Is Ak interactive effects really necessary ?

There are several products and techniques that will give similar, if not quite identical results. You can use pigments, Tamiya has their weathering sets, or you can use oils or enamels to create rust streaks. As well as any other number of products out there. 

Many of these AK and Mig products are simply pre made enamel washes.

Thanks for your quick reply

Well ok, I understand. So I'll keep my money...I wanted to be sur

Yep. And I suppose it's an other way to take advantage of the credulity of beginners "Wow amazing ! By using with magic product, I gonna be able to make incredible model !"

Anyway, I got my answer 

Optilium

Yep. And I suppose it's an other way to take advantage of the credulity of beginners "Wow amazing ! By using with magic product, I gonna be able to make incredible model !"

 

Anyway, I got my answer 

 

In a word, they are shortcuts with a brand name attached. 

To me making up paint concoctions is half the fun of modeling, if not a hobby in itself. But I understand the ready made idea too.

Hi;

     I use Testors Flat Rust. Dry brushed and thinned to almost opaque! I have done that for years. The funniest model I saw and I had to Not laugh the work was so good, was a filming model for an ad. The builder was a very close friend and I did not want to hurt his feelings.

    Seems he had rust all over many places you wouldn't have it on a W.W 1 Sub Chaser.( They were, at that time made entirely of wood!

Tanker-Builder

Hi;

     I use Testors Flat Rust. Dry brushed and thinned to almost opaque! I have done that for years. The funniest model I saw and I had to Not laugh the work was so good, was a filming model for an ad. The builder was a very close friend and I did not want to hurt his feelings.

    Seems he had rust all over many places you wouldn't have it on a W.W 1 Sub Chaser.( They were, at that time made entirely of wood!

 

That's worth a smiley or two lol !!

oldermodelguy

 Tanker-Builder

Hi;

     I use Testors Flat Rust. Dry brushed and thinned to almost opaque! I have done that for years. The funniest model I saw and I had to Not laugh the work was so good, was a filming model for an ad. The builder was a very close friend and I did not want to hurt his feelings.

    Seems he had rust all over many places you wouldn't have it on a W.W 1 Sub Chaser.( They were, at that time made entirely of wood!

That's worth a smiley or two lol !!

Saw a superbly rusted out Italeri LCVP online.... pointed out it was made of plywood, with only fittings & side armour slabs made of metal....

Weathering is one of those techniques where there are multiple ways to skin a cat.  Filters are one way.  If you are handy with an airbrush, you can put down a very thin coat of certain colors and make a blended effect.  Brushed on washes stain most in corners, cracks, etc.

There is dry brushing, which can accomplish about the same effects.  However, they all need practice.  The idea is to perfect ability to put down a transparent thin coat of another color.

There are some pretty good rust colors in regular paints.  For rust I use these either mixed as a wash, or dry brushed.

Hi,

To echo what many others have said here, they seem to be one of many tools that a builder can use.  I have never used the AK interactive stuff but I have messed around a little with some Vallejpo and Testor's washes.  Not being a real experienced builder or model painter I have found them very useful as a means to let me experiment around with different things and try different techniques for weathering.  This has starting giving me to start trying some other ideas and trying to mix up some of my own "washes" etc.

As such, I wouldn't say that store bought pre-mixed stuff is a necessity, but they are a useful tool that can complement, or in some cases be replaced by, stuff you do yourself, especially once you have gained some experience in doing different weathering techniques.

Pat

PS.  On the topic of rust and wooden ships, I have posted this image before but it probably won't hurt to post it again.  Granted it is an extreme case of rust showing on a wooden ship, due to the oxidation of some metal parts and fittings over a very long period of time, but it does show that it is possible for a mainly wooden boat to "show" some rust.