Tip O' The Day

Category:

   Weathering

Submitted By:

   Ward Shrake

Tip:

   I hang around military modelers and pick up tips from them from time to time. They often use colored pencils (meant for fine artists and available in crafts and art supply places) to do their paint chipping on small scale models.

These pencils have "leads" that look just like bright silver, gold, brass or bronze. It is easy to apply color with them, and it looks like shiny metal when you are done, without brush marks or visible "paint grain".

I took their tip a step farther, myself. The number one problem I have with seeing most paint chipping techniques is that they are applying one tone, evenly, over the entire surface. To me, that lacks something. If you stare at and analyze real paint chips or worn-down paint, there is often a subtle change in tone, value and reflectivity from the outer edges to the inner part of the worn-down area. (If you've ever "feathered" automotive paint when repairing a chip, you know what I mean.) I try to simulate that, at least a little, on my paint chips. I think it looks better.

I use a multi-step process. If I'm trying to simulate the edges of a primer coat showing through worn paint, I will first paint in the chipped area with a grey paint. I let that dry before I go on.

If I am going to apply any kind of clear coating to the model (flat or otherwise) I do it at this stage. If you do it later, you will dull the chipping quite a bit. Which I suppose is OK, if you are trying to simulate something like oxidized aluminum, which would not normally shine very much.

Next I use an everyday (#2) pencil to fill in the center of the chip, leaving a ring of bare "primer" around it. This pencil step is medium-dark, but is still reflective enough to look different than the primer next to it. To me, this simulates bare metal that has oxidized a bit with exposure to the elements, but has not been polished bright with wear.

To simulate any brightly polished, worn center areas, I simply draw in that area with one of those silver artist's pencils. (Sharpen the pencils well, for any small areas.)

You can vary these techniques across different areas of a model. For instance, chipped metal exposed to water run-off is going to look less shiny and more oxidized than an area that has had its paint worn and polished with abrasion.

The end effect really adds a lot to a model, if you are willing to do all the extra steps involved. It adds to the overall realism by helping make the scale look believable.