Kitchen floor cleaner will be Johnson's 'Klear' which is (I think) an acrylic varnish. It's very hard wearing and dries very quickly. They recently changed the formula, but I THINK it behaves the same. I'm still on a bottle of the old stuff so haven't tried it yet.

A clear, glossy varnish is used to give a good surface for the decals to adhere to, to prevent 'silvering'. So, if I can, I paint gloss colours. If not, I seal the paint and make a glossy surface with Klear (you could use any gloss varnish really, but as I said, Klear dries very quickly and is hard wearing. It also self levels so is easy to apply by brush.) Once there is a nice gloss surface I decal, sometimes seal again with gloss, and then weather with Flory Models washes. You really need a gloss surface for this as they key in to matt and won't wipe off.

There are other ways of weathring and panel washing, but Flory Models stuff is great as if you don't get the result you want it will easily come off again with just water.

Brilliant. Thanks alot.

I can't wait to try this "new" technique out.

Billy - I know what you mean. I read several modelers' magazines and just when I think I'm getting halfway decent, I look at the pictures in there and feel like a total amateur. But I have to just ask myself if the model I'm working on is better than the last one. As long as I'm getting better, then it doesn't matter if I'm at world-class levels yet. Each time I try some technique I haven't tried before and most of the time it comes out pretty good. Most of my mistakes come through impatience and rushing. My dad always says "I can't build models, I don't have the patience" and I tell him "I don't either but it teaches me patience".

Anyway, I'd suggest not getting too hung up on your work vs. others', but concentrate on how much you've been improving. Besides, even though I fret over how this or that part doesn't look as good as it should, you know who sees my models down in my basement? People who don't even know what country the plane is from, much less whether this shade of interior grey is correct or not It's all about having fun in the process.

I'm working on recreating my spitfire picture and in this build I'm doing these for the first time:
-Painting figures (and "Frankensteining" them from various different figure models)
-Grass on a base
-Opening panels (and scratchbuilding a replacement)
-Using liquid mask on canopies
-Airbrushing with blu-tack masks
-Painting markings (as opposed to decals)

Lots to learn!

Someone mentioned to me about a process called Sludge Washing - using watered down arcrylic paint and (after coating the aircraft in Klear) going over the lines on the aircraft and then cleaning excess off with water.

I tried it and some came off, but the majority did not.

Can someone explain what I may have done wrong here please? Did I not water it down enough? Did I not prep the model enough before?

Hi Billy,
I've never done that technique with Acrylics. I normally use Flory Models weathering washes.

I have highlighted panels with very thin oil paints, but you need a very glossy finish, and I find I have to get the excess off very quickly or it stains.

Give the Flory Models stuff a try, it's very good stuff, and easy to remove if it goes wrong. (Again, needs a glossy finish. Klear may not provide enough of a gloss with one coat, I usually end up doing about 3 thin ones.)

Awesome models, very detailed.



Bullet

Thanks Goon - I've gone and ordered some of the wash

Final coats of Medium Sea Grey (underside) and Ocean Grey (top) are applied.

I've got the camo Dark Green (RAF) to put on and by that time I'll have my reading glasses so I can attempt the canopy and I should have my weather wash to apply - though I may not on this one - I'll see.

Really Nice work

Thank you carrick58.

First coat of Dark Green (RAF) added