Wash Made Simple:

Pleople struggle with washes and I did as well. Many explanations exist in print and on the webm but they were somehow tough for me to understand. Here is my attempts. Hope this helps somebody. Please e-mail me with questions or other ideas.

***

Before you even start on the wash, think about what you are trying to achive. A wash is not a step in finishing that you must get through to get to the next one. For me it is a method to simulate dirt in depressions and make illusions of voids (like tiny spaces between bolt and armor that is really not there in plastic). Apply them only where they serve your purpose.

1. I think first you must find the thinner/solvent that works. The type that will leave minimal tide oily marks. I have not found that perfect one yet, but I have had most luck with cheap hardware store mineral spirit or turpeniod (NOT turpentine). I went through many types in last two years. The turpentine for me is too oily. I was told it has "resin" that causes one to get extra tide marks.

2. Then try dark brown oil, instead of black. This saved me. Try burned umber. It stayed in solution much better. The bad thing is that it dries matt and much lighter then you would expect, but it works.

3. Finally, I gave up on applying a wash to the whole surface. I use a tiny but long sized brush (but about 5mm long to hold some paint) and apply the wash where it needs to be. This was you get a stain with SHARP border - which is not good, but you get no tide marks. I then use a slightly larger brush, damp with clean thinner to blend the sharp edge. This seems like hard work, but it goes fast when you get a hang of it. And it does not have to be picture perfect, because it will get covered up with scratches, dust, mud, etc.

4. Also I think to learn, start on a light colored model (not Riussian green or panzer grey). Light yellow tends to be the easiest for me.

Finally, I think the main thing is not patience, but practice...

Here is a visual example:

1. This is airbrushed turret. Tamiya acryllic paint followed by Satin coat. Dry for about 24 hoyurs.

2. First wash with brown oils. Then borders were blened with a small brush.

4. Now I mix a wash from lighter brown and white oils and was the rest of the surface, taking care to avoid the previously applied darker washes. I aslo add some rust stains with another orage/brown color (very gently and minimalistically).

1. Finally after some blending with a sof almost dry brush, I thought the turret was too dusty for this stage, so I dry brushed some green oils at the top and the upper sides of the turret. The dusty effect is maintained at the bottom of the turret.