Hi all

Tried the sponge chipping technique recently and used the oil paint straight from the tube with mixed results. (read articles where it was applied straight)

Just wanted to see if anybody thins their oil paint when chipping with the sponge or if straight from the tube is the way to go?

Thanks
John

I've never used artist oils for sponge chipping, but with acrylics, I usually use the paint thinned to the consistancy needed for regular brush painting.

With that consistancy, I normally "dab off" the excess paint onto a piece of paper towel so that the sponge is just damp and not soppy with paint. (a little more paint than dry-brushing but not quite as much as normal brush painting if you think of the sponge as a brush - don't know of that makes sense?).

HTH,

Yes, it make sense!
That's the same thing which I can say .
Sponge mustn't be too loaded and you should use acrylic or enamel paints

Cheers

John;
think of chipping as a type of drybrushing. The idea is to create a "realistic" appearance of paint worn off by time and the elements. If you do it with a sponge (make sure it is a small piece) and/or a brush you want there to be a minimal amount of paint on your applicator. "Less is more" should be your approach until you achieve the look you want. If you read through the Finishing and Weathering sequence pinned at the top of the painting forum it will walk you through most of the steps you will need/want to do as well as explain some of the finer points.
In my limited experience I have found that acrylics work better for chipping/drybrushing as they dry quickly and can be easily removed if you screw something up.
When I do my chipping/drybrushing I usually keep a tissue (or a box of them) or a paper towel on my work area to remove excess paint and or thinner so that I can apply only the amount that I want to in a specific area. Hope this helps and good luck! Cheers.

Thanks for the responses.

I was dabbing the sponge on to paper towel like you do when dry brushing.

Either I was taking too much off or too little and found it either "missing" or was too thick in places.

The thicker results led me to the thinning question.

Will try the thinned acrylic or enamel paint approach.

Trial and error is the only way to learn.

Thanks again

Thanks for posting this question. I'm a few days from trying this for the first time, and it's good to get those last-minute pointers!
-Sean H.

Hi John
Just remember, it's always easier to add chips than removing them. And try to pick out the places on the vehicle, where there is a natural wear and tear from the surrondings and crew. Less is more, it's SO easy to overdo this.
Enjoy your project.
Jacob

Although I like the sponge chipping technique I tend to do better with a small brush. I feel I have better control as to where chips would go and helps in avoiding over doing them.

Rob

John, just out of curiosity, what kind of sponge are you using? Most people who like this method seem to prefer a small piece of natural sponge torn from a larger piece. If you aren't already doing this then it may be beneficial to you to give it a shot.

I agree with most of the posters here, acrylics, dabb off most of the paint and moderation in chips, I learned all of this the hard way

Jeremy H is right, a little piece of a sponge, and use a pair of tweezers, then you'll be able to work more controlled in the areas. Rob also has a point about the small brush. It's easier to control on lighter chipping, but the sponge method is IMO better for heavy chipping, such as on DAK vehicles or for old whitewash.
Good luck.
Jacob