PDA

View Full Version : Drybrush and Wash Demo



Eric Cole
05-07-2007, 10:48 PM
Part 1 of the Drybrush and Wash Demo from the May '07 ACME Club Meeting. Thanks to Bob Downie for taking the pics. In all there are 30 pictures that will be posted under 3 separate post.

Feel free to comment, ask questions and / or provide additional information and tips. There are hundreds of ways to achieve realistic weathering effcts. This just happens to be the way I do it.

http://images21.fotki.com/v832/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1478-vi.jpg
Various painted parts to Tamiya's Lotus 99T F1 car. The exhaust in this kit was stained using Tamiya's new Weathering Set containing burnt red, burnt blue and oil stain colors.


http://images21.fotki.com/v632/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1479-vi.jpg
The engine of the Tamiya 1/12th scale Honda RA273 F1 car. The white exhaust headers were weathered slightly using Tamiya's weathering sets color soot, rust and light rust. (This was my first attempt using these sets. I think I may redo these exhaust once I get a little more practice).


http://images24.fotki.com/v824/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1480-vi.jpg
The transaxle for another 1/12th scale kit. The idea here is to get a good base coat color before you apply any drybrushed colors. The drybrushing should give you a nice 3 dimensional look when finished. The look is achieved by creating the effect of highlights with the dry brushed color and shadows with the darker base color. In this case the base color is Plasti-Kote Cast Gray, which is slighter lighter than Duplicolors Cast Gray.


http://images14.fotki.com/v387/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1481-vi.jpg
Here you can see that the engine block has been sprayed with a base coat of Duplicolor Rebuilders Cast Grey Engine Enamel in preparation for drybrushing with a lighter shade of Tamiya Metallic Gray acrylic.


http://images24.fotki.com/v853/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1482-vi.jpg
A photo showing the available weathering sets from Tamiya. These are great products for weather and highlighting details but it's only one of the many options that can be used to achieve the same effects. Paint is of course, another great option.


http://images16.fotki.com/v303/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1483-vi.jpg
This is the cam cover for a 1/12th scale car. The kit instructions call for a semi-gloss black finish. To add depth to the part I have painted it with flat black and the surface will be rubbed slighty with a cloth to give the flat finish a slight semi-gloss sheen adding more visual effect to the part than what is achieved by simply painting the part with semi-gloss black paint.


http://images21.fotki.com/v759/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1487-vi.jpg
Some of my favorite paints for drybrushing to achieve a nice natural metal finish are Tamiya's XF-56 Metallic Gray and Tamiya's XF-16Flat Aluminum. Both colors should be drybrushed over a darker base color as I've noted previously. For simplification you can even spray parts, that you wish to have a natural metal finish, with a base of flat black paint. Then drybrush your metallic colors over the flat black.


http://images24.fotki.com/v852/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1489-vi.jpg
Here, the transaxle, mounted to a toothpick to make it easier to handle and the aluminum paint that will be applied during the drybrushing.


http://images112.fotki.com/v585/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1491-vi.jpg
Various tools of the trade... The applicators under my hand are Tamiya applicators made specifically for applying their weathering sets. These are very similar to makeup applicators used to apply eye shadow (according to my wife) and can be purchased in the cosmetic department at just about any department store.
A variety of brushes are used for drybrushing and applying washes. For drybrushing you will need flat or round tipped brushes with relatively stiff bristles. If the bristles are too soft they will find their way into all of the low spots and will ruin the effect of drybrushing. Remember, the effect we are after when drybrushing is to highlight the high spots and let the lower darker areas be the shadow.


http://images112.fotki.com/v588/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1492-vi.jpg
The exhaust headers for the Lotus 99T were sprayed with silver paint in preparation for the burnt blue and burnt red heat stain from one of Tamiya's weathering sets. Here you can see that the color is being applied to the exhaust. Apply the colors in light coats building up to the shade you prefer.



To be continued in next post....

Eric Cole
05-07-2007, 10:58 PM
Demo Continued....

http://images111.fotki.com/v742/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1493-vi.jpg
Here you can see the effect of a light coat of the burnt blue and how it "stains" the exahust to appear as though it has been heated.


http://images24.fotki.com/v851/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1495-vi.jpg
This demonstration, although hard to tell from the picture, was to show how a brush that is too soft will not achieve a good drybrush effect.


http://images23.fotki.com/v804/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1497-vi.jpg
Begining the process of dry brushing. It's important NOT to have too much paint on your brush. You want your brush to be practically dry of paint, hence the meaning of "dry brushing". Dip your brush into the paint and then dab the brush on a soft/absorbent cotton cloth or paper towel until almost no more paint will come from the brush onto the cloth. Now you're ready to dry brush.


