Washes

Hello wstell.  You don't use an airbrush to apply a wash to a model.  A wash is very thin paint applied with a paintbrush to flow into a panel line and around detail. 

If you mean pre-shading, you don't need one for that either.

I preface this by saying that I have only been back into modeling for a couple years...  but, 2 things:

1.  You dont need an airbrush to apply a wash, only a regular brush.  Just do a search for "pinwash" and you will get tons of articles and "how-to" posts on it.

2.  For pre-shading, while it is true that you dont technically need an airbrush to pre-shade, if you have never done it without one then you probably wont be able to.  Just as a note, pre-shading is spraying a dark (normally black) line along panel lines of a model prior to applying the primary base coat.  This creates a "dark around the edges" appearance which commonly occurs in weathering.  Using an airbrush results in pre-shaded panel lines results in less defined edges which are easier to blend when the primary coat is applied...  preshading with a brush tends to create more defined lines which are far more difficult to hide with the primary coat.  I say this from experience as I once decided I didnt want to go through loading and cleaning my AB to simply preshade a drop-tank so I did it with a brush...  long story short- I ended up stripping all the paint off the tank and started over- using the AB

Just as a note, if you are getting back into modeling and think you will stay with it- an airbrush is the single best investment you can make (along with a compressor).  Unless you are VERY skilled with a brush, there is no comparison in the results you can achieve...

Welcome back to the hobby!!!  And happy modeling!

Thanks for all the info Mike! And yes I am going to back in it I guarantee!! I have sew my royal oats and now have time to model!!  I love aircraft, and miss the time that I have lost. I am saving for an AB right now, but yes I will be acquiring one. Thanks again!!

Wes

Okay, I have been reading up on pinwashing, but now I am confused. I thought that you washed the primer coat? But I am reading that you wash the final coat. And when do you apply the future?? I am reading a lot of different things.

Wes

Have a look at this youtube video I found for a demonstration of how to apply a pinwash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63j_cX9ZK60

Also note that he used a different paint type for the wash then what he used for the main paint job. This means what thins the wasn/pinwash has no effect on the base coat below it.

As for Future, think of it as a gloss Clear Coat.

It does three things:

-Protects paint layers below it with a clear durable layer.

-Creates a smooth surface allowing for proper application of decals and will let highly thinned paint to flow by capillary action along seams and such. The last being very useful for highlighting panel lines.

-Creates a gloss coat for when you want the finish shiny. If you don't want it to be shiny you can mix it with a tamiya dull coat [I forget which one]  or just paint it over with a dull coat.

As for shading, there is pre-shading and post-shading. Pre shading goes on before your final paint job and darkens the surface below and post shading goes ontop of your finished paint job and places dark colors ontop of your finished paint job.

I hope this helps with deciding how and when to use Future.