using watercolors for weathering

I use tube watercolors over a Future topcoat, too- works really well. I keep an ancient end scrap of soap (IrishSpring from the mid 1970s), touching my water brush to it before thinning the paint. That breaks the surface tension and allows it to flow nicely. Now you've got one more use for those annoying ends of soap bars!

I sometimes use the Artist type water colors over a Future top coat, but prefer to use Artist oils thinned with mineral spirits. I don't like to use Acrylics or Enamels for washes, as they dry too fast for my plodding pace.

Regards, Rick

I've been using artists tube watercolours for years. They work great. Just add some soap to the water to break the surface tension.

Interesting convo chaps... my weathering's been confined to cockpits so far, but as I'm about to finish a kit using only my airbrush for the first time, I'll be giving it a go. I've got tubes of both watercolor & oils, but was a little concerned about using oil or acrylic to weather, because of the permanence of both, and the tendency of the turpentine to attack any paint that's not that well covered with future.

I think I'll use the watercolor approach, given my penchant for accidents!

QUOTE: Originally posted by mats.man I have used water colors for years to weather or dirty my A/C. To solve the water tension problem add a drop of liquid soap to the mixture. The real advantage of using a wate color wash is that if you don't like the results you can wipe it off and start over or simply by pass the entire weathering effort without losing the original model's finish. I have never oversprayed the finished weather process as my models are not handled that much. Richard

I use the tubes of artists water colours, usually black and burnt umber, or even a combination of the two.

I matt coat afterwards just to seal everything and provide an even surface texture.

Karl

, I needed to know that also. Thx,

Bill

I have used water colors for years to weather or dirty my A/C. To solve the water tension problem add a drop of liquid soap to the mixture. The real advantage of using a wate color wash is that if you don't like the results you can wipe it off and start over or simply by pass the entire weathering effort without losing the original model's finish. I have never oversprayed the finished weather process as my models are not handled that much.

Richard

I use tempra paints. They're watercolor paints. They work great. Spray Future, or any other glosscoat you wish, beforehand.

I have, but I prefer a mix of a few drops of enamel with a good bit of thinner. Watercolors tend to "bead up" since the surface tension of water makes it want to do that. You want the wash to "flow" along panel lines and the "thinner/enamel" combination seems to do that much more nicely. As far as question number two is concerned, my answer is "C; All of the above." A wash flows better on a smooth surface, plus, you don't want the thinner to dissolve the paint on the model, so you definitely want to do it before, but to seal the results, you can do it after as well. I like to use a little pastel chalk powder for some weathering effects, and the Future after helps keep that from rubbing off.