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Acrylic weathering help


HappyTrooperDotCom
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Fellow troopers,

I recently finished my Anovos kit, my next step is to get some weathering done. One of my other hobbies is plastic aircraft modeling. Because I'm used to working with paints, I chose to go with the acrylic weathering method. I guess it goes without saying that weathering 1/48 scale aircraft is different than weathering full-size TD armor. Needless to say, I'm facing a little bit of a challenge.

I'm going for the subtle/sandy look. I have a few acrylic colors that appear to have worked for other TDs: burnt umber, a lighter chocolate color, a coffee color, and some light gray. I'm starting with the burnt umber, basically splotching it on with a natural sponge (also tried a sponge brush), letting it dry for about 5 minutes, then twisting it off with a damp rag. I must be doing something wrong, it seems like too much comes off and too much stays on, can't find that happy medium. I've had to wipe off my kit a few times now.

If any of you guys have some tips, I would be extremely grateful. Wait longer for the acrylic to cure? Use a hair dryer? Use a different rag? Paper towels? Dry? etc. Let me know if you have any helpful tricks.

Help me MEPD...you're my only hope. Thanks in advance for the assistance!

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I just finished most of mine, but I am going for a different look, more 'Screw General Veers, he's not coming down to this godforsaken catbox of a planet, so I'm going to do the bare minimum gear maintenance!" sort of look, where the plates are

basically clean on all the raised surfaces but pretty crusty in the hollows.

What I found was that if you want to go for lighter weathering you're better off thinning the acrylic a little. Thickly applied will either smear (if wet) or totally stick (if dry) and not be able to be shifted.

Here's my nearly completed bucket.
IMG_0935_zpsxgror6qj.jpg
:td:

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I followed pandatrooper's post on the oily and dirt method.

http://forum.mepd.net/index.php?showtopic=7290

What i found worked for me was apply a thick coat of a light brown let sit for 10-15 min, dab and twist lightly until you reach the effect you want as a base. Keep in mind after doing this on a few pieces and using the same spot on the damp rag you can dab the clean areas of armor with the rag and it will dull it up nicely as you have wet paint on it.

After the base drys for about 24 hours you can hit it with a much darker mix. doing the same as the base layer you can achieve a great look. here are a few pics of my armor weathering crazyness..

WP_20160206_14_01_17_Pro_zpsgpqjqqcl.jpg

As you can see the first layer was a lighter brown. i messed up on the 2nd layer but it was getting there.

WP_20160218_15_19_52_Pro_zpsoisvyamc.jpg

As seen above my 3rd layer was much better still a darker mix helped give the armor the "dirty a while" look..

WP_20160222_15_14_01_Pro_zpsrq5g2xib.jpg

Here is a final result after 4 layers. I know i will have to make some spot changes to get swat.

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I am gonna link my weathering thread here:

http://forum.mepd.net/index.php?showtopic=13001

I first read this thread to get me started:

http://forum.mepd.net/index.php?showtopic=4973

I also used acrylic paint, about 4 colors. No need to wait very long for it to dry, it dries pretty quick anyway. I started with the lightest color, dabbed a few spots with a dry paper towel, then with a wet rag, I kinda smashed and rolled the paint around the area to spread it out. This started giving me the "dusty" look I wanted. I then added the darker colors the same way, dry paper towel dabbing, then wet rag spreading it around to put it and move it where I wanted it. the whole process only took me a few hours to do the entire suit. Helmet I did separately. It gave me results such as this:

20140915_212553_zps18ffdc95.jpg

100_0801_zps99d7f4f3.jpg

And the colors I used:

paint_zps1a32cb1a.jpg

Good luck man!!!!

Baron

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Hi Damon,

I'm also scale modeller (1/72) and did my weathering with the colors I so far was used to (TAMYA & Color thinner) and it worked well

though meanwhile I have changed the style a bit and took lot of color off as I found it too dirty.

Have little album with text here:

https://www.facebook.com/tk.tenthreesixteen/media_set?set=a.312465652243055.1073741853.100004388678307&type=3

Greetings,

MIchael

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Hey Guys,

Thanks so much for the recommendations! I appreciate the helpful tips. I may have found a method that is working for me. I've been using a sponge brush to get in the crevices. I put it on a little thick, let it dry for about 5 mins, then rub off in spots with a damp old rag. A few random remnants stay behind. To get the coverage a little broader, I then get a damp paper towel, folded into quarters, place some of the acrylic on there and mash it around on the paper towel. Then I press it in spots against the armor. It is giving me the tone that I want. Once that dries a bit, I gently go over it with a dry paper towel, it gives it kind of a dirty polished look. Hopefully this will work. Even though I used a slightly different method, all of your photos helped me get an idea for placement of the paint.

Thanks again for the suggestions! Great job on your weathering!

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