What is the diferrance between a filter and a wash? I have been reading lately that people are referring to filters on their models. Is this just a new word for a wash? Someone enlighten me.

Filter is when you take the basecolour, dilute it 1:10 and "paint" your model. It bleds the colour and makes it more uniform.

I use it on all my models, since i only uses brushes, and it works wonders.

But i allso do regular washes afterwards.

There is some article by MIG somewhere ... i´ll shearch!

I use the Filter steps on my tanks.
after the base coat is dry.
i would do a wash all over the tank.
when that drys i would dry brush it about 4 times.
till i get the right colors

Although the others did a good job explaining the difference between a filter and a wash, I will add a couple points. First off, filters tend to be more heavily thinned than washes. Second, they are meant to slightly alter the color of the entire surface they are applied to, rather than collect in recesses to provide depth. Finally, filters can come in a variety of colors, depending on the effect you are trying to acheive. They can be thinned basecoat color, as mentioned above, or they can be a complimentary color. Experimentation is the only real way to get a feel for how different colors interact with your basecoats/camo colors.

Still sounds like a fancy, new name for a wash to me. Thanks for the replies.

I always thought that a filter was applied in order to dull down base color in order to create that faded/aged look.

I have been using washes for a while but haven't used a filter yet. Are filters airbrushed or do you use a regular brush like a wash?

Thanks for the input

Frag

Howdy Gino,

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be guilty of having anything to do with 'enlightenment' But, I'll throw my Farthing's worth at ya.....

Since you already know what a 'wash' is, I will try to discribe my interpretation of what 'filters' are.

There are actually two different kinds/methods of 'filters'. The first is very similar to our good jpzr's suggestion. It is a heavily diluted version of a variant of the base colour. Put simply, you 'wash' your base colour down with complimentary variants of this main colour. You can extend this technique to include different applications for either horizontal surfaces, and vertical surface. This same application of variants should be used on the other colours/textures on your vehicle.

The second method (the one I prefer) involves taking a thin-tipped brush and dipping it in various oil colours and 'polka-dotting' small panels at a time. Allow the applied 'dots' to dry for just a couple of minutes, then take a wide flat brush that is moist with mineral spirits and gently begin brushing in downward strokes and shifting the brush 'path' after each pass to the left and the right. You are now mixing the various colours in a random fashion, and creating real colour depth, and diversity. The use of oil colours allows you to 'get' just the right meld of colour variant.
hth.

Tread.

Never airbrushed, only applied by brush.
Now, some might argue that a "misting" or "fading" or "dusting" coat basically serves a similar purpose. And I suppose they would be technically correct. My point is that the "filter," as coined by Mig Jimeniz I believe, is basically a variation of the wash.
But, in the end, we are playing semantic games by differentiating a filter from a wash to begin with.

thanks for the clarification jpzr, I will give it a try on next model.

Frag

Well I think they have explained filters pretty darm well here .. When I use filters I dilute my paint to 95% thinner to 5% paint ... Another thing to try is different colors ...If you are trying to show a cold morning on the eastern front try a blue filter it'll be very subtle but makes it look cold.. Try a red for the hot desert... Anything goes ....On my hetzer I used an olive green and a cream color... My Pershing It was a Brown and khaki drill color...This is what makes it different than a wash it is really just supposed to tint your base color.So experiment away and have fun ...You'll see they really do change the look of your models.

Rick

Gino,
I think some of the other guys have answered your initial question but if you are interested here is an article written by "Mig" about filters. This was where I first heard the term used a couple of years ago.

Mike
http://www.missing-lynx.com/rare_world/rw02.htm

Still sounds like a fancy variation of a wash to me. I'll stik to calling it a wash.

Howdy fellas,

For me, a 'wash' is simply that............a 'wash' of some solution. So, in that regard our good Ginomeister is absolutely correct when he refer's to the first method of 'filtering' I mentioned.
But....when it comes to the second method, that is a 'horse of a different colour' methinks.

