Ink wash

[Czar]

I have heard of a technique of using diluted ink (black) to "wash" a driver so the suit looks worn/dirty. Does anyone know how to do this? Also, what is the best way to put black lines in the door and hood creases? Thanks in advance for our help.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Depending on the size of the line I want, I might use blackwash (thinned down tempra or acrylic), or even a Sharpie fine point.

The same wash works for your driver, but you need to experiment to find the textured faces you need for that. I don't know where to get them these days.

[goosenapper]

When it comes to highlighting body panels or especially grills, I'll just smear a bunch of flat black over the gap(s) and then immediately wipe the area off. This leaves the gap filled with the black. You have to be very quick or else you'll stain the surrounding areas, but this has always worked for me. That being said, I'm sure that there is a better/safer way of doing this.

[Dangermouse]

[Burglar]

[Tsooko]

Washes are a technique commonly used by people who play the war games and paint their armies or people who like to paint miniatures. There are a ton of videos on you-tube. Ink washes can be painted on or the model can be dipped in the solution. Vallejo paints sell the washes in various colors and tints as does Citadel. These can be thinned out with water or used straight from the bottle depending on how dramactic you want the effect. A 50-50 mix is a good starting point. You can put on a second coat if one does not darken it enough. The idea is to have the mix flow into the recesses leaving the high points without color or at least a very thin layer compared to the rest of the model. I have also played with FW Inks. They are not too bad.
I have not tried to wash a whole car yet.
Keep in mind that inks take a long time to dry. Don't be trying to do highlights right after you wash. I've only messed up models that I hurried on.

Hope this helps.
Cheers Ted

[jmsh54]

Greetings, you can also add a drop of dish soap to your wash before you put it on the car. The dish soap will make the wash flow better into the recessed panel lines around doors, hoods and trunks. This works real well in particular if you use black india ink. Regards, John

[balsaworks]

Use something water soluble that is easy to wipe off, and then practice. Wipe off if not satisfied, try again, and repeat until it looks good. Wiping along a line will remove most or all paint, while wiping across will leave more paint in the crease.
The most common mistake is to overdo it. Look at photos of real cars - they have very thin panel lines. The moulded panel lines on 1/32 car models are usually much too wide. If you fill them with black ink it looks awful. Experimenting with shades of dark grey instead of black, and then wiping off most the wash can often give a better effect.
If the panel lines are well moulded in the first place you don't really need a to fill with much paint. The GP-Miniatures resin bodies are extremely good - the panel lines are deep but narrow. Graham scribes the panel lines on the master mould with the tip of a very thin blade.
Still, when you paint a multi-colour scheme and add decals the panel lines may get partially covered. A dark wash will help to enhance and even out the lines.
The DBR1 below was assembled from a GP-Miniatures body. The panel lines were invisible where they passed the white roundels - a dark wash brought them back.

[dreinecke]

Great tips!

[Dangermouse]

For my latest build, a GP Minatures Aston Martin, I painted in the lines before I applied the main colour.

This seems to have worked out, once the top coat was dry I used a tooth pick to run gently along the lines.


cheers
David

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Perfect color match David. Exactly right.

[Czar]

Thanks to everyone for their replies, tips, and especially the pictures. Your help is appreciated.