number !

Model Wash

They also market pigments of which there are 35 types

Pigments

Pigments & Washes can be mixed together. They can also be mixed with Vallejo Varnish & all their different paint ranges.

Laurie

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I don't use one specific range of washes or pigments, I've found over the past 2 years the advice and tips from forums, utube and club members you can uses different items to create the effect you desire.

In my boxes right now are , the majority of MIG Pigments along with a few of their washes, pastels, Vallejo washes, Faber-Castell pencils of various colours and Windsor & Newton water mixable artist oils these are great as you don't need the horrible distilled turpentine to thin them out.

I no longer use Klear for gloss coating as I prefer the standard Humbrol Acrylic gloss varnishes and use Tamiya Flat Clear for the matt coat, I do have some of the Vallejo matt and gloss varnishes but these are used for small parts.

Adrian

 

[tecdes]

Interesting Adrian. Obviously you have used Vallejo varnish why do you prefer Humbrol. Does it give a better finish ?

Laurie

 

[Stevekir]

I have bought Flory washes Dark Dirt, Light and Mud. His videos are very helpful, giving a lot of tips. The advantage of a water-based wash applied at the end of the painting process is that it can be undone. Thanks to everyone, I now know what to do to experiment.

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Interesting Adrian. Obviously you have used Vallejo varnish why do you prefer Humbrol. Does it give a better finish ?Laurie

I seem to have more consistent results with it as a gloss for my decals to go onto generally its one pass and everything is covered, that and it dries super fast so I can get on applying the decals. I guess we all find something we like using and go with that.

Adrian