1. Paint Your model with a flat paint, I have found that Humbrol military colors give me the best results but I have used other brands with good results also. Use an airbrush to apply the paint and set it aside to dry at least a week. 2. Mix up your wash using a thinner other than that used to thin the paint used on your model, this helps not to lift the paint ( I use turpentine). Mix your paint in clean turpentine and mix just a little because you can always add more washes later if you feel the wash is not dark enough. Use a black wash for dark colored vehicles-grey, OD green, etc., and a brown wash on lighter colored vehicles-desert yellow, tan, etc,. Apply the wash with a fairly large soft brush, I use a brush made for water colors. Let this wash completely dry before the next step. NOTE: IF THE WASH DRIES AND CAUSES THE PAINT TO BE COME A LITTLE GLOSSY, SPRAY ON A CLEAR FLAT FINISH, A FLAT FINISH IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT STEP, DRY BRUSHING. 3. Dry brushing brings out detail and creates depth in your model. Mix white artist oil paint with the paint you used to paint your model overall. Mix up a shade that's only sightly lighter than your original color because you can always go lighter if you feel it needs to, but it's hard to go darker and took correct. You will need a fairly flat brush, put your paint mixture on your brush and then wipe most of it away with a soft lint free cloth. Now brush across all raised detail and comers of the model (its best to test on an older model before you brush your good model) NOTE: IF YOU PAINT YOUR MODEL WITH ACRYLIC PAINTS YOU WILL HAVE TO EITHER MIX UP YOUR DRY BRUSH COLOR WITH OIL PAINTS OR DRY BRUSH MIXING WHITE ACRYLIC PAINT AND YOUR BASE COLOR, THIS IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE ACRYLIC PAINT DRIES TO QUICKLY, AND I WOULD AVOID ACRYLIC DRY BRUSHING. 4. Spray your model with clear gloss in the areas that will receive decals then apply a clear flat finish over them. A final weathering is done by applying pastels or dry brushing on earth colored artist oils. Pastels should be used on markings (decals) so they look worn and not brand new if the tank is dirty. Back to Dispatch July 2001 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com