Oil Paint Washes

I guess I'll just wing it and buy the cheapest thing Michaels has.

What brand really does not matter much.  As long as it is an oil paint that is what is important.  Windsor and Newtons are the most popular you can buy in the stores.  If your an armor modeler Mig Productions makes colors more suited to that genre, but a bit more pricey.  Again, being an oil based pigment is what is important, no matter what the cost.

Brian

I pretty much use Windsor & Newton oils.  One tube should last you a really, REALLY long time.

Richard

I use Winsor & Newton also.  About the finest grain oil available.  A tube will last for many. many models so might as well go with the best.

Regards,  Rick

Just tried an oil wash for the first time last night to get darkness in the panel lines and it seemed a bit streaky...am i not thinning it enough?

mark983

Just tried an oil wash for the first time last night to get darkness in the panel lines and it seemed a bit streaky...am i not thinning it enough?

Sounds more like you didn't mix sufficiently...it takes some effort to get the pigment to dissolve in your thinning medium (stir, stir, then stir some more), that's why some people prefer WN oils - because of the finer pigments which dissolve more readily than the "grainier" brands. I've definitely seen a difference between WN and Academy oils in the effort needed.

I will have to get some before the weekend.

I got some Craft Smart acrylic yesterday that I want to try out some tests with.  It was only 50 cents for a 2oz bottle at Michaels.

So how big of a tube is the Windsor & Newton?  I saw a very small tube that was smaller that the travel size toothpaste for $12.  Is that the stuff?

Yes.  One tube will go a long way.

So what kind of mix ratio am I looking for to start with?  How much solvent do I mix with a pea size amount of oil?  Just need a basic for a guide line and I'll adjust from there.  I picked up Black and Burnt Umber.

A pea-size amount is probably too much...the object is essentially to add color to the thinning medium. Sort of the opposite of thinning paint actually.

For black, an appearance resembling coffee would suffice. Depending on the size of the wash job you have in mind of course, we're talking maybe a teaspoon of thinner. The amount of paint I use is a very small amount that I can scrape out of the tube end onto a small, flat spatula that I use to mix paints. Check this link for a more in-depth description:

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/tnt1/001-100/TNT043_oil-wash_Johnson/tnt043.htm

You can add paint or thin the mixture to vary the effect of the wash. Some people start with a heavier wash and gradually lighten it with additional lighter washes. It really depends on what effect you're trying to achieve, and whether you find the end result satisfactory.

IMO, some people overdo it and go too heavy on their wash, or use too dark a color that makes for too stark a contrast to the basecoat they're washing. The idea is to highlight details not to showcase your wash skills, so for me subtlety is key, but again it depends on the subject and what effect you're trying to achieve. The nice thing about oil washes is if you don't like the result, it is easily cleaned off without affecting the basecoat underneath (assuming of course you've applied the requisite gloss overcoat first).

I have some empty 1/2oz MM jars so I was thinking of making some bulk on the wash and thats why I was thinking about the size of the pea.

Thanks, for the link and I'm going to try some of the tips now.

I do the same thing....I have some small airtight containers I got from Michael's that I put leftover wash in. It keeps pretty well.

Pretty happy with a pea sized glob with half the jar filled with Mineral Spirits.  I'm now going to play around with different concentrations.