This tutorial will show you how to create realistic tank tread weathering using four of the weathering pigments available from Secret Weapon Miniatures although the same technique can be applied using any brand of pigments.

NOTE: Pastels contain a much lower quality pigment and additional additives. I do not recommend using them. Commercial weathering pigments are worth the investment.

In this example I am using:

Dark Earth
Terracotta Earth
Clay Brown
Metallic Iron (not shown)

The earth tones are available in the "Earth & Mud Weathering Pigment Set"



Using more than one colour will help create a richer, more realistic weathering. This principle holds true for most applications but especially for rust, dirt, dust and mud.

Starting with a black base coat allows us to take advantage of existing shadows as we apply the pigments. Using an old brush I add Dark Earth over most of the tank tread.



Next I apply Terracotta Earth. Going from dark to light puts the lighter colours on the top of the tread and will create the look of dried, old dirt on our tank. If you want to go with a fresher look then go from light to dark so that the darker colour, more representative of fresh mud, is on the top.

Apply the colour unevenly and in a splotchy pattern. This will keep the weathering from looking too uniform and increase the realism.



Next I apply Clay Brown in dense, uneven sections. This creates the look of dry mud or sandy dirt. You can already see the weathering pigments bringing out the detail in the tank tread. This was done without the addition of any thinners or additives using only an old brush and the pigments, straight out of the bottle.



Last, but certainly not least, I'm going to dip my fingertip into a bottle of the Metallic Iron weathering pigment and rub it gently over the top of the tank tread. In the top image you can see the tread before the Metallic Iron weathering pigment goes on and in the bottom two the difference it makes. This has the effect of creating realistic rubbed metal tank treads without the risk of overdoing it with drybrushing.



By modifying the density of your weathering pigments, the colours and the order of application, you can create realistic weathering on your miniatures in models to match any environment that you can imagine.

I spent less than five minutes weathering this section of tank tread and it's gritty, dirty and realistic. However it's never too late to go back and add more pigment. I could go in now and add more earth tones or, for a desert environment, add some Burning Sand weathering pigment to bring out more of the yellow tones. Ash Grey would give me a dusty, urban look.

Weathering pigments are an amazing way to create realistic weathering on your models and miniatures.

I'll be around to answer any questions.

-- misterjustin

nice, how do you seal them?

i, myself, prefer mix the pigments with odorless turpentine and the create a small watery mix and apply

i just use chalks or pastels cause im a art student, so i get them cheap and for more uses.

Different additives and thinners create different effects.

For instance:

Pigment + rubbing alcohol = quick drying wash
Pigment + water + flow improver = high-opacity, high color wash
Pigment + white spirits = low flow stains, washes
Pigment + PVA (or acrylic resin) + additives = slush, mud, etc.

For things like tank treads I really recommend applying pigments dry. HOWEVER with rust I tend to apply enamel thinner to my model (over a layer of matte sealer) and then sprinkle the pigments in place. This creates a more realistic, dappled rust effect.

In the end the effect you're going for really dictates the method you use.

As for pastels -- I used to think that pastels, even chalks, were as good as commercial pigments for weathering. I was wrong. Dead wrong. Pastels are made from a much lower grade of pigment and include additives, usually a wax, to hold them together. With commercial weathering pigments you (normally) get pigment and nothing else.

On the cost front my pigments are $4.50 per bottle - a bit lover than the average for the same quantity. Each bottle will last the average modeler several years even with regular application. I've gone through two bottles of GW Chaos Black paint in the past year but I'm using the same bottle of Rust Red and you can hardly tell I've touched it.

I would be happy, more than happy in fact, to answer any weathering questions and put together more tutorials. I never seen to be able to put together tutorials when I'm not answering questions -- but LOVE working things out when I know someone wants the answer.

That looks awesome. It's a little beyond my skill level though.

You have some nice products and stuff.

I could be lazy and probably get the same effect with boltgun metal, bestial brown and black wash (metal, brown dry brush, black wash,BAM done!) . Won't look nearly as good up close though.

This is actually a very easy, beginner level pigment application.

Washes and drybrushing don't come close to this look at any distance. If you want to go with those techniques though I recommend:

Black base
Charred Brown wash
a lighter brown drybrush (how light depends on how old/new you want the mud to look)
Boltgun Metal drybrush (very light!)

You can kick it down again with another wash - say Devil Mud - if you want to darken it a bit.

Washes and drybrushing actually takes longer, and doesn't look as good, as applying pigments though.

Believe me, it's not beyond your skill level -- even if you're doing your first tank, which I know isn't the case :)

Nice tutorial, :thumbs-up: I'm doing the same on my baneblade at the moment

its never beyond your skill level, the max you could do its overdue it, buts thats not a bad thing :B):

justin, when there will be a tutorial about stains, dust, scratches and smoke effects and oil paints? :D

@r0xAs: Which tutorial do you want first?

I could get to work on one within a week or two.

:blink:

:o i get to choose :lol:

since its for the community too and this is very important , maybe stains and scratches, but my personal preference would be for oil paints

Oil paints is a broad domain, mate. What would you like to know how to do, specifically?

You could, for instance, paint the entire model with nothing but oils... but I figure that's not what you're looking for :)

i once saw a ww2 military modelling magazine wth some walkthrough how to paint a tank

and in the final stages they talked about using little spots of oil paints to give some contrast to flat surfaces thus helping giving a 3d realistic effect
or something like that

hope you get what i mean professor justin :lol:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you're talking about filters. The most common is the "dot oil filter" which is done with little dots of oils blended over the surface.

