Weathering...Acrylic / Enamel???

Carl_M24

 Here's my plan and steps for how I want to approach my next build but please, PLEASE feel free to offer advice or tell me something I'm doing is totally wrong...

1) Build the model (B-17G is my choice). Clean all peices with soapy water. 

2) Apply pre-shading over panel lines (flat black enamel).

3) Spray base coat. 

4)  Spray enamel flat clear coat.

5) Apply decals

6) Spray enamel flat clear coat

7) Apply sludge OIL wash (like Abteilung weathering oil paint - black)

8) After 15-30 min of drying, remove excess with damp cloth.

9) Spray with flat enamel clear coat.

10) If desired - apply some pigment for dusting and/or drybrushing for engine grime and exhaust stains. 

11) One last final coat of flat varnish. 

 

#4... it doesn’t really matter if you go with enamel or acrylic, but you need to apply a gloss coat, and not a flat coat prior to decals. Otherwise you will almost assure yourself of slivering under the decals.

#7... if you’re working with oils, and applying over an enamel clear coat, use a mild thinner like Mona Lisa brand thinner with your oils. If your using an acrylic thinner, this will not be an issue due to the dissimilar layers.

#10/#11... A final flat coat over pigments is not recommende. It will usually reduce their visibility quite a bit, if not make them invisible.

Welcome back to the hobby.

Carl_M24

 

 

Digger

Carl if you use enamels for armor,you can use enamels to weather your armor.Keep in mind that the thinner in the paint will cause you to lose your base coat if not careful and take your time.You should practice on a older model you don't want to learn how to blend the paints for desired weathering.On others like airplanes and ships,do as the oldmodelguy suggested.Cover your work and layered painting and weathering is required on these subjects.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Digger, I mostly just build planes but always like to try new models. I was getting confused on all the different layers needed and when to use enamel vs acrylic.  I've always thought you can never and should never mix the two, but from what I'm reading I can use the acrylic varnish to protect my enamel layers while weathering.  

 These are my first steps into the world of weathering. I used to always just make builds straight from the kit with shiny paint like it came direct from the factory but always wanted to get more advanced.  Thanks for the replies!

 

I recently bought watercolors to do weathering on enamel paints and so far is working good.

Digger

Carl if you use enamels for armor,you can use enamels to weather your armor.Keep in mind that the thinner in the paint will cause you to lose your base coat if not careful and take your time.You should practice on a older model you don't want to learn how to blend the paints for desired weathering.On others like airplanes and ships,do as the oldmodelguy suggested.Cover your work and layered painting and weathering is required on these subjects.

 

Thanks Digger, I mostly just build planes but always like to try new models. I was getting confused on all the different layers needed and when to use enamel vs acrylic.  I've always thought you can never and should never mix the two, but from what I'm reading I can use the acrylic varnish to protect my enamel layers while weathering.  

 These are my first steps into the world of weathering. I used to always just make builds straight from the kit with shiny paint like it came direct from the factory but always wanted to get more advanced.  Thanks for the replies!

oldermodelguy

So I guess your question boils down to something regarding oil washes over enamel paint. If that's what you have your heart set on doing then the common suggestion would be to apply a clear acrylic barrier coat over the enamel first.

 

Thanks for the reply, that is pretty much my question. Seems like if I want to do an oil wash, I need to put down an Acrylic clear coat first to protect the base enamel. Then another coat of clear afterwards.  If I end up using an Acrylic wash, the enamel clear coat would be fine.  I don't have any Acrylic varnish at the moment so before buying some I wanted some clarification. 

Carl if you use enamels for armor,you can use enamels to weather your armor.Keep in mind that the thinner in the paint will cause you to lose your base coat if not careful and take your time.You should practice on a older model you don't want to learn how to blend the paints for desired weathering.On others like airplanes and ships,do as the oldmodelguy suggested.Cover your work and layered painting and weathering is required on these subjects.

So I guess your question boils down to something regarding oil washes over enamel paint. If that's what you have your heart set on doing then the common suggestion would be to apply a clear acrylic barrier coat over the enamel first.