Questions About Using Oil Paints to Weather AFVs

milwaukeejohn

Bish, I  about to make a small investment in the 502 Abteilung line.  They have several weathering sets that look fantastic. Are you able to tell me a little more before I pull the trigger? Do you  have any of the sets? If so, do they come with instructions? Overall, are you happy with the paint? 

 

I don't have any of the sets, just individual colours. I don't use insytructions, i have just picked up idea from otehr people and apadted them to my own purpose. I mainly use the 502 line for dry brushing and the Windsor and Newton for dot filters and washes. I use the AK line of effects products for streaking and so on.

I do like both the 502 and W&N paints. They are very well made, very smooth paints and they last a very long time. I only use small amounts. After about 9 years i have only recently started useing my second botles of the W&N paints i use most.

Personally i don't follow the work of MiG, i prefer to go for a realistic look rather than artistic. And i have found following other peoples work or useing a guide is a good starting point and then develp from there depending on your own tastes and what you want to achieve.

I don't have any of Adam Wilder's books, but I'm pretty sure I have some articles he has written for other publications, buried in a pile of decades worth of modelling magazines.

Thanks.  I decided to give it a try...plus Amazon had free overnight shipping  and I am going to be stuck on a plane for quite a few hours this week.   I really like his work, so it will be a treat to have the curtain pulled back and learn how he does some of it.  Do you know anything about the Adam’s Armour book series?

Bish, I  about to make a small investment in the 502 Abteilung line.  They have several weathering sets that look fantastic. Are you able to tell me a little more before I pull the trigger? Do you  have any of the sets? If so, do they come with instructions? Overall, are you happy with the paint? 

I have the first edition, the currently available edition is the expanded 3rd edition. At a list price of $80+, you are paying a lot for all the large, glossy color photos, the translated text, at times, leaves something to be desired. It's kind of a question of where do you want to spend your hobby budget, a nice kit or a book of techniques? If budgets aren't an issue, and you want to learn how Mig paints his models, go for it, but in reality, I don't use it all that much. I got mine for free, since my wife is a publishing rep., so I can't really say if I got my money's worth, but it does cover a wide range of techniques, the photos are very nice and it's hard to argue that Mig's work isn't world-class. But frankly, with a bit of searching, most of these topics can be found online.

Ixion,is that Mig book worth picking up?  I’ve seen it before and have always been intrigued. 

 This is all great information, thanks so much guys. I have used Windsor and Newton oils  before, and I agree… They are great. 

Ixion

"Mapping" is a term popularized by by Mig Jimenez, since he defines it on page 101 of his book; F.A.Q. Frequently Asked Questions of the AFV painting techniques.

"Mapping represents all those irregular patches that can be detected on a tank but by nature are not really chips, but rather irregular, randomly created stains." The term is borrowed from CAD program terminology, where textures and colors are "mapped" onto a 3-D object to provide color and textural layers to the finished design.

Mig's technique involves roughly blocking out areas for mapping with thinned acrylic paint, applied in layers until the desired effect is achieved and allowed to dry, then blending the effects with oil paint washes and powered pigments.

Sounds like what I've always called dry-brushing for 'tone': both to break up monochrome color areas, and to mimic the effects angle, light and atmosphere have on color as seen by the human eye.

I'd be the first to admit my approach is much less sophisticated...but under washes and other weathering, I don't think there's all that much difference in the end.

BTW, I'll put in a vote for Windsor & Newton. If you're just starting with oils, know there's a lot you can accomplish with cheapo 'starter' sets...especially for practicing and developing technique. But like most other things, as the price goes up, so does the quality. For oils, this means the fineness and purity of pigments, and the 'smoothness' (and consistent reliability) of binders and the oil medium itself.

Should of guessed it started there. So it is just streaking and the effects of dust and dirt.

"Mapping" is a term popularized by by Mig Jimenez, since he defines it on page 101 of his book; F.A.Q. Frequently Asked Questions of the AFV painting techniques.

"Mapping represents all those irregular patches that can be detected on a tank but by nature are not really chips, but rather irregular, randomly created stains." The term is borrowed from CAD program terminology, where textures and colors are "mapped" onto a 3-D object to provide color and textural layers to the finished design.

Mig's technique involves roughly blocking out areas for mapping with thinned acrylic paint, applied in layers until the desired effect is achieved and allowed to dry, then blending the effects with oil paint washes and powered pigments.

I agree with Bish, the best oil paints out there are Winsor & Newton, IMHO. Many less expensive oil paints are of inferior quality, with lower pigment densities and larger pigment particle size, so-called "student grade" paints,  with correspondingly poorer performance, especially with washes. While several companies offer custom colors taylored to modellers, the general range of colors offered by W&N is perfectly acceptable for our uses. Black, white, yellow, red, blue, burnt sienna, raw umber, yellow ochre, payne's gray and van *** brown are commonly used colors.

Edit; I can't believe a paint name gets hit by auto-censor....

never heard of the term mapping, i am guessing this will be the next trendy word in armour modelling. It sounds like your describing streak effects.

Never heard of Titan paints either. One of the best brands out there are Windsor and Newton. Also, 502 Abteilung make a range of oil paints aimed at the model builder.

I don't know what mapping is either, although I see it used often. Wish I new.

Titan oil paints info: https://www.titanlux.es/en/productos/producto/titan-extra-fine-oil-colours

You may have to order them from overseas. I've never used them myself.

I have previously posted about oil paints in this thread: http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/tools_techniques_and_reference_materials/f/18/t/174366.aspx

Hope that helps!

There are several post in painting forum and armor related to this topic you just have to do a search and find them goggle is your friend.