I know the subject is probably beat to death and I have read quite a bit of posts but I need to know about the overall wash technique. I am doing a M60 tank in a Olive Drab base. I have coated with future and I am ready to wash. I have some Ammo Products Dark Brown Wash. Do I coat the entire model or just the recesses? Should I dilute the product even further before doing so? I always assumed a filter process would be done before applying washes because its meant to change the tone of the base coat? Doing a filter after washes would alter the wash as well right? Lastly is a pin wash done using the same brown wash but targeting more precise locations with heavier concentration? I am not overly concerned with the filter on this particular color because I have airbrushed the flat areas of the model with lightened shades and sprayed shadowed areas thin allowing the black undercoat to provide shade effect. I am happy with the paint but don't want to screw it up with a bad application of a wash. Any help appreciated.

Hi John and welcome to Armorama! You have everything right. It's not carved in stone that you have to use all three of these techniques or use them together. It's up to your eye. You can do an overall wash, using a wide brush, and covering the whole model. You can then control the wash by using a damp brush to wick away pooling or anywhere you don't like it. After it dries, you can also remove unwanted wash by scrubbing it with a stiff brush dipped in thinner. The wash is, as you said, to emphasize the details on the model and make it more 3 dimensional. Filters can be used instead to color specific areas. or on top of the wash. Pin washes use a pointed brush to target the wash on specific details such as hatches, grills, and vents. Pin washes are important to make some details pop and look more dimensional without coloring the whole area. Take your time and go slowly so that you get the results that please you.

I'm sorry to hijack the thread but I'd rather ask in an open thread than start a new one. For a pin wash, do you put the dot of paint on and draw down on it with a damp brush or paper towel or am I thinking of the wrong technique? If I am thinking of the wrong technique, then how do you do a pin wash?

For a pinwash, you add some wash around fe a rivet. Leave it for a few minutes and then with a brush with clean terpentine or similar, make the border of the wash fade out.

Try to use odorless turpentine or mineral spirits, to avoid the side effects of breathing the fumes. You could, of course just wear a mask but this can be uncomfortable when working under bright lights.

Personally I would use mineral spirit