pastel weathering tips.

Can you be a little more specific? There is a lot of "weathering" that can be done with pastels. I use pastels as a final step. I take what ever color would apply (Brown for dirt, Grey for grimme, tan for sand etc.) and simply brush it on with one of my wifes make-up brushes. To make chalk dust, I simply run the color chalk I want over some sand paper, collect the dust in a jar. If I want a little "thickness" I add a drop or two of water. I try to avoid oil based pastels, as they tend to leave streaks.

As for rust streaks, you can combine "rust" colored pastel chalk with some brown paint to make a paste consistancy. Apply this paste with a thin brush where you need it. You can then make a wash with either red brown or rust color and allow the wash to run in the direction water would flow off the rust spot.

Does this help?

Yes, it helps. how would i simulate sand blown up onto the tank? im building and eguptian tank so it'll be pretty dirty...

QUOTE: Originally posted by juniormodeler Yes, it helps. how would i simulate sand blown up onto the tank? im building and eguptian tank so it'll be pretty dirty...

I’m working on an IDF tank right now and to simulate dust I gave the running gear a very light mist of Tamiya Buff. Then I mixed some pastel chalk dust (brown, yellow, white) to a close match to the buff paint. I gave the area I wanted grimy/chunky a gentle wash with clean mineral spirits (use rubbing alcohol if you painted it with enamels or oils) then I brushed on the dry chalk dust in to the nooks and crannies of the tracks and stuff. The mineral spirits help to keep the stuff on. I then took a stiff brush and scrubbed of some of the “dust/dirt” from the high spots. When this was done I used Hattals trick with the makeup brush.

Tada… dusty tank.

Good luck,

Brian.

P.S. picture will be forth coming

Brian,
I I may ask, how did you do the mist? I've read about it, but have never read an explanation. Thanks.

Well, lets see…

I take some Tamiya buff and thin it with about 1/3 to ¼ with rubbing alcohol and put it in my airbrush (Iwata HP-CS) and set the pressure around 15psi. I hold the tank in my left hand like it is on a 45 degree side slope with the belly facing me. I have no track or road wheels mounted now, the air brush is also pointed more towards the rear of the tank. I lightly mist the paint onto the model (a moderate amount of paint trough the brush but the brush is about 12-18 inches away) working from top to bottom. The further you go away from the road surface the less I put on and the further I go to the rear the more I put on. For the road wheels and track I use the same treatment but I mask the surfaces that contact each other with masking tape to simulate the rubber of the road wheels rubbing on the tracks. After this is dry I remove the masks and give them an extremely light dusting of buff paint just so it is not so drastic contrast but not enough to nullify my efforts. Then I go on to the pastels.

Later…
Brian.

Rust streaking is best done in oils , hit a dot of the colour above where you want the streak to be , and wait for a day or 2 then take thinner only on a fine brush and pull it down , the paint will be almost dry at this point and will not smear but leave a nice streak underneath . I use pastels to dust a tank up and to simulate burnt cordite at the end of barrels( Muzzle) and inside where the shell is loaded ( breach ) use dark grey or black ground up for this , and just brush it on with an old junk brush , it takes a bit but you can grind the stuff into the paint if you want . I never paint over the top of pastels as this tends to fade the effect , and keepy yo' fingy's offa it too , unless you want you project to look like it has been dusted for fingerprints !

Here is photo of my work, not quite done yet...



hope this helps some.

Brian.

great tips guys, they all helped. im glad buff asked the misting thing, i was about to ask the same thing i like your tank pic, that was just what i was lookin for.
-mark

Brian,
Thanks for the tip. When you do the tracks and road wheels, do you put them on then mask them, or do you do it the other way around? Thanks for putting up with all the questions.

QUOTE: Originally posted by buff Brian, Thanks for the tip. When you do the tracks and road wheels, do you put them on then mask them, or do you do it the other way around? Thanks for putting up with all the questions.

No problem,
I do each of them one at a time off the hull of the tank.

Later...
Brian

Ahh, good. The Firefly Vc I've just started has indy links. It would have been impossible to do this with the tracks on. I can mask and mist in sections of 4 or 5 links at a time, I think!