Which Wash Looks Better On These Wheels?

[Guest]

On the Easy Eight project the time has come to start weathering. I am at a loss for the wash I want to use.


I got the Vallejo weathering set for green vehicles and it comes with a couple of washes. I had intended on using this set according to their recommendations, but have started second guessing myself. I tested the green wash on an inside wheel to see what it would look like and decided to try out all of the wash options I have.


First, I sprayed Vallejo Olive Drab primer as my base coat. Then, I went to work. Here is a list of the washes I used:


Vallejo dark green wash (out of the bottle)


Testors CreateFX acrylic black wash (out of the bottle)


Windsor-Newton Oil Burnt Sienna thinned with mineral spirits


Windsor-Newton oil Black thinned with mineral spirits


Here is how they worked for me:


Vallejo has a really nice, thin consistency, and flows nicely. But, it goes on more like a very thin coat of paint instead of what I would call a traditional wash. It doesn't seem to accent the nooks and crannies. The color seems a bit green, but apparently that is the way it is supposed to look as it will be toned down a bit with the rest of their recommended steps.


CreateFX is a little thicker, but flowed nicely as well. It is a blackish-gey color and also seems more like a really thin paint. It doesn't seem to collect in corners and such either.


Both W-N oils flowed nicely and collected in the corners and around detail. The burnt sienna seems a little red to me.


Here is a photo that might give you a better idea. The last wheel is bare OD primer (the base coat).





Hopefully the photo shows up better to you all than it does for me. I have a lot of glare on my screen right now.


After typing all of this, I am leaning towards my original plan and using the weathering set just to see what the final result will look like, however I would like some of your feedback.

[Guest]

Unfortunately all the wheels look too dark on my screen to be able to offer any kind of opinion Brett.


The flowing characteristics you mention with the water based products are down to surface tension. Try adding just a drop of flow enhancer if you have some, or liquid detergent. This will reduce surface tension & they should flow into the nooks & crannies better.


Personally, with darker greens I use a Burnt Umber & black mixture, thinned with white spirit. Always works for me.

[Guest]

Agree with Patrick about burnt umber - sienna is too red (imo natch!) it also looks a little thick? My preference is to keep it thin, you can always ad another layer, as even oil washes dry quickly, this gives to the opportunity to use slightly different tones for each layer, giving a more organic look! 


P.S. I dropped your photo into Photoshop and adjusted the exposure, to see it better 

[Guest]

Thanks John! Photo looks much better. And burnt umber is what I should have bought. Discovered that today. Off to the store tomorrow to rectify that.


As for the green wash in the Vallejo set, it tones down quite a bit. After it dries, it is not so green.


I may stick with the Vallejo set, going through all the steps, just to see how it turns out. I payed for it after all, and I might as well try it all the way though. However, I think in the future I am going to skip the clever sets and stuff... stick to old school. I recently read a thread where a chap described in detail and step-by-step as an online class of sorts, his method for weathering a vehicle. Stellar results and well within any modeler's abilities. And apparently he is a master modeler, well known by many.

[Guest]

Yeah, I bought a load of Vallejo washes in the early days, well, 5 bottles, gave them away as I found them difficult to flow. At this point I dragged out an old tube of burnt umber oil and dirtied up some white spirit with it and was amazed at how it ran into every nook and cranny! For what it's worth, the AK washes are superb - enamel based so they dry really quickly - but I have to say that 3 or 4 tubes of oil paint and some thinners will cover most jobs nicely! Here's a little tip, if you are getting oil paint, use Paynes Grey instead of black, to darken your washes if needed. It's a really dark - almost black - hue, but not opaque, so it's much easier to control and you'll wonder how you ever lived without it!Am about to start washes on my easy eight when I get a few hours spare!

[dave]

I have used the Vallejo washes and they do add a noticeable tint across the whole area, but knowing that I can take account of the change.  I also add a Daler and Rowney FW Inks to the colours to adjust the effect, either to darken or to change the colour slightly.


These days I normally use a wash made from artists oil paints and odourless thinners.

[Guest]

I have started using the Mig Stuff- really good washes