i really dont get the concept of a wash. I have read it many times and seen many pics of it and i have tried it but i still havent got it to where the details stand out. I have read that you can mix 80% thinner(or water)and 20% paint(or acrylic) then mix it all up and paint it all over the model. I have tried this idea but i didnt give me the results i wanted. Could some please tell me what i did wrong or what i need to do to make it better. My other way is geting a little paint on a brush and wiping it off to make sure there is very little paint on the brush. I tried this way and all it did was get very messy. I had very little paint and it still didnt work properly. Should i mix 80%thiner and 20%paint then get very little on the brush then paint on it or is it two seperat ways to do a wash. If anyone ha any other ways please tell me i am open to every opinion to make me a better modeler

Thanks

Hi Nick,

This how I do it:

First of all seal your basic paint work (you know,looks like it just came out of the factory) with an appropriate sealer (Lacquer, Future, enamel coat,... whatever makes you tick) to protect the paint.
Prepare your wash, but don't strictly stick to the 80%/20%, you can make it much more runny. 90%/10% will work just as good.
Get out a big brush and soak it in the wash. Apply the liberaly on to a part of your model (work in small areas in one go). Then immediately dab off the excess with a lint and particle free cloth or wipe (this means take something that doesn't leave small bits behind). Et voila, your wash.

Kris

I usually apply washes only into recesses, crevices and at the base of raised details just in order to give more depth to these. These are called selective washes. Consider that a dark wash applied on the whole model actually darkens (depending on how dark and thinned it is) the underlying paintjob. If I want to blend a multi colour camo scheme or slightly change the overall colour of a model I apply a filter (1 to 2% paint to 99-98% thinner) with a soft big round paintbrush without soaking the model with it.
More about washes can be found in Mig Jimenez' articles here
Ciao

ok, so after I paint, I cover the vehicle in future, then wash with what color if my base color is dunkelgelb (tri color D-day axis scheme)...after I wash then I respray in flat?

I'd say raw or burnt umber and black where grease, exausts smoke and oil accumulate



Yes
Ciao