Weathering/washing question. Dizzy - where's your tutorial?! ;)

[Pellson]

Weathering/washing question.
Having gotten the hues and pattern alright on the Norm 81-camoed fighters, I'm realising I really would have liked to soften and lighten the camo a bit. Initially, I'm thinking of toning some Future with a light grey and very opaque colour, but then I'm thinking that might not blend. Maybe I'm better of actually blending a varnish?

Anyway - I need tips. There are hundreds of nice videos on the webz on superflowing washes to emphasize panel lines etc, but that's not quite what I'm after. And Thomas, many of your models look as if you've done just what I'm after. So how do I go about it? Tips, anyone?

[zenrat]

Sounds like you are wanting a filter rather than a wash.
When I need a filter I airbrush a very thin mix of paint and thinners.

Search again for FILTERS rather than washes.

[Pellson]

Sounds like you are wanting a filter rather than a wash.
When I need a filter I airbrush a very thin mix of paint and thinners.

Search again for FILTERS rather than washes.

Your probably right. Then again - I'm not an airbrush man at all. Can you perform the same effect with the ye goode olde brush stick?

[zenrat]

I haven't tried applying a filter with a hairy stick but it should work as long as the filter didn't affect the paint while you were brushing it on.
Either use a filter that won't affect your enamels (acrylic paint and thinners) or protect the paint by clearing over it with a clear which is impervious to enamel thinners.
As with any suggestions garnered here, test first on something which doesn't matter.

[Dizzyfugu]

I apply on most of my models a layer of basic paint, then an overall washing with highly thinned water-soluble black ink (simple writing ink), with a drop of detergent to soften the water, which dries down and then I rub all surfaces off of it with a soft cotton cloth. The ink pigments gather in edges and in panel recesses, and partly on matt paint, too, creating a weathering effect. This does not always work, though, or as intended, but I live with the outcome and use it creatively.

Then I frequently do post-panel-shading with lighter shades of the basic tones - I normally use a soft, flat brush (with synthetic hair), and very little paint with almost no thinner on it, it borders on dry-brushing and sometimes I even "massage" the paint onto the model for a cloudy look - it depends on how the paint "feels" on the brush. And I use  both enamel and acrylic paint, just what best matches the tone underneath. Sometimes, this is repeated with even lighter shades, esp. on upper surfaces. I cannot tell more - it works for me and how I paint models.

A friend of mine tried to replicate the procedures, and it did not work at all - even though I cannot tell why?