Weathering with acrylics

[ArizonaBB39]

Hey gang. I tried looking through this section but didn't really find this topic. I use acrylics to paint my models and have always had a hard time weathering with them, especially washes. Does anyone have tips on how to achieve good results? My problem is my black washes always turn out splotchy and don't really leave a shadow effect like they should. Thanks

[Sigma66]

Hey gang. I tried looking through this section but didn't really find this topic. I use acrylics to paint my models and have always had a hard time weathering with them, especially washes. Does anyone have tips on how to achieve good results? My problem is my black washes always turn out splotchy and don't really leave a shadow effect like they should. Thanks

Although some may differ, they do come out blotchy if you aren't doing a "pinwash" on a very small area. Dave Griffith refers to the effect in his book on kit building as "tidal."

However, this is if you use a brush. If you airbrush you don't have this problem. I've also used a pump sprayer, (I learned this in art class). For mediums I've used oils in turpentine, as well as artist's water-color tubes in rubbing alcohol. For colors above the water I use ivory or lamp black for vents, and a dark grey, (Winsor-Newton Payne's Grey, available in both their oil and watercolor line) and burnt sienna or umber below the waterline.

The only trick left is figuring out the saturation level, which you'll have to play around with to get right...

[BombMagnet]

For corners with straight edges, panel lines, etc. I use a drafting pen. You can put drops of paint, thinner, etc. right into the cup and shake it up. Of course with acrylics you can clean it up real easy.

The airbrush tip sounds good...will have to try it.

[blacman]

Try the following orders:
Painting
Glossy varnish
Washing (I prefer oil paints dilluted well a lot)
Matt varnish to achieve color balancing
You need to have a separate layer between acrylit paint & wash. Then it works well...
Best!
Greg

[oierlings]

As Greg mentioned, it's very important to use different layers.
If you paint your model with Acrylics, do the weathering in oil. Use White Spirit or turbine to wipe of the excess.

You might try Inks (Winsor and Newton). I use this for my Wargameing figures for shadows etc.

Search the homepage of AK 47 Interactive. It's a company of Mig Jimez, a very popular painter and modeler in the AFV Area and Issuer of the Weathering Magazine in Europe.
On that site, you'll find an Article about shipweathering.
Cheers
Eric