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Brummbär

the art of oil filters

I then proceeded to the “Oil Dot Method” of adding various assorted filters to the model. This is an intimidating step for some modellers; I have often heard comments like “Oh I don’t want to risk ruining my whole paint job!”—but the truth is that it’s a lot easier and less risky than you might think if you plan correctly.

There are three keys to a successful application of this technique:

* 1. Choose the right colors stay away from “normal” weathering wash colors like Raw Umber or Black; what you want are the primary colors like Red, Blue, Yellow, and sometimes, White. The combinations of these will give you all other Secondary hues: Green, Purple, Orange, etc.

* 2. The proper amount all you really need is a small dab of paint—notice the distribution and amount of paint I have applied in the photo. I have tried to get a relatively even distribution of all colors, in small amounts-in most cases, merely a thin smear of the color.

* 3. Use a LOT of thinner use a wide brush and scrub, scrub, scrub away at the colors until they virtually disappear beneath the brush. Clean the brush if necessary. What you want is a barely-there thin patina of unexpected hues that subtly filter the base colors; they are indeed almost unnoticeable, but can add a great deal of depth to the base colors. Make sure you have adequately “dissolved” all of the individual dots; you don’t want a noticeable splotch of strange color left behind! (You can actually see some yellow blotches on my photos before I corrected them—easy enough to do.)

Once that step was finished, I added some more painting details; picking out some flat spots in the zimmerit where it looked like the zimmerit had been abraded—I painted them the same light grey as previously used to outline the chips, and washed them with Raw Umber.

I then started about doing pin washes all over the entire model, applying either Black oil or Raw Umber with a fine tipped brush on every seam, and around every detail. After this, I applied “chipping” by dipping a torn piece of fine grey packing foam into a palette of Raw Umber and Black oil paint mixed with steel, and then, after dabbing most of it off onto a paper towel, applying it to the model on high spots and edges. This is easy to overdo; again, it can be a somewhat intimidating step but if you follow the “less is more” maxim, you’ll find yourself with a nice “beat up” look to your finish. This can be done with Scotch Brite sponge as well, or even with an old brush. The tools received a somewhat heavier treatment than the hull.

I added the spare wheels on the rear, choosing to paint them in primer red only because I saw someone else depict them this way and thought they looked cool. Of course, don’t forget--you wouldn’t weather the rims with steel!