Global Scale Modeller

I think i posted this in the wrong area before but I've been building some models with my son,and we would like to put some gun smoke and some engine exhaust effects on our 1/72 spitfire.
We were wondering how you approached it and which is the best way to approach this for the first time

I was thinking weathering pastels.

This is my first build in nearly 30 years, my sons first build.

That you for your ideas..

This forum really helped me get back into modelling last year! And, yes, the spit was of course my first build as well! My initial attempts at weathering were dry-brushing, i.e.:

* Use a cut-down brush
* Dip in paint (black in this case)
* Paint on some paper until it is almost impossible to get anything color out of the brush. It is better to dry it out too much than too little.
* Paint (with the now very dry brush) on the model. If the previous step was properly done, the result will be very discrete, so you may need to repeat the steps until you are satisfied. NB: When you think "almost perfect, just a little more", then you stop!

For subsequent models, I got myself a stack of Tamiya Weathering Kits which are more expensive, but much more easier to work with. In order to avoid having to risk getting dark pigments into a light pigment, I went to a make-up store and purchased some make-up "cotton"-type buds which I can dispose when they get too dirty.

Good luck!

There are several different options for creating soot staining

1, If you have an airbrush paint the gun/engine staining on using highly thinned paint

2, Dry brush the staining on as mentioned above

3, Brush on small amounts of pre prepared smoke coloured pigments such as those from mig/ak/humbrol etc

4, Scrape a little powder off of a chalk pastel and use like the pigments

Colour pencils might also work if you could blend them to create a soft edge

Thanks for your tips. I'm going to give it a try. I especially like the advice,about "just a bit more",its better to have less than too much.
I'll give the powders ago as it is easier to take off,if it goes wrong.

I used soot from a candle. I held a piece of thin metal over a candle until it became covered in soot. Then I dry brushed the soot onto the model. Used it for both gun smoke and exhaust stains.

flundstrom2 wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:23 pm NB: When you think "almost perfect, just a little more", then you stop!


Good luck!

snowman819 wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:26 pm I especially like the advice,about "just a bit more",its better to have less than too much.

It's seriously the best thing you can do. fluds is right on; if you feel like you need a touch more STOP. Put it away for a while then come back and look at it with fresh eyes.

So much easier to add than to remove later...