Guys:
What's the best way to paint a dirty windshield? Also whats the best way to mask it were the wipers were used?

One thing that has worked for me in the past is to mask the path of the the wipers with masking tape. Then spray the windsheild with a light coat of earth or buff. When the paint drys remove the mask, dust the windsheild with a little pastels, and you should be good to go.

Harry D

whiterook

I read a technique in a FSM mag quite awhile ago.. The author used frisket paper.. Now I believe that its got an adhesive on one side.. He measured the wiper blades of the truck then transfered that measurment to a compass.. Then drew two circles to represent the sweep of each end of the blade, then cut out the appropriate piece that fit the window

He applied the frisket to the kit window and weathered the windshield.. Then when dry, peeled off the frisket and viola a dirty windshield with a clean area to represent the sweep of the wipers.. Hope this makes sense and helps you out.

Dave

I used the mask and buff overspray to do the windows on this 1/48 scale truck. Simply cut a circle out of Tamiya masking tape with a pair of dividers, then trimed to form the arc, and let the windows catch some of the "dust" while i weathered the rest of the vehicle.

In the past, I've used regular Scotch Tape cut to the path of the wiper and fixed to the WS. Then just lightly dry-brushing the WS with a light earth color. Once happy with the results, remove the tape.

Maybe I'm lazy (or crazy), but breaking out the airbrush just to do a windshield, doesn't make sense to me. (I wouldn't do it.) I'd also be afraid of 'over shooting'. Light dry-brushing is IMHO, the way to go. (Do see my signature line.)

I know that when I was a driver and out in the field, I was always keeping the windshield (and lights if not tactical) as clean as possible... even if the only means of cleaning them, was by using my crusty old snot rag. Gave me a excuse to get out of the vehicle and stretch a little.