Is their a right way to weather a ship..

[modelman62]

..for like around the doors and things like that, or just leave it?

Im at my weathering stage for parts of the superstructure and i was just wondering how and if you weather those parts. I dont know if im using the term right when i say weather, i mean, kinda like when you highlight panel lines on planes, can you do this around the doors and things like that? or is it not necessary in this scale ( 1/350)

If someone maybe could direct me to some weathering techniques it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all

Pat

[Lenalv]

HI! You can use oil artist coulors, heawy thinned .Give the area you want a real wash with it.Burnt umber,english red is very useful. Just dry away the remainings .

[David Griffith]

Dear Pat,

I'm sure you'll get lots of answers to this question. There will be all sorts of different suggestions and there is no single right answer to what to do or how. Basically, what works for the individual modeller and gives subjectively pleasing results is right for him (or her).

This is what I do. After painting, usually now with acrylics, I put a wash of sepia artist's oil paint over the whole thing, fairly well diluted with white spirit (?mineral spirits in the US?), perhaps 85-90% spirit. As it becomes almost dry I remove most of it with a broad brush, dampened with very clean white spirit. The intention is to make the tone of the underlying paintwork slightly uneven and therefore more alive and to begin to emphasises the cracks, recesses and undercuts with shadow. Use vertcal strokes of the brush to remove the wash from hull sides and vertical structures, as any deposits would tend to run vertically in real life, and unevenness with a horizontal emphasis will look silly.

Then I take a thicker wash of the same paint, and with a fine brush apply it around areas where I want a darker shadow. Some firthe vertical marks can be made down the hull sides to represent run off and rust staining. A rather redder paint can be used for rust, perhaps adding a bit of burnt sienna, but not too much. If the effect is over done it can be removed with spirit as above.

I then leave everything to dry and then dry brush with undiluted artist's oils in a shade somewhat lighter than the underlying paint, dark grey for black paint, medium grey/blue for navy or deck blue and various shades of light grey or off white for ocean grey or light grey. Similar principles for the colour choice when using Royal Navy colours.

The dry brushing suddenly makes the detail leap out at you and the whole model come to life.

That's my basic technique. Feel free to take anything you want from it.


Kind regards, and a Merry Christmas,

David Griffith

[modelman62]

Dear Pat,

I'm sure you'll get lots of answers to this question. There will be all sorts of different suggestions and there is no single right answer to what to do or how. Basically, what works for the individual modeller and gives subjectively pleasing results is right for him (or her).

This is what I do. After painting, usually now with acrylics, I put a wash of sepia artist's oil paint over the whole thing, fairly well diluted with white spirit (?mineral spirits in the US?), perhaps 85-90% spirit. As it becomes almost dry I remove most of it with a broad brush, dampened with very clean white spirit. The intention is to make the tone of the underlying paintwork slightly uneven and therefore more alive and to begin to emphasises the cracks, recesses and undercuts with shadow. Use vertcal strokes of the brush to remove the wash from hull sides and vertical structures, as any deposits would tend to run vertically in real life, and unevenness with a horizontal emphasis will look silly.

Then I take a thicker wash of the same paint, and with a fine brush apply it around areas where I want a darker shadow. Some firthe vertical marks can be made down the hull sides to represent run off and rust staining. A rather redder paint can be used for rust, perhaps adding a bit of burnt sienna, but not too much. If the effect is over done it can be removed with spirit as above.

I then leave everything to dry and then dry brush with undiluted artist's oils in a shade somewhat lighter than the underlying paint, dark grey for black paint, medium grey/blue for navy or deck blue and various shades of light grey or off white for ocean grey or light grey. Similar principles for the colour choice when using Royal Navy colours.

The dry brushing suddenly makes the detail leap out at you and the whole model come to life.

That's my basic technique. Feel free to take anything you want from it.


Kind regards, and a Merry Christmas,

David Griffith

Thanks David!! I think since its painted a really dark blue, measure 21, i will almost have to go with a black paint so it will show up a little.

[mike mccabe]

Pat
I use a similar method to David but for the hull I prefer to use ground up pastels or pastel pencils. You can apply these with a dry brush to give the streaking effect you will see on any ship not more or less freshly painted. For a dark hull you can use a very dark grey or even black as the effect won't be as stark against the dark background. Just brush the pastel on with vertical strokes and if there is too much you can brush most of it away. You will need to seal it with a matt coat which tends to tone down the effect, if it isn't enough you can always seal it with the matt coat and add another layer.

I use a burnt sienna pencil for rust, twist it in place where you want the rust to start and stroke it down quickly, then use the brush to soften it out. Don't overdo any rust though, it always looks overdone if there is more than a hint.

Mike

[lisec]

I was wondering, on a 1/700 scale is a wash a way to go? Will it be a bit too much?
I personaly use a technique of painting everything in flat black than doing camo colors but spraying from a angle which will make shadows than touch up if neccesary

[Rob]

I was wondering, on a 1/700 scale is a wash a way to go? Will it be a bit too much?
I personaly use a technique of painting everything in flat black than doing camo colors but spraying from a angle which will make shadows than touch up if neccesary

If you method works for you and you like the results then it's right. My view is there is no "wrong" way to build or paint, just methods you find more comfortable with. If you like pre-shading, carry on!

For a wash, I use artists oils, easier to control and easier to vary in tone. Equally good in effect, more more difficult to use are artists water colours which I also use from time to time. If you want to try an acrylic wash, you will need a wet pallet. I would advise you to avoid an enamel wash as they have a tendency to puddle.

Best colours are raw umber, Payne's grey or lamp black.

My wash technique is very close to what both David and Mike do, but I dry-brush in either artists acrylics or enamels. I am not a great fan of using pastels, but Mike does get very good results with them.

Cheers,

Rob

[Ron Smith]

...

[Chas]

does anyone know if there's a video that shows this technique? lots to learn!

[Rob]

Chas,

There's been a fair bit published. Have a look on the Pacfront website, they stock a lot of How-to cd's and books.

Failing that....Ask here - someone will know.

Cheers,

Rob