Weather or Not: A-20 Part 8
Weathering a plastic model is more art than science. That’s my story anyway, and I’m sticking to it! I explained in my last post the proper procedure for adding panel lines and post-shading. First, draw in the lines. Then add a coat of clear flat to “kill” the metallic sheen on the pencil lines. Then add the post-shading using ground charcoal and a Micro Brush.
Ahem. That was a good plan, but as we all know sometimes we don’t follow our plans. I went ahead and started post-shading before adding the flat coat, and then tried to apply a flat coat over the post-shading. This did not work very well. It didn’t destroy the model, it just doesn’t look as good as it could have. Kids at home–do as I say, not as I do!
The exhaust from the engines can be simulated with charcoal. In this case I use a “stub” brush to apply it, not the Micro Brush.
The ribs on the rudder can be “faked” with a Micro Brush and charcoal.
The biggest problem with the model was the “stark” quality of the very light tan over the darker colors. I ground up some sepia pastel…
…and applied it with a finger-tip.
I believe it “toned down” the starkness and made the tan color more acceptable.
Ah, but what do you use to coat it now? Does a flat coat go over that pastel without moving the weathering using a brush? If so, I think I will add this to my repertoire.
It is commonly believed that the dust will rub off unless it’s “sealed.” This just isn’t true. Unless you play with the model in the bathtub or in the rain (two things I had to quit doing) it won’t come off. Of course, I don’t “dust” it on–I rub it on with a vengeance and keep on rubbing. Any natural tendency you have to obsessively rub things will come in handy here. I put a coat of flat on because I had to kill the metallic shine of the graphite pencil. I may look around the art supply store next time I’m there to see if they have hard charcoal pencils to avoid that problem. If not for that metallic quality, I’d never use an additional coat of anything after the first flat coat that allows for the use of the “weathering powders” in the first place.