Hi,

Am trying to create some dust effects with MIG pigments on my 1/35 tank wheels. I applied the pigments and then touched them up with turpentine but that washed away the pigments and there is no effect at all. Now am thinking about applying some charcoal fixer on the wheels and then sprinkle the pigments with a paint brush. Will that help? or can anybody point me to some tutorials on how to get the best effects...

Thanks,
Sudeep

Sudeep Mig Jimenez is a member here and I am sure when he sees this request for help he will, and I will leave it to him as he knows far more than I.

Mig wrote this tutorial about pigments

http://missing-lynx.com/rare_world/rw05.htm

I hope this will helpful

cheers

I tried the method with turpentine but it doesnt work. The turpentine washes the pigments away

Well,in my opinion, probably the issue depends on the kind of turpentine
Maybe is too aggressive, such aggressive to sweep away the pigments

If i were you I chenged label of turpentine or i passed to Alcohol or white spirit

I read your post riht now. I must go out of home, but in few hours I will reply you. Don't worry, I know what is happen with your pigments. It is easy to fix.

Wait me..

MIG

well this (link) works for me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ScaleModelMadman#p/u/9/iGA32YSK9Uw

@Mauro - even I thought it could be the turpentine but unfortunately I have access to only that brand of turpentine
@MIG Jimenez - I will wait for your reply
@Simon - I have checked that link and I will try it tonight.
Am gonna use Winsor and Newton pastel fixative...apply it on the wheels..sprinkle a mixture of MIG pigments and then once dry try to blend it with a brush or something...if nothing works I will just burn my model...

...so now me too i'm waiting for the reply. It's a mistery indeed

Usually pigments work well....

Sudep,
You can try thinner with a few drops of matt varnish. This should work for you. Try on scrap plastic or in a small area of the bottom of your vehicle to be sure this method will give you the results you are looking for.
It sounds from your description like your turpentine is to strong and could be destroying the pigment? Or you may use to much and are simply washing away the pigment. To fix in place you would only need a drop or two for a 1:35 road wheel.

I know that you'll get a better answer soon, but I dissolve my MiG pigments in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, and the brush on. When they dry they seem to be fairly permanent, unless I then spray on dullcote or something, which makes the pigment vanish. I find that I can also manipulate the coating using a brush dipped in alcohol. I never use thinner/turpentine. But thats just me.





John

I suspect that it is a case of turps, mineral spirit and white spirit being different things depending on which country you are in

yes, use 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol bought at the cosmetic section of the grocer. mix the pigment with this first in a bottle cap to make a wash that you apply by brush or for larger areas first brush on the alcohol and then load a brush with pigments and then tap the brush over the wet area to sprinkle on the pigment.

the pigments adhere even better on a matte surface so i add them as the very last stage after sealing with dullcote.

i always find it is best to use two different tones rather than just dusting/weathering with one tone to make it look more varied. hope this helps. cheers, bd.

here's a pic of some spare tracks using Mig Pigments:

i used Old Rust, Light Rust and European Dust applied as washes. it's quite easy and you get good results from all the colours in the Mig range.

hope this helps. cheers, bd.

Hello Sudeep

Sorry for my delay.

Well, frist all, I must clarify that Mig Pigments is not mine anymore, because I leave the Mig productions Company more than 2 years ago.

But anyway, I am who developed almost all of them and I was working with them since 14 years ago. Now, I remplaced the pigments for another alternatives much more efectives and easy to apply.

But, talking about pigments: solutions:

First all, to apply a soft layer of pigmenst over the wheels, will be a bit difficult if you don't apply frist a pre-layer of dust with a Tamiya Buff +Flat Earth color.
This 50% mixture will help you to work with the pigments.
These flat base will be perfect to help fix the pigments, but the pigments by it self, cannot fix it in the surface, specially if it is satin or glossy!!

Then, apply the pigments over areas painted previewly with the tamiya pre-dusting (just a little)

You will note how the pigments fix better in taht surface after apply the thinner.

If you want a heeavy coat of dust or almost dry mud, then, you should mix it with plaster and any acrulic resin, or acrylic matt varnish.

Basicly, the secret is in the pre-dusting layer of tamiya, specially in satin models.

Also, a matt color base can help a lot.

The other advices by the other modellers in this tread is also another options, of course.

Now, i make the dust in a easier way, like this:

First you must apply the dust color over the whole surface:



And second, you can remove randomly some areas, using clean white spirit and a clean brush.



the effects that you can achive are varius, and of course, you can avoid all steps and problems that you find when you work with pigments.

I hope it can help you.

Any other doubt, please, let me know.

whow guys...thanks a bunch
I just tried one method where I mixed the pigments with the turpentine and applied it over an area as a wash....I didnt know the proportion of the turpentine:pigment mixture as the wash came out quite light...guess I have to apply few more layers to get the desired effect as the first result came out quite well...tomorrow morning am gonna work on the wheels...I will prepare the area with a pastel fixative and then sprinkle few diff colors of pigments on it and see how it comes out....once again thanks a lot and I will share the pictures, once my model and the diorama that am working on gets completed

Please....share with us some photos when you get some avances in the painting proces. I would like to see how it is going!!
good luck!!

MIG

This is a bit off-topic- sorry Sudeep.

Mig- I reckon people are confused over your status with Mig Productions as your name-tape that appears above your posts on this website still has you down as 'Mig Productions' underneath the 'Vendor' title beneath your call sign. You should probably sort that out !!

Karl.

yes, i know what you say. Unfortunatly, 2 years ago I emailed to jim rae from Armorama to ask him to remove that vendor "thing" from my profile, because I cannot remove by my self from my profile.

Well, he never replied me about that issue, so...I cannot remove it.

My apologies if that create confusion, but i cannot remove it!

Sorry.

MIG

I thought that might be the problem, no worries Mig!
You could try emailing Jim Starkweather or maybe make a post in the User Support forum to see if you can change it.

I will get Jim S to sort this out for you Mig, Do you want AK interactive vendor instead or no vendor listing at all?

Ohh, thank you -

Nothing in my profile is teh correct, because now I make many works for many different producers, I am freelance, even if my main work is for Ak.

Thank you!

MIG

Mig your request has been passed along and I am sure Jim S will sort it out as soon as possible.

No problem. All fixed.

I love the Mig Pigments. They definitely take a few practice models to get the result your looking for but they are very easy to use. Here are a few tips i have found

ALWAYS use a matte surface. If you don't, the pigments wont stick
if using a paint thinner, make sure it will not harm your paint
Test different thinners on matte surfaces. Use thinners that dry leaving no "tide marks," or little discs from the outline of the liquid
if applying pigments dry, add a small amount at a time and carefully check your work. they can be very difficult to remove and rather opaque. You can blend them in with a pencil eraser if necessary.

Muddy areas- use a mix of pigment, Mig acrylic resin (or Vallejo Matte varnish which says "100% acrylic resin" on the bottle, dirt and/or sand, and plaster. test this on a piece of scrap and dry it with airflow from an airbrush to check the color

dirty areas- using a cheap, puffy brush, stipple the surface with pigments which will deposit little piles. You could also hold the brush an inch or two from the surface and tap the handle with your finger to drop the pigments. Then soak the pigments in a thinner that wont leave tidemarks. it will clump the pigments together giving a nice texture and wont be blown away, but don't touch it!

Dusty areas- do the above except use lighter colors and, when the thinner is dry, wipe away the pigments with a soft/ stiff brush or a cotton bud.

I might do a quick tutorial on how i use pigments soon.....you can never have to many tutorials!