http://images23.fotki.com/v808/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1498-vi.jpg
Start with relatively light back and forth brush strokes over the high spots on the kit part. Notice how the paint in the brush still releases on the kit part. As you get more used to the process apply more presuure with you brush to build up to the amount of color you want. Too much pressure and you'll get too much paint in the low areas... it takes a little practice!


http://images24.fotki.com/v854/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1499-vi.jpg
Here, you can see the color starting to build up on the high areas. At first it may look a little rough, don't give up on it. Keep working at it, building up the paint until you have the look you're after.


http://images22.fotki.com/v753/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1500-vi.jpg
Here. as I apply more direct pressure with the brush you can see the highlights really starting to show up while the lower areas are remaining dark in the corners and creases. This is what we're after!


http://images111.fotki.com/v739/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1502-vi.jpg
You can really start to see the effect of the aluminum paint being applied. The aluminum is looking bright, brush strokes are not apparent and the darker creases and corners add to the 3 dimensional effect.


http://images111.fotki.com/v741/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1503-vi.jpg
Another view of the part "coming to life"!


http://images22.fotki.com/v520/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1505-vi.jpg
Here, we have one of the radiators for the Lotus 99T. The radiator has been sprayed with flat aluminum per the kit instructions. You could leave the part as is or you could give it more depth. We'll give it more depth by applying a wash.
A wash is just the opposite of drybrushing. A wash is a mix of paint and thinner, usually more thinner than paint.


http://images9.fotki.com/v178/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1506-vi.jpg
I've mixed up a thin solution of black paint, maybe 75% thinner and 25% paint. I prefer a long, thinned bristled brush for applying a wash. This prevents me from being too heavy handed and applying too much of the wash at one time.
It's also a great brush for applying a wash to the panel lines of your car body to darken them just a bit.


To be continued in next post....

Eric Cole
05-07-2007, 11:11 PM
Conclusion...

http://images23.fotki.com/v806/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1506-vi.jpg
Dip the brush in the wash and apply it to the kit radiator. You will see the paint/wash instantly flow into all the low spots. Capillary action will pull the paint into these areas for you.
Try not to apply too much but if you do, don't panic, after the wash has dried you can always drybrush over the raised details and lighten the part up.


http://images111.fotki.com/v742/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1508-vi.jpg
Continiung to apply the wash mixture until the part is covered.


http://images22.fotki.com/v814/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1508-vi.jpg
Here you can see the wash has been applied to one radiator but not the other. You can see the difference. I'm not totally happy with the wash effect on this part. It covered up more detail than I wanted it to. This is because my wash mixture had too much paint compared to the amount of thinner. But that's okay, we can fix it!


http://images24.fotki.com/v853/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1509-vi.jpg
Using my Tamiya Weathering set with the silver color I applied a light layer of silver over the higher ridges on the radiator.


http://images111.fotki.com/v741/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1511-vi.jpg
Still applying some of the silver, remember, light layers of color and build up to the desired look. Take your time!


http://images21.fotki.com/v758/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1511-vi.jpg
This is a little better for being done as a quick demo. The lower areas are dark and the higher ridges are light and overall the radiator has a somewhat used and more reallistic look to it.


http://images23.fotki.com/v827/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1513-vi.jpg
The chassis of a 1964 Ford Thunderbolt with a combination of wahses and drybrushing.


http://images115.fotki.com/v676/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1514-vi.jpg
Some of the paints I use for base colors prior to drybrushing. L-R are Duplicolor Rebuilders Cast Gray Engine Enamel, Plasti-kote Cast Gray, Plasti-Kote Steel Wheels and Tamiya Flat Black spray.


http://images22.fotki.com/v810/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1519-vi.jpg
The front radiator on the RA273, painted flat black then drybrushed with a dark metallic gray to highlight the details.


http://images112.fotki.com/v587/photos/4/498566/4908886/IMG_1518-vi.jpg
Pointing out some other areas on the engine and transaxle that I drybrushed.

It's very nice to see everyone so interested in the demos.

Thanks guys, for all the support!

Zoom Zoom
05-08-2007, 08:45 AM
Great work, thanks for the demo! Maybe I'll build fewer curbsides as a result :D

BRE350Z
05-08-2007, 05:29 PM
Eric & Bob:

Thanks to both of you for demonstrating the techniques and taking the pictures. I know I definitely learned from the demo and by having this information on the forum I'll be able to refer back to it as needed.

All in all the May meeting was great , 21 members attended, 42 models on display and a lot of bench racing.

Wayne

Matt Wadlinger
05-09-2007, 09:52 AM
Very informative how-to.

Thanks for taking the time to post this up.

pharr7226
06-06-2007, 06:06 PM
Wow,

I'm new to the hobby and to the site. This was very helpful!!!

BRE350Z
06-07-2007, 05:26 PM
Thease are the types of demos we do at the meetings, everyone helps each other learn how to build better models. You'll have a good time.