How much weathering is too much?

It depends on the context, of course.  Did your subject just come out of the factory or did it just come back from combat?

I tend to think that the best weathered models are the one that have several light layers of light weathering instead of a couple of layers of heavy weathering.

Nail polish is a lacquer with a hot solvent. I've used it to paint wild colors on custom cars for clients, over bare plastic it will definately craze and eat at it. Over paint it should do fine. I never have tried it over bare acrylic paint but with an enamel silver or gold barrier it should do fine. It needs thinning to brush smoothly and has to be built up over several coats to get the desired effect. I'll test it on a junk car interior later on. I personally haven't tried it in this kind of capacity, only airbrushing which is why I asked if anyone else had. For more reflectivity and protection you could probably do it how I do marker lights on 1/24 autos which is cut small squares of Bare Metal Foil and apply them then build up the nail polish over that. Man you strictly military guys got it easy...you never have to explain away why you have a basket full of nail polish or why your curious to what color the clerk has on her nails...when I think of all the sideways looks

corvettemike

On the subject of vision blocks have any of you ever tried nail polish? I found some Revlon awhile ago that changes from red to blue to green to purple depending on the angle you look at it from.

I think i would try that idea out on a spare piece of plastic first . See how it flows out and how it affects the palstic . I dont know if that stuff melts styrene or not ...........let me know how it works . Myself i have used reflective party ribbon .

On the subject of vision blocks have any of you ever tried nail polish? I found some Revlon awhile ago that changes from red to blue to green to purple depending on the angle you look at it from.

for what you are doing i would say a bit of black grease leakage around he road wheel hubs and around filler caps. as someone mentioned fix the vision blocks. having done this a bit my favorite is 1. paint the vision block silver and after it dries a couple of coats of clear green. i like green better than blue. ir searchlights (not on your BRADLEY) i use clear smoke for headlights and clear yellow or red or orange for running lights.

think about how you would climb on the vehilce to get to the hatches and scuff that up a tad with, in my case, some dirt colored powder.. no rust, no paint worn off.

now, in the field, it;s mostly mud and dirt/dust, maybe a crunched fender like it hit a pole. i have seen tanks almost pink because of the red clay and rain. at GRAFENWEHR in germany you can be in mud halfway up the roadwheels and have the rest of the tank covered in dust.

That's good advice. Like my T-34 everyone seems to like it but I find myself wishing I hadn't weathered so much if at all. Maybe it comes from the fact that my main interest is autos so that clean & shiny mentality carries over ^^

Well then it sounds like its a personal choice for sure . Myself i can enjoy a well built and finished model either way ....Whether it is clean or heavily weathered . It depends on if the modeler knows what he is doing . I've seen weathered armor models that look so fake its almost comical . If you don't like weathering then dont go there because you probably wont like the results . As Clint Eastwood said .."a man has to know his limitations " ............and other cool stuff .

I found on my last build I actually don't really like weathering period beyond a simple wash and drybrush. All the mud, rust, dirt, exhaust just doesn't fit my bill. I rather like the idea of a museum of clean tanks on my standard black/gold bases with a tag like the one below to showcase armor types through the different eras of warfare over going for 100% realisim like you could pluck it off the base and send it to Iraq and no one could tell it was a model. I don't have anything against those people who weather by any means either, most of them do an amazing job at their craft.

Rambo, what I mean by museum style display is referring to the model, it should not be heavily weathered in contrast to a diorama type base where more weathering is acceptable.

If you look at shows like Euromilitaire which is arguable THE premiere armor show in the world simple wood bases like this are very popular. That said you can look through galleries of past entries and it's clear that just because it's a slick clean base doesn't mean the tank has to be a clean "museum piece". There are probably more examples of sloppy, muddy, rusted up tanks sitting on a clean black/wood base than there are dioramas. It is a very accepted practice on the other side of the pond. Personally I prefer at least a little bit of ground work under a vehicle to help set the context for it's finish but I have also done well with simple black bases when time didn't permit anything more.

constructor

I like the way you display your models. I think this is what they call museum style display. I would say that a very subtle weathering will be in order in this kind of presentation.

wbill76

I agree with the others...plain varnished base should have minimal weathering to go with it. Heavier weathering needs a "context" to "explain" how it got that way and that's where ground work and a dio/vignette type base comes in.

Of course here I come agreeing with you and these two gentlemen, as well. 

 How can I do that you ask? I suggest that your original idea is valid for the new/near new look, as you add more weathering/minor damage the base could become less formal (? dropping the stripe, not a high gloss but a semi or matte finish)

Then as you decide to weather extensively or have more serious damage, the base could have a bit ( say 1/3d of the upper surface) of ground on the top to add the element of context while avoiding having to do a complete diorama.

Thus you have a progression of base finishings that can reflect the model and its condition as displayed

Reguardless your work and the base shown are very well done.

Good Luck.

Depends...

I agree that is enough for that type of base.. but constructor  said museum style display.. i'm sure its been done before but put some ropes up around it a info sign to make it look like a museum dio?

I second Bill's motion

Rounds Complete!!

I agree with the others...plain varnished base should have minimal weathering to go with it. Heavier weathering needs a "context" to "explain" how it got that way and that's where ground work and a dio/vignette type base comes in.

On a base like that, I would leave just as it is; it looks really good...cheers....Kenny

I like the way you display your models. I think this is what they call museum style display. I would say that a very subtle weathering will be in order in this kind of presentation.

The bradley is mostly for illustrative purposes, so I'm guessing for like a T-34 or a Sherman just a little dust and some chipped paint, maybe a few grease stains and call it good. In the overall sense do most people prefer display base style, no base, or diorama base?

Yeah, your Bradley looks like it is in "motor pool" condition there, used and weathered lightly, but clean. Not in field condition, dirty and stowed with crew gear. It works just fine with that base. Just add the finising touches like teh periscope lenses and the smoke mortar caps and it will be just right...

Personally I wouldn't touch that sexy little Bradley you've got there, it looks like it's a proud new machine all ready for display, but that's just my opinion, it's your model.

Ha! Opinion time. Really good looking Bradley. You've chosen to put it on what I think of as a display base, not on a diormama base. You have weathered it enough to have some variance in the overall color tone and the detail stands out well. In my opinion, mud and dirt would be out of place here. The only eye grabber here, other than a very nice build/paint/weather job, is that the tracks are not weathered to match the rest of the job.

Regards,

Mark

only my opinion. but Very little. i like the look you have now. but that's me, looks like you have a good eye so i think it's what ever you pick. ( looks very cool )   

Clay