making plastic look like wood

Hello Graf Spee,

For deck wood on my tall ships, I like Testors Model Masters Enamel wood #1735 and the Model Masters acrylic wood #4674. Paint each deck board one of the two and let dry then wash with flat acrylic black. The model masters wood enamel and acrylic are a slightly different color of wood and really give the deck that "basketball court look"

For the hull wood, I use Model Masters wood 1735 and then wash with Games Workshop Flesh wash dilluted with water. I do it in coats until I feel it looks dark enough. I don't like it very dark BTW.

The colors I have described is for the older 16 to early 17 century gallions such as the Golden Hinde and Mayflower.

For wood, the main advice from me is use matte or flat paints and washed only for the deck wood and the wood sides can be washed in a gloss since this area of the ship is oiled regularly.

For your ship kit, I would paint and wash in matte/flat paints.

Use at least 3 different shades of wood while painting the deck. Use one color for the door, another for the door trim, then use another for the side wood walls...etc This gives it a multi-dimensional look. Wash it all in flat brown and black.

Hope this helps,
Lon