I was reading the "painting & weathering" section over at www.missing-lynx.com and here's my question:

The author was saying how his first step is to airbrush the base coat on (easy enough, we all know that one )

He then goes on to talk about a shadowed appearance (I've noticed this on most models I've seen). He airbrushes all of the flat open surfaces of the model with a lighter shade of the base color.

My question is, can this be done through paint brushing instead of airbrushing?
Would this be like drybrushing the open areas?

Invariably I'd have to say No. The concept behind this method is to create a "faded" look to the paint, and a "shadowed" effect, sort of what exposure to the elements would cause. The edges of the area are left alone with the original base color. It helps add depth to the model.

Dry-brushing is for highlighting certain parts or raised areas of the model. Usually to help add some more depth to the model, and to show wear on ares like corners and edges.

Hope this helps explain some.

Ooops, I forgot to mention that by using a brush, you may be able to achieve this effect. I've never tried it with a brush, but it might produce a pleasing look. Try on a piece of scap first and see what happens.

Let us know how it comes out if you try it.

I am just finishing my first armor model and used the method from the article your talking about. I know I have been saying I am just finishing it for a while, but I swear I will have a some pictures this week. Anyway, I have an air brush but I just got it for Christmas and I am not that good with it yet. I didn't feel comfortable with trying to airbrush a lighter shade in the open areas with it at this point so I used a larger brush and dry brushed the areas with a lighter shade. I think if you have an air brush it would turn out a little better but it seemed to work well for me.

The one thing about the article that has changed me forever is working with the oil paints. I am so in love with them now. They take a long time to dry but thats good in a lot of ways, and they blend like nothing I have ever used before. Like I said, I will be posting some pictures soon of it. All I have left to do is a little track work then putting them on the tank and I am done.

If I'm not mistaken, the next issue of Fine Scale Modeler is supposed to have an article on brush paint jobs. I just checked the mag, they sure are. It's titled "Great Paint Jobs Using a Brush." Maybe they'll have something in the article that will help you out somehow or maybe answer some questions. I'm looking forward to it so I can see what quality can be had by the brush method.

Yes, I think you can get close to the effect with a technique called "scrubbing". It's just like drybrushing, but instead of trying to hit the highpoints, you're using a softer brush and a scrubbing motion in areas of paint fading. This works with oils better than anything else, because you're attempting to blend in color more than hitting a high spot. You need strong light, and strong contrast, because the color shift is subtle and you don't want to overdo it. I have an example of what this looks like at home on a finished model - I'll post it if you're curious.

Gunnie

I don't have an airbrush, and have been able to do something like preshading (it gives the same effect) by using pastel chalks on the large open areas.

I grind up the chalks, as usual for weathering, but apply some lighter colored chalk to large expanses of armor plate, then scrub it in with an old brush. It is analogous to the oil paint scrubbing, but of course the chalk is easy to remove if you make a mistake!

Bob Lessels had an article on another site about painting airbrushed camouflage on German tanks using pastel chalks. I've tried it, but with mixed (ie., little) success.

The more I use chalks, the more I like them. Paul Owen's article on Weathering Heresies if a very useful guide for chalk use!

Cheers
Andy

The camo job on this Kubelwagen was done in pastel chalk. I used an Artist's Stump to apply the pastel (not a brush) - and it didn't take that much longer than handpainting or airbrushing & masking. I do use oil pastels, however, and that might make a difference in how they "stick" to the model. I've been using the same set of oil pastels (Grumbacher's) since 1986 and haven't really made a dent in it yet.

Gunnie

Gunnie

Gorgeous model. Very well done.

Lucas Freeman
Brunswick, ME

The brush painting article in FSM just tells you how to get smooth finishes using brushes. Nothing too much like what is talked about above. But, the article is still helpful to us modelers without and airbrush --- yet.
I got the issue in the mail yesterday (March 25th), I feel like trying some Zimmerit now... :-)

YodaMan

DOH.. I haven't gotten my issue yet!

Maybe today...?

Lucas Freeman
Brunswick, ME