Can anyone tell me how to weather windshield correctly? How to make the pattern? I've tried to use a compass to make a pattern and placed it on the windshield, then sprayed a dust coat over it. Is the method that I used correct? A reply will be much appreciated.

I masking the the area that the wipe covers usually an arc of the windshield then spray buff or sand color, spray very light layer of them. But I will pay close attention to masking the area that the wipe actually made contact with the windshield rather than using the whole wipe length as the radius. HTH.

By the way, welcome to this site. fellow HK modeller!

I do the same as SS-74. I use liquid mask as I am not proficient with cutting curves and don't have a compass.
Thin your paint and spray very lightly so it doesn't go on very thick. Don't forget to think about the position of the windshield. If it is movable (ie Jeep) will it be displayed/used in the up or down position. Where will the dust/dirt be?

After masking the area, I use a spray of Dull Coat to replicate frost on the windshields. Looks good.
DJ

Where possible, I try to paint the model before including the glass sections. Although this may leave extra sub-assemblies, it means I dont get unwanted paint on the windows and it makes masking and adding dust sooo much easier. a little masking with low-tack tape and it works well for me. I havent really experimented much more with this as it worked and "if its not broke, dont fix it"

I've used the liquid mask method as well as this one. On a glass plate put down apiece of scotch tape lay the platic part over it and mark out the path of the blade. Cut out he piece of tape and attach it to the clear part. You can either over spay it or using a very fine emery board give it a pass or two and then brush on some pastels. One note always checkyour references, some blades only cleared a small portion of the wind shield while other clear amuch larger arc.

Another thing is, after lifting off the masking the glass underneath is perfect. Its a good idea to streak this with the same dust colour, thinned down a lot and let run down. It dries very lightly and looks cool. If nothing else a good dusty window hides the lack of interior detail and finish.

I cut a mask model from Scotch tape and spray-paint a diluted sand mixture.
Then I remove the mask.
For the side windows, I use a drop of thinner to "fog" the rims of the window. The thinner makes the plastic less transparent. Then I clean with tissue. The middle stays clear. That gives the impression the window is fogged and dirty, but 'hand cleaned" in the middle to see through.

Jan


Here's an example of the result :

Jan

I have a multi-dirt weathering on my Schwimmie and I just violated the windshield today.
I scratched some stripes and marks in the glass to display damage from little stones. Then I took some sand yellow acrylic paint , thinned it some and painted the whole windshield. Then smudged it with a wide dry brush and opened the wiper segment with a wet brush.
Plus a good overall pastel chalk treatment to display dust.
The weathering is VERY heavy, you can hardly see through it. And it´s not easy managing the idea that a vehicle just passed through different weather conditions in last hour....
It really helps though to put something on paper, like Phase1-dried mud, Phase2-wet mud, Phase3-dust....

Toni

Jan--beautiful job.
DJ

Ditto Jan...looks like it really rolls!

I find black electical tape is the best/cheapest thing for creating masks.... comes up clean too, leaving no residue, and never tears or shears off like scotch-tape may do, especially if left in place too long. Don't forget a "rock crack" or two in those field weary units!

Keith

I was just pondering the same question today on windshields
Great input . Thanks

Hello!
I just use the same technique as Jan does, but this time I have scraped off some of the dust at the windscreen. This simulates blown off sand during driving or efforts of the crew to enhance see through- visibility. Here the example:

Wow. In one day of reponses I have to admit that even "I" am really impressed!

Nice work all.

Octopus, welcome to the site. As you can see we have some helpfuk chaps that love to lend a hand (if not a model too).

Jim

C'mon guys stop teasing me...you've already talked me into the ground stuff. My wife is now looking at me while water drips out of my mouth looking at the pics of Viking and Jan.

I'd better go and clean the floor now....

those models are Goodlooking with a hughe capital G

i use scotch tape to make a mask then spray with dulls coat

Thanks for all your precious ideas of how to weather the windshield.

Jan,

What do you use or what method to cut the pattern?

Hola!,
Just finished the windsheild for my Steyr 1500 last night and I'll tell you how I did it. I took a couple of earthtone pastels, and mixed them together, and first I just put them on the windsheild, and then I went to blow away the rest of it, and I slobbered on the whole windsheild, this was a great misstake! So I got a brush and smeared the spit on the windsheild all around the glass, then let it set and dry, you now have a fine coat of dust. then I took a small paintbrush and moistned it with water and "painted" where the windsheild wipers would wear the dust off. I took into concideration that the windsheild wipers werent as good as they are today and didnt get all the dirt out of the way. So for a slobbering mistake it worked out really well, this will work with water also so you dont have to go spit on your windsheilds now :-)

I know its been awhile, but rather than starting a new post, I thought I might revamp this one. What is the best why to crack the windshield where you want it, and what is the best why to put little stones that are stuck in, and makes them out of what, tiny piece of sprue? Thanks.

First off amazing work Viking and Jan. really inspiring. I was going to ask the same question in the future, glad someone did it now and got such great responses. From what I had figured I was going to use the same methods but the hints on the little exta stuff is what keeps me coming back here almost every day to improve my modeling. Thanks a ton guys.