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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Matthew Toms
Making a Filter
Sensha
Joined: February 04, 2007
KitMaker: 34 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 09:30 PM UTC
I made a filter out of Model Master flat enamel paint and Sansodor white spirit. I thinned the enamel paint about 9 parts thinner and 1 part paint. I used a test piece that I painted and coated with Tamiya x-22 gloss mixed 50/50 with Mr. Color Leveling thinner and then over sprayed with the leveling thinner again.

I mixed up the filter and used a round filbert(?) brush to apply.

Test turret before:



After filter:



I used a clean brush with some thinner to try to clean up some of the build up. Are the pigments not fine enough? I'm not sure I'm getting it right.
Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 10:16 PM UTC
Sensha,
I guess the first thing I would say is that whatever technique you used to represent the rough cast nature of the turret is the best I have ever seen.

I'm not an expert on filters, but what you've got doesn't look bad at all. I assume your concern is that the filter is possibly too subtle, in which case I would think you just need to add a few more layers of filter to progressively build color and depth.

Belt_Fed
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: February 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,325 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 10:25 PM UTC
You thinned and applied your filter correctly. The paint and thinner you used was fine as well. Your results are satisfactory. However, you will get better results if you apply your filters over a satin/ semi-gloss surface.
Sensha
Joined: February 04, 2007
KitMaker: 34 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 10:32 PM UTC
The cast texture is all Tamiya. All I did was spray it with Mr. Surfacer 1200 a long time ago before my modelling hiatus.



I'm trying to follow along with Adam Wilder's video series on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68HADtx11o4

He's has his own brand of filter which I tried to match by thinning down Model Master Signal brown. It seems to build up in spots. I'm not sure it changed the tone of the test turret but it made it a bit more matte.
Sensha
Joined: February 04, 2007
KitMaker: 34 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 10:33 PM UTC

Quoted Text

You thinned and applied your filter correctly. The paint and thinner you used was fine as well. Your results are satisfactory. However, you will get better results if you apply your filters over a satin/ semi-gloss surface.


Thanks for your reply. Maybe I shouldn't have over sprayed the leveling thinner then. It made it more uniform.
bigjsd
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United States
Joined: May 09, 2014
KitMaker: 19 posts
Armorama: 16 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 10:42 PM UTC
What was your purpose for the filter? If you paint the model the proper colors to begin with you won't need to apply a filter. Dot filtering for subtle tonal variance is completely different but an overall filter to change the color as a whole is only necessary if your not happy with your base color. I fail to comprehend the reason so many people use a filter on their models. What am I missing?
Sensha
Joined: February 04, 2007
KitMaker: 34 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2016 - 11:00 PM UTC

Quoted Text

What was your purpose for the filter? If you paint the model the proper colors to begin with you won't need to apply a filter. Dot filtering for subtle tonal variance is completely different but an overall filter to change the color as a whole is only necessary if your not happy with your base color. I fail to comprehend the reason so many people use a filter on their models. What am I missing?


I'm following along the series of videos. I understand what you're getting at. At this point the filter might help to flatten the finish and make the base coat less bright. The lightest parts of the base color modulation are nearly apple green and the filter toned that down a bit.

I'm not sure what to do next but the video series moves on to oil dot method.
bigjsd
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United States
Joined: May 09, 2014
KitMaker: 19 posts
Armorama: 16 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 09, 2016 - 01:29 AM UTC
I understand and it's a great thing to learn and utilize when needed. I just see so many modellers using filters for no there reason than it was listed as a step in the weathering sequence they found on a how to forum. Everyone has their own method of perfecting their craft though and as long as you are having fun so be it. In the end if we're happy with our model that's really all that matters.
DKdent
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Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Joined: November 27, 2005
KitMaker: 182 posts
Armorama: 180 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 09, 2016 - 02:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Dot filtering for subtle tonal variance is completely different but an overall filter to change the color as a whole is only necessary if your not happy with your base color. I fail to comprehend the reason so many people use a filter on their models. What am I missing?


Hello,

at least with multi-color camouflage it helps to blend the different colors and take the edge of overspray and too harsh contrasts. Same goes for color modulation. As many modelers use this technique it may perhaps explain why so many people apply filters.

Best Regards
CDK
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: September 24, 2006
KitMaker: 358 posts
Armorama: 339 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 09, 2016 - 03:56 PM UTC
Filters (glazes in the world of art) are not to alter the base color because you aren't happy with it. They add depth to a flat, lifeless color.

Dot filters are for the same exact purpose, only they add more variation to the base color by using several colors instead of just one.

Google Da Vinci's use of glazes on the Mona Lisa for one example, they weren't used because he wasn't happy with the color.

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