| 4)
The builder should be careful when handling the model, because pastel dust
easily gets fingerprints. I prefer holding the model with paper towels,
but cotton gloves will work, too. |
|
| 5)
Most of the pastel job is completed here. It's useful to have some
reference pictures at the desk, to accurately replicate dirt patterns on
the aircraft. Do not try to put pastel dust everywhere, some areas on the
aircraft are weathered more than other areas. And 99% the dirt streaks are
in the flight direction. |
|
| 6)
Now comes the fun part, take your airbrush, fill it with the basic color
(or one shade lighter) and begin to touch up small spots on the model.
Just like it's done on the real one. Do not try to finish that in a small
timeframe, it really pays to keep attention. Again having some reference
photos is handy. |
|
| 7)
Do not forget the underside. At this point I touch up almost every area on
the model. I'll concentrate later on the more visible touchups. This is a
job done primarily to break the monotone appearance of the model. |
|
| 8)
After I'm finished with touchups, I apply the basic colors (very thinned)
on the model again to blend everything together. Thin your paint more than
usual to have control over the process. |
|
|
9)
After the blending is done, I concentrate on the more visible touchups,
the one you see immediately when you look at the aircraft. I first paint
these areas using some lightened black.
|
|
10)
And fill in these black spots using the original greys. (I sometimes paint
the areas on the light grey side with dark grey and vice versa, just like
it's done in the real world.). Do not try to cover all the black, some of
it should be visible. Did I say that having reference pictures at your
desk is handy
? |
|
| 11)
Now the visible touchups are done, I apply some oil wash to key areas to
simulate leakages. (Again, the ones you did are blended now with the grey
paint.). Flap and slat actuators, landing gear doors, and engine areas are
good candidates for this kind of work. |
|
| 12)
Applying washes to the underside. Note the dirt streaks on the wingfold
joints and pylons. You can use a watercolor wash here, too. I prefer oil
washes, but basically any wash should do the trick. |
|
| 13)
Time to put a glosscoat on the model to make it ready for decal
application. |
|
| 14)
After the decals are applied, I use my airbrush again to simulate wear on
the decalled areas, and blend everything some more. Most of the markings
on the military aircraft are gloss, and they do not weather much like the
airframe. The walkway areas particularly need a good post-shade with
thinned grey, they weather completely to the point of vanishing sometimes.
I occasionally paint over the markings with grey paint, but try to keep
that at a minimum. |
|