It just so happens that I put together a how-to video on the subject about a year ago :)

http://www.misterjustin.com/2009/07/video-...ing-part-2.html

Of course I really hope to update my video tutorials this year. I've learned a LOT in the past year and some of my vids are really out of date.

Plus it'll give me an excuse to add weathering DVDs to the Secret Weapon product line ;)

Very nice tutorial misterjustin, I've never used pigments to give the tracks a metallic sheen before but I'm definitely going to try now.

One question though, how do you seal the model afterwards? I've had a few models where the pigments have all but disappeared after the application of a coat of matt varnish.

If the pigments are disappearing then you're likely applying the varnish too heavily. Stay 12-14" away and do a couple of light passes. VERY light passes. You're just trying to get things to stay put so it doesn't take much.

If you're gaming with the model I recommend doing your gaming varnish PRIOR to pigments - then hit it with another light matte.

A few questions for you. (Really good tutorial, by the way. Thank you.) Where do you live (so I know if the same products you use are available locally)? You mention using a matte varnish both before and after application of weathering pigments if the models will be used for gaming. Any specific brand/type of varnish you recommend? Finally, How would you go about adding a dusty look to the lower surfaces of the vehicle itself? Thanks.

Ah, some great questions!

First up, I'm in California - USA but I ship anywhere in the world. You can also find MIG pigments at most historic model shops. You can occasionally find Vallejo pigments as well but I've never used them. There are also the FW pigments for UK folks but they're a bit pricey.

The MIG are great but a touch more expensive than mine for the same quantity and quality. I have some though and have always been happy with them.

Varnish: I recommend Krylon -- for everything. I love their sprays!

When you're varnishing pigments use a VERY LIGHT COAT. You're just trying to hold the pigments in place. Stay 12-14" away and move past the model quickly. Then do it again 15 minutes later.

Dusty look: it depends on what kind of dust you want. For a desert look I'd use a combination of Clay Brown and Burning Sand with maybe a hint of Oxide White. For a city look I'd use Oxide White, Brick Red, Clay Brown and lots of Ash Grey.

What sort of dusty look are you hoping to achieve? I can even make a colour recommendation in another brand if it's easier for you to get ahold of.

i'll join the bandwagon, what kind of pigments should i use for urban bases?
rust for me is always mandatory
but what bout dust and such?

Of course if you'd like a recipe with another brand I'm happy to help with that too. I'm willing to admit a certain bias for my own pigments but MIG also makes an excellent line of products.

I haven't used the FW stuff and don't plan to at this point -- only because buying MORE pigments would be silly. I have three commercial brands on my table that will last the rest of my life -- and literally kilos of pigment in the workshop.

Doc Obrien's are decent but I think they add an adhesive to their pigments.

I might, if I can, just add that I've recently bought some Vallejo pigments. I haven't had experience with other brands, but they seem pretty good! You can see the results on my Commissar and my Guardsman at the end of my army thread (linked in my signature).

-FD

Here is a link to the second page of my army blog: http://z4.invisionfree.com/Boot_Camp/index...pic=11225&st=15 You can see what my tanks look like now. I want to add more of a road dust effect to the lower sides and such so it looks like they've seen use in a desert environment. I like the worn/rust/shiny where they rub effect you achieved for the tracks and am wondering how to take that idea to this next step.

@Frag_Dad: I definitely notice the use of pigments on the Commissar. The one thing I'd recommend is adding some alternate colours to the mud. Right now it looks too uniformly brown. Of course that could just be the photos.

I'm really glad to see you using pigments on infantry too. I hear a lot of folks say pigments aren't for infantry and it's just not true. Pigments can be used anywhere you want to add weathering.

@Semper Loyalus: It didn't let me open all of the images but I got a good look at one Chimera closeup and a shot of three together.

For a generic desert environment I'd recommend:

Ash Grey
Burning Sand
Terracotta Earth
Clay Brown

Your primary colours are going to be the Clay Brown and the Burning Sand.

The method is a bit different in this case - and I'll work on getting a tutorial to cover this method too - as you will:

SEAL THE MODEL

Apply a small amount of enamel thinner or white spirit to the area to weather

Dip a brush in pigment and shake much of it off

Holding the brush above the area to be weathered tap it gently to sprinkle dust onto the model

Do this VERY LIGHTLY with a couple of colours and then let the thinner dry

Repeat as desired

This has the effect of creating a very realistic dust pattern because you really are just sprinkling dust onto the model. The thinner will help hold it in place. It is important to do this in several light applications however so that you don't overdo it... which is really easy to do.

If you want some streaking just wait for the pigments to dry and then dip a small brush into the thinner and use it to streak the pigments. VOILA!

Semper, what exactly do you mean by "road dust"? Are you talking asphalt, dirt roads or what?

@ MisterJustin

Can you reccomend any weathering procedures for a winter environment? I'm growing less and less happy with my method of sponge-painting the tracks, as it doesn't produce the realistic look of snow packed into the track crevices.

Sponge painting works on the hull and dozer blade, don't get me wrong, but just not so well on the tracks or bike/truck wheels.

I've moved questions not related to the original tank tread weathering tutorial to a new thread.

http://z4.invisionfree.com/Boot_Camp/index...showtopic=12813

Thanks for taking a look misterjustin! I have used a couple of other coloured pigments on the mud on the Commissar, but it didn't show up in the photos. It's a lot more prominent in real life!

As for not using pigments on infantry, I personally think it's a great way to tie your model into its base! In my opinion, it's preferable to just painting on the model (such as mud in my case).

-FD

My pleasure. I've copied your comment and my reply to the new weathering thread.