help with washes

[The Zod]

I am about to tear my hair out with frustration. It seems my pin washes on my models look like stains. I do not know
what I am doing wrong. I spray on the gloss coat,and let it cure up for 4 days or longer. I use a real small brush.
I used to use acrylic washes in the past.But nowadays,I use MIG washes. Can someone please tell me what I am doing
wrong?

I try not to apply a heavy wash. Maybe I need to use oil wash? But is that safe for acrylics? Please remember that I am
a simple truck driver.Talk slow. :v

 

[Iron Mike]

Are you letting the wash dry? I have had best results letting the wash dry at least an hour, then blotting off the excess with a dry brush to blend the wash into the surface. A cotton swab moistened with white spirit (Mig sells this too) will remove the dried excess. Practice, trial and lots of errors, but keep at it.

 

[moon puppy]

:nopics

Chad i've had a problem with pin washes also. I run the wash down the panel line and when I blot up the excess, what's in the line gets blotted up.

I started using Migs washes on top of acrylic clear coat because it's an enamel based wash. Like Mike said, let it dry and then clean it up.

Example

May have over done it with the coverage but instead of being real careful about just staying in the lines, I washed over the entire model, the wash acted sort of like a filter also.

but it buffed out nicely.

 

[panzerace007]

ZOD,

When you go to put your Pin Wash down are you pre-wetting th area slightly with your carrier ( Turpenoid, Mineral spirits etc) ? What are you using as your Gloss Coat ?

Can you take pix of th area ?

 

[The Zod]

ZOD,

When you go to put your Pin Wash down are you pre-wetting th area slightly with your carrier ( Turpenoid, Mineral spirits etc) ? What are you using as your Gloss Coat ?

Can you take pix of th area ?

I use Testors acrylic gloss. I have never pre-wetted the wash area. I will try to post some pix tomorrow.

 

[The Zod]

Moon Puppy
What did you use to wipe off the excess? That looks great.

 

[moon puppy]

If memory serves, a dry cloth. like a tee shirt or flannel.

 

[The Zod]

Here is what I was talking about when I said my washes looked stained.

 

[kryptosdaddy]

never tried a wash Zod, but I read in a fine scale issue where some guy tried Tempra paint for a wash and swore by it afterward because it was water soluble and removable before being sealed with a clear coat. just an idea.

 

[wds]

Zod,

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. You just aren't done yet. First, I would only do a pin-wash with enamels. I use a brown or black or some brown+black mix. The thinner the wash (less paint, or more thinner) the more it will capillary (wick) around the details or into the panel joints (this is what you want). If it is too thin, when it dries, you can barely see it, and you may have to go over it again. So you have to find the right mixture. If it is too thick, it makes the larger stains that will need to be cleaned up. No problem.

That said, let the pinwash dry, and then clean up the "stains" or tide marks with a flat brush dipped in clean enamel thinner. Work from the outside edge of the stain in towards the raised detail or panel line and carefully dissolve the stain with the damp brush. Just a DAMP brush. Dip the tip of the brush in clean thinner and then wipe it on a towel to unload the thinner. You don't want to re-flood the area with thinner or you will dissolve everything. The damp brush will soften the stain areas, and you just soak them up into the brush and then lightly clean the brush in the same fashion. You slowly remove the stains with a clean damp brush. Keep the brush clean. It is a time consuming part of the weather process, but you will get the results that you want. Some acrylic paints are easily attacked by the enamel thinner, so go slow and don't overwork one area. Getting too aggressive with the cleaning brush can eat into the acrylic base coat.

Hope that helps.

Bill

 

[moon puppy]

I think Bill is spot on with what you got going on Chad.

 

[The Zod]

Bill
Thanks for the tips. There have been times in the past where the pin wash disappeared after I sprayed on the clear flat
coat. :hmmm Never did figure out how that happened.

 

[TomN]

Zod
It's been awhile since I weathered a model , but the last pin wash I applied was like this:

Model was painted with air brushed Tamiya acrylics, no clear coat added.

Mixed up a wash with oil paint (Humbrol would work too) and mineral spirits.

Applied clean mineral spirits with a largish brush.

Touched the details with a small brush loaded with the wash, worked real nice.

HTH,
Tom

 

[The Zod]

Zod
It's been awhile since I weathered a model , but the last pin wash I applied was like this:

Model was painted with air brushed Tamiya acrylics, no clear coat added.

Mixed up a wash with oil paint (Humbrol would work too) and mineral spirits.

Applied clean mineral spirits with a largish brush.

Touched the details with a small brush loaded with the wash, worked real nice.

HTH,
Tom

Thanks for the tip Tom