Hi guys. So as I start to paint more models, I have some questions about a few things.

Washes
- How do they work? What do I use for them?
- What effects do they have on the finished models?

Weathering
- How to do it?

Shading
- How do I shade things?
- What effect does it have on the finished models?

Spraying coats to lighten up older coats
- How do I lighten older coats of paint? Specifically my Ta-152 C-11, which I will post in a few hours. I need to get home first.

Any and all opinions are welcome. (: I need these tips!

Here is a basic answer until someone more skilled steps in.

Washes. This is applying another, very thinned down color over the base coat. Normally darker, it settles into recesses and panel lines, and around small details, adding a highlight effect that pulls out details. A wash can be applied carefully (pin wash) to a specific area, or liberally slathered all over the model to create a base for weathering. If you paint with acrylics, you would normally thin down an enamel or oil paint. If you paint with enamels, you would apply a thinned acrylic, or seal the enamel with an acrylic clear coat. As an example, I paint a P-47 in an aluminum finish. I would do a dark wash like lamp black or paynes gray focusing on the panel lines. I can use a rag to wash off any excess. I then can apply another wash of umber over the entire model, which will dull the aluminum finish and leave some areas a little "dirtier", giving the panels a worn appearance.

Weathering. An extension of the basic washes. It is very easy to overdo, so is best to do very lightly, and only a little at a time. You can use a wash to get the basics, and add other materials, such as pastels or pigments to get a dusty, dirty appearance. Some can be used to create exhaust stains. You can also use thinned paints to create oil or other fluid stains.

Shading is normally (as far as I understand) done before the base coat of paint, although it can be done after. You would paint panel lines and recesses a dark color and then when the base coat is applied it shows through faintly, creating false shadows and highlights. When done after, depending on your control of the airbrush, you could try freehand, but normally would mask off an area to apply the highlight where you want it.

Spraying coats to lighten other coats. If you want to highlight panels, control surfaces, raised details or vary the color of the surface. You would carefully apply a lighter tone over the selected area. You can also use a dot painting technique. Dots of paint are placed over an area and then carefully blended with a brush to create a shift in color tone and highlight the area.

To see all of these techniques put into practice, here is a good blog to go over. http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/forums/109919

Painting and Weathering Sequence is a thread with answers to all of my questions, have a browse but make sure you have a good big coffee, it's a long one!

Cheers, D

Hi Ryan,

Welcome to the site. Lots of good people here.

Sagacious advice from Damian and Russ. I have little to add except that some lightening - or "modulating" - of paint areas can be done via airbrush or brush, as "cloud technique" when one simply lightens the base color with white or other colors, e.g., yellow over tan or some greens, green over brown, etc..

Here are some more URLs to features:
Wash Techniques

Bringing Out the Details

Rusting, Chipping and Weathering

Interesting discussion (Its artistic licence, a modeller INVENTS a new technique and if it LOOKS good it takes off. Has nothing to do with scale accuracy! )
Color gradation/modulation

Colour Modulation

Here we go. Got a picture taken. All I need to do is just lighten the green and maybe the brown. I dunno why it's so dark but it doesn't look right to me...



How do I do this? Spray it all with a diluted white? And how do I dilute that white to where all it does is slightly lighten colors?