The second method addresses the concept that all colours of the rainbow, are exactly that.....colours of the rainbow.
Meaning, a colour such as OD/Soviet/Bunde's green is in actuality a combination of the primary colours. Hence, thebear's comment about using "blue" for winter, and "red" for the desert.
Applying a 'spattering' of reddish hued 'dots' for instance and dispersing them in a somewhat uneven (read, random) distribution on the front glacis of a Soviet T-55 will render this stunning result!

Hmmmm, was going to drop a link here for Gunnie's startling T-55 kit......but the site's down......

Sorry all, I'll try agian later.

Tread.

Ola Gino

Well Though it might sound that a Filter is a fancy new name for a wash there is a big difference. Most of it is explained already but I still like to tell my point of view.

Since you already know what a wash is I will skip the making the deeper parts look deeper bladibla and will go on with my point of view on filters

I personally use a lot of Filters on my models. The way I see a filter is more or less a wash but Thinner and with a different purpose. The filter is just a way of getting this really subtle and neat difference in the basecolour like it would also occur in real life due to wear and tear. A filter is applied on a much smaller surface then a wash.
One of the effects that is very easy to reach by using filters is the fading of the paint on places where a lot of people walk on, like turretroofs etc. By applying a filter with a lighter colour or darker (Always a bit of experimenting) you can show the faded paint really well and you will notice a very subtle change in colour like normal paint would react in a similar way. Rainstreaks, Sunbleach, Rustsstreaks are just a couple of things that are possible with filters.
Another fun thing with filters is that you can add as much as you like and you can even let them overlap each other as the part where two filters lie on top of each other will show another different style of the basecolour.
I have a couple of examples of filters I did in the past:
1. The Sd.Kfz 250/10 in Polish Service. I did all the Differences in colour with Filters and not less then 75 Different coloured filters were added to this vehicle to reach this effect.


On the back the rainstreaks are very good visible I also did this with filtering.

This close up of a T34 I did a while ago shows also very good signs of Filters. Instead of having the whole glacis covered with one type of green you will see tiny differences in colour wich add to the realism

Last but not least a Stug. I hope that the pic shows it clearly but the whitewash(like) paintjob I wanted to show had to be a little dirty this was also achieved by using filters from greys to yellow colours I used to get the dirty effect



I hope this makes some sense to you and all that read this.

Filter .... Wash..... as far as I see it t's both heavy diluted paint on a surface.... nothing more nothing less...you can paintbrush or spraybrush a model, but in both cases you .....paint it....... You can Wash a model or you can apply a Filter on it, but in both cases you apply heavy diluted paint on the model's surface....

Not much difference as far as I'm concerned.

Has anyone tried this on figures? What sort of results have been achieved?

Eagle, we think the same. That is the sam eway I see it. Same basic technique.

Mannnnn, you guy's are a tough audience.........

Tread.

Thanks for mentioning my T-55 there 'Tread - Earthlink is rebuilding their servers and the one undergoing this process currently is the one where my site lives. It's going to be down 72 hours - if I had known prior to that server being taken off-line, I might have been able to post a down-message. It likey won't be back "up" for another 24 hours...

I agree with what you wrote - and understand Gino's sentiments. Filters and Washes - semantics. You already know how I feel about the whole "wash" concept...

Gunnie

Thanks for the easy to understand answer Robert andTread ive been trying to decipher migs article but you made it more clear, i agree a filter is not a wash far more suptle. now having read your explanations could you please send me a box of skills to apply it

The main difference is that the wash is applied in the recesses or corners so that it looks along them making "shadows" on those corners only

With the filter you apply it all over like if you were painting your model with tinner, and your purpose is to change the color of the surface

I do recomend you guys try it out, the results are very different from a wash, and it is not just a fancy name for a wash, but it actually makes sence because it works in the same way that the filters on cammera lense work.