Buying Artists' oils for washes...

For pin washes Payne's Gray is a great color.  You don't want black for the majority of your washes because it will be too stark.  I pretty much went out and bought all primary colors (red, yellow, blue, black, white) and then Payne's Gray, Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna.  I can mix up any conceivable color I want with this combo.  But then again I use these for everything from aircraft, armor and figure painting.  If you are JUST looking for something for pin washes then get 3 colors, Payne's Grey, Black (again,most times you won't use this, but for darker colors like dark grey or green paint schemes it may be necessary to get the kind of "pop
 you want) and Burnt Umber.  You can mix the burnt umber and black to varying degrees to get a dark brown color for desert camo type schemes.

Burnt Sienna is very red, and if you want rusty kind of effects then go for it.

Yes, thin with oderless mineral spirits.

Brian

Sorry if I sound ignorant, what's a "pin" wash? small areas like landing gear, wheel wells, etc?

Hey HSteve,

I try to use the term "Pin Wash" whenever possible to describe the "wash" that you use to flow into nooks and crannies like you are talking about.  I use that term because in armor building some people interchange the words "wash" and "filter" for the same thing, but which is not what a pin wash is (basically it is taking a much more diluted oil paint and brushing it completely over the model to slightly change the base color).  It is a habit, so I am sorry.

Brian

For Aircraft, the colors I use the most are Raw Umber, Paynes Grey & Burnt Sienna.  For thinner, I use either Mineral Spirits or Turpenoid.

Regards,  Rick

N.H. -

No worries, bud, I'm still a  newbie, albeit born again to the hobby...

- Thanks for your suggestions!

On Thinners,

I've heard Turpenoid dries kind of "sticky", like it never really dries completely, thus M. spirits...

I have a variety of colors purchased over a couple of years, mostly Winton artist oils because they are less expensive than some of the others.  I'm told Winton are "student" grade oils, but you don't need high quality artist oils for modeling applications, so I look for sales on the student-grade paints.  Even the cheaper brands are expensive, though, especially when you consider that one regular tube will last most modelers a couple of lifetimes.  I'd love to see someone market a "modeler's" set of artist oils with about a dozen colors in tiny tubes..............

Tom   

TB6088

I have a variety of colors purchased over a couple of years, mostly Winton artist oils because they are less expensive than some of the others.  I'm told Winton are "student" grade oils, but you don't need high quality artist oils for modeling applications, so I look for sales on the student-grade paints.  Even the cheaper brands are expensive, though, especially when you consider that one regular tube will last most modelers a couple of lifetimes.  I'd love to see someone market a "modeler's" set of artist oils with about a dozen colors in tiny tubes..............

Tom   

I agree with the going with lower quality oils!  I've been watching this thread and wondering if the little artist kits that can be got from Michael's or Wal Mart would provide decent oils for cheaper costs?  Some of the kits have pencils, pastels, water colors and oils in them.  I have no idea what brand these kits would have in them, but for washes, wouldn't just about anything do?

Doog put it best in a thread in the armor section.  it is not so much which brand of oil so much as long as it is oil.  Windsor and Newton gets named a lot only because they are a "known" brand and are carried virtually everywheres, and for what you get they are decently priced (my mother gets art catalogs and I have seen some REALLY expensive oil paints!)  But bottom line no you do not need top of the line Windsor and Newton.  I think I even saw someone in the armor forum mention they used the "water soluable" oil paints (but please don't rely on my memory for that ).

Brian

It's kind of refreshing for you guys to tell me not to buy the top-of-the-line brand...

Thanks for your input, heading back to the art store after work today...

New Hampshire

Doog put it best in a thread in the armor section. ...

Brian

New Hampshire -  Would you post the link to the doog's thread from Armor, I couldn't find it doing a search for "oils"?  Thanks!

PontiacRich

New Hampshire:

Doog put it best in a thread in the armor section. ...

Brian

 

New Hampshire -  Would you post the link to the doog's thread from Armor, I couldn't find it doing a search for "oils"?  Thanks!

Here is the thread: /forums/t/124338.aspx it is his second post to the thread (11th one down) that you want.

Brian

Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna and any grey and black are good starter tubes for oil washes...Raw Umber by far is the one I uise the most.  IMO, any brand is good enough when using for washes...

I didn't realize that oils were so expensive!

I picked up:

Payne's Grey

Raw umber

Burnt Sienna

Black & white...

Ramen Noodles will be TASTY

You can look at the bright side, they should last you for a very very long time.

Brian

I'm thinking I'll end up giving to my nephews, 15-16 years from now...

N.Hampshire,

I picked up W&N, at around 4 bucks a tube...

I will never use all of any of them, but at least I've got 'em...