when you guys say add a couple of washes, what do you mean, and what does it consist of

cj,

A wash is nothing more than a highly thinned paint. As a matter of fact, it's more coloured thinner.

Get some thinner and some paint in a ratio of 90% thinner and 10% paint and put them together. what you get is an extreme thin paint, a bit like water with a colour. Now use a soft brush and "load" it with this mixture. Apply it to you model. Do this careful and don't make the area too large. Take a tissue and tap the tissue on the surface to remove the excess mixture.... DON"T WIPE OR STROKE, just tap gently.

Using this method, the mixture flows into the lower areas, providing shades and highlighting details.

Try it on a piece of scrap. I know you love it. It's an easy way to highlight details. With a bit of excersise you'll be able to perform miracles.

Look at the picture and notice the seamline on the sleeve and the area between the fingers of his gloves...that's done with a wash. Also the hard changes between his uniform colours where blended together using this technique.



Hope this helps a bit. Just scan our forums for this technique. A lot of fellow members shared it with us too.

Eagles nailed it. And that figure is great.

Another option for washes is to do an area of an AFV such as an armor panel. You would use the same thinning technique. You would cover an entire area. By the nature of the thin liquid more will collect in the recesses than the flat area. The whole area will get toned down and the groves, recesses will get toned down even more.

As far as an area wash - I would not go that route on figures. I would do it more for AFVs and for dioramics such stone walls, brick walls, large areas that would receive pretty much the same amount of weathering.