Stage 1 - Flat black base coat
I began by giving these PSC one-piece tracks a spray of Humbrol Matt Black spray and then give it a light coat of Humbrol Satin Varnish on top to protect the base layer from the subsequent experiments (the idea is that I could clean off any further effects/washes without spoiling the basic coat).
I then painted in the 'Russian Green' details behind the road wheels and inside the wheels, which I then masked off for the next stage. (Obviously you will do this slightly differently if you are making a muti-part set of tracks.)
Stage 2 - Vallejo Model Air Rust
Now this is a new medium that I haven't used before. Normally at this stage I would be using a 'rusty' coloured wash or maybe one of AK Interactives enamel washes - I had no idea how this Vallejo paint would look...
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Finding it hard to capture the precise colour of Vallejo's 'Rust' with my camera. It's a metallic and muddy bronze or tarnished copper, if that makes sense? |
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The Vallejo paint is one of it's 'Model Air' paints which are especially designed to be used with an airbrush. I have no idea how light or thick to go with this so I erred on the lighter side (but it dried quite shiny so I don't think you need much).
Stage 3 - Dark wash
In order to pick out some of the raised detail of the PSC tracks I now paint on a thin dark (I use black but it could be a very dark brown) wash. I'm using Vallejo's (no, I don't work for them) Game Color Wash - 73201 Black Shade. This will dull down the shininess of the metallic 'Rust' colour and settle along the extruded track detail.
Stage 4 - Adding the mud/earth
I am returning to familiar ground for this stage as I get out my Humbrol and Vallejo pigments. I look for the pigment colour which is closest to the colour of the mud on the base I am making (remember those pigment swatches I made up recently, this is when they come in handy) which turns out to be Humbrol's 'Dark Earth'...
I apply this in powder form, dusting it over the track generously - over a tray so I can return the excess powder back into the bottle - and then keep brushing until I have a light film of pigment powder over the surface.
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You can gently rub away the pigment powder to expose shiny coat underneath. I will seal this powder layer with a light coat of spray varnish. |
Stage 5 - Highlighting with graphite
This is my favourite fool-proof technique for adding a bare metal accent to any plastic kit. I use a cheap set of Farrel/Gold graphite sketching sticks (but you could use an ordinary graphite pencil) and run the point of a 4B across the raised track detail to produce a steel effect.
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Note: The road wheels are still masked out...It case you were wondering. |
Errata: Spraying varnish over the powder pigment was a mistake! The wet varnish reacted with the pigment and turned the powder a darker shade of the earth colour. Basically the tracks looked like they were black(-ish) again!
So I had a second go - this time (going on a tip someone mentioned in one of my comments) I brushed some Johnstone's Klear (acrylic varnish) onto the track and the dusted on the power pigment. Once dry I brushed off the excess with a stiff brush. The powder stuck this time and retained a more reddy-brown colour.
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Revised technique: Dust on a heavy layer of powder on top of Johnstone's Klear varnish whist the varnish is still wet... |
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The using a stiff brush clean excess power off. |
Conclusion - Was this effective?
This is a different and slightly understated look compared to my previous efforts at weathering tracks.
In this case I was after a set of dusty and worn tracks where the majority of mud had been shaken off due to the tank driving on proper roads or hardened dirt lanes.
One thing I want to mention is that - as usual with me - I make this simple technique look harder (or more time consuming) than it actually is. This is actually a fairly quick method of doing tracks which has taken me no more than an evening (fast for me) to complete. I say this because I am aware that I see-saw between war-game modelling and display modelling techniques - this is one effect that I think would satisfy either camp.
You will have to judge whether you think the end product is effective. I, myself, like it.
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