I have read of members applying a mist with their A.B.I wish to apply a light layer of wet mud to my M.8 but I dont want it to be to thick more like muddy water, I was wondering what settings for the A.B. and the compressor also how much to thin the paint (Tamyia) to achieve this effect.appreciate any help.

The general trick for dust is to take Tamiya Buff and thin it down about 20-1 with thinner.....thats 20 parts thinner to 1 part paint.

Airpressure doesn't really matter, normal AP that you would spray with, you want to get it in on the lower part of the chassis, wheels, tracks, etc, etc.

For darker mud you could use a darker color.

If you find that the dust maybe isn't enough, try a second coat. Usually with alot of thinner, it won't take long to dry so you can usually tell right away, but its always good to have your mixture a little thinner and do it a couple of times to get the proper look, rather than one big coat that could be too much....as well with multiple coats it builds up depth.

Another trick you can do is after you have the dust coat on, you can take either darker brown paint, or even dark brown pastels or pigments, mixed with your favorite thinner till you have a liquidy paste....take an old toothbrush and dip it in the mixture and then flick the bristles onto the tank....with this over the dust, it gives the illusion of wet mud/dirt over the dried dust coat.

If you would like an easier way, just regularly thin the paint out, spray from a distance and dont push on the botton as much as your letting it flow only a little. Practice on maybe some cardboard before, till you feel confident. Its actually quite simple. Dont be afraid to do too much, for tanks were necessarily clean. But have fun with it and dont be afraid to experiment. Cant wait to see your results. Please post the pictures if you can.

Hi

i'm trying to learn this technique too, but 20-1..wont that make the paint too watery? and making the paint "run down" the sides of the tank?

Thanks for the help guys,I think I will try the 20-1 method first.

No remember, you are only doing a light mist coat...and not painting it on like a normal base coat.

It takes some practise...but once you get the hang of it its as easy as pie.

I have heard that you can A.B pigments. This may work?

cheers

Philip

I personaly think 20/1 is a bit extreme but if it works for you I say go for it I use Tamiya but but I thin it down to about 70/30 and spray at about 35 psi. You can also build up your dust layers by using darker shades beneath. Try spraying Tamiya Khaki first then overspraying with buff it gives great depth. Just be sure to spray the lower portions a bit heavier. You can spray pigmenst since in essence they are just a paint without a transport medium. You can add just about any liquid carrier you like. I have sprayed pigments thrrough my A/B by adding Tamiya a/b thinner to them. The real trick to this is to rmember to be sparing with the pigment powder as it will be darken as it dries on your model. HTH
cheers,
Bryan

"....I have heard that you can A.B pigments. This may work?....."

Yes. Remember, when you are normally spraying paint of any kind you are, by design, already spraying pigments thru your brush. The only difference is that the pigments are diluted down to a manageble level.
And I would much rather spray pigments than either pastels or texturing material thru my airbrush (both of these latter procedures can be done as well, but are a bit harsher on your airbrush)
In fact (just an FYI), I have an old Passche airbrush (at least 25 years old) that I use for my 'rough and tumble' work, in this way I protect my more delicate (and SUPERB) Iwata airbrush from any of the potential damage.

Tread.

EDIT: ex-royal's suggestion of applying several different shades (starting wwith Khaki) is an excellent example to follow. As is his thinning ratio (I tend to lean towards a little more thinner). Applying ever-darkening shades of 'road dust' not only adds realism (most vehicles travel over many different road surfaces), but also dimension.

Now.........if I could only get somebody to listen to me about linseed oil to depict and control your different forms of 'wetness'................Sheeeeeeeeesh!!

Future works well for depicting different levels of wetness as well....but I know where you are coming from using linseed oil.

Hey tread Id like to know more about your linseed oil procedure, all i ever used linseed oil for was to oil my cricket bat :-)

Howdy John,

First, many thx for inquering about my 'linseed oil method'. Even though you're only probably trying to be kind ( ) I'll jump at the opportunity anyway!

Real quick without going into any detail, I use a 'shiftable' ratio of white spirits and boiled linseed oil to create any level of 'wetness' I desire. The higher linseed oil ratio, the higher gloss, or 'wetness' acheived. The more white spirits ratio, the less 'wet' appearance.......simple.
You can use this very simple technique to depict deisel fuel spillage, oil drum overflow, wet mud build-up, and even different levels of recent rain run-off on the sides of vehicles......

That said, I am interested in precisely what medium you use to control the amount of 'wet' look when using Future viper 29_ca?
I have been experimenting lately with Future (I've held out using the stuff for some very antiquated reasons I won't go into here) and have been very pleased with the results, but.....I still have no idea how one would control the amount of 'wetness' with the product.
Any help in this regard would be appreciated.

Tread.

Ahhh I am thinking more along the lines of wet mud and such.

Take a wheel off of an armored vehicle, using pigments or pastels mixed with the thinner of your choice you can build up a mud encrusted wheel.

Once it drys out the pigment settles in and looks like caked on mud (depending on how much you use), if you want to make say the outer part of the wheel look dry, while the inner or middle part of the wheel look still with wet mud....just use a drop of future, or you could even use Tamiya Clear, which is pretty much the same thing....just use a small drop and let it soak into the dryed pigment....as it does, it will darken and look wet, and as it dries....will remain dark...there for giving the illusion of dried dirt/mud on the outside of the wheel....but the mud is still a little on the wet side on the inside of the wheel.

Can use it future for fuel spills as well. Pretty much the same way you would use the linseed oil I would assume....for me I take a little brown pastel or pigment...and dust it over the area that will have the spill....put on a few drops of future, or again you can use Tamiya Clear, and the liquid will mix with the powder, and gives it that brownish look of diesel fuel.

If its not dark enough...just sprinkle a little more pastels on top and mix in....but...do it quick as it doesn't take long for either future or Tamiya Clear to dry. I would suspect with the linseed oil, you would have a longer drying time. So you would have an advantage there.

Thanks for the explanation Tread, could I use Teak oil the medium is much the same, (not taking the mickey, I have a bottle for my garden furniture )

Hey all....

Yeah I think I was having a brain meltdown when I said 20-1 mixing ratio for a dust coat....that is more for a filter coat.

Dust coat you wouldn't have to go any more than 10-1 depending on how heavy you want it.

As has been said before, you can use darker shades than Buff as well to give it some depth.

Howdy John,

Not really sure if that'll work or not. I'll check on it though just out of curiousity.
But as cheap as linseed oil is, I'd probably have to say why take the chance.....

Tread.