Weathering/paint chipping&rusting effects

[jpolacchi]

I know there's a dozen different ways(so to speak) to produce realistic paint chipping effects.At one time I had at least 2-3 different articles I found (way back) on doing so.Hand-painting seems to be a tried and true method.Applying "salt and/or rock salt" to a wet surface seems to be one of the most popular.Painting over it and brushing it off.I seem to recall in one of those articles someone using rubber cement or latex liquid masking,painting over and removing.Lastly,(but I could be remembering incorrectly) was using some kind of 'floor wax'.Dabbing it on with a brush or spackling the surface with it,painting over it and basically "ripping" it free with tape or double-sided tape to produce paint chipping effects beneath.Then there is this odd "paint chipping solution" in a bottle(I forget what it is called).I think it is a Vallejo product,but I may be wrong?I don't really understand how it works(the bottle says next to nothing).I was curious to know if anyone has used it,the results....is it worth spending the $$ using?I was also curious to know if anyone out there doesn't mind sharing their 'favorite' techniques they use to produce paint chipping and/or rusting effects,or if they have a slightly different or better one?

[seam-filler]

Here's a description of how it works...

New water based Medium to create flaked paint, scratches, and rust chips. Chipping Medium can be applied with airbrush or brush to create chipping effects with water based acrylic colours.
The Medium can be applied with airbrush or brush on the base colour of the model; when the Medium is dry to touch, the last coat of acrylic colour is applied over the area, and once dry, the area where chipped effects are desired is moistened with water.
Chips of paint can then be flaked off with the tip of a dry brush or stick.
We recommend you use a final varnish to protect the result. Brushes and airbrush can be cleaned with water.

They also do a crackle effect medium. I'm very tempted to give them a go.

Back in the day, there was another technique using Rub'n'Buf. You applied Rub'n'Buf in the area where you wanted chipping, then applied your top coat. When dry, dab the area with tape. This technique relied on the fact that enamels don't adhere well to Rub'n'Buf.

[jpolacchi]

Rub&Buff sounds like a polishing wax or something?It sounds familiar.I've used crackle medium on other projects.

[gsb5w]

I've used the liquid laytex with OK results.

I've been wanting to try the hair spray technique on something.

[jpolacchi]

How's the hair spay one work?I've heard about it.

[seam-filler]

Rub-n-Buf (sorry I got it wrong in my earlier post) is a range of wax-based metallic pastes. You smear a small amount on and then polish it. The more you polish, the more lustrous the shine. It can be applied with a brush. Until varnished, the finish can be lifted and if you touch the area, you will get it on your fingers.

You may find some videos on YouTube, but since Alclad came along, it has pretty much been forgotten by modelers.

[jpolacchi]

Yeah,I have seen it in art stores.I wonder if anyone has given the "liquid gold" a shot?I saw it once in an art store I frequented.I think it is made by the same manufacturer of "leaf gold"?I don't mean for weathering(not to get off topic),but if my memory recalls,their seemed to be some very harsh solvents(I think xylene and/or acetone was one of them?) in it that might attack and melt styrene,abs and vinyl,(It may work on resin and acrylic plastic),but it is basically the "leafing gold" which is "gold" flakes applied with an adhesive, but the liquid gold is a liquid like paint,not "flakes" you brush on/over the adhesive then softly dry brush off aft it dries.I am not sure if it can be airbrushed,but definitely applied via paint brush if one wanted to use "actual" real gold.

[jpolacchi]

P.S: I'm still looking for the old article I found many moons ago,but has anyone used or tried the "wax" paint chipping method?It may have even been "future floor wax"(I don't remember).You basically paint in layers then remove the wax with an adhesive strip like tape to uncover the varies other colors beneath.Like say...if someone were replicating the paint job on the Slave I ship.Multiple layers of green(and some red), bare metal,shades of grey etc.

[Lt. Z0mBe]

P.S: I'm still looking for the old article I found many moons ago,but has anyone used or tried the "wax" paint chipping method?It may have even been "future floor wax"(I don't remember).You basically paint in layers then remove the wax with an adhesive strip like tape to uncover the varies other colors beneath.Like say...if someone were replicating the paint job on the Slave I ship.Multiple layers of green(and some red), bare metal,shades of grey etc.

Two things:

1.) It's Future Floor polish, not wax. True floor or car wax is more akin to, say, shoe shine polish in that it never cures and stays soft so that it can be buffed to fill the little lows that make a finish rough, with the excess being wiped away. In short, it never really cures. Future (now called Pledge Floor Treatment or somesuch here in the states) is clear acrylic paint and it is self-leveling. It cures to a clear, acrylic plastic. Once it's applied, you leave it alone. If applied correctly, you're not going to be able to easily remove it.

2.) The wax being talked about in weathering is usually sculpting wax or mortician's wax. I've used a bit of mortician's wax long ago to represent chipping on the leading edge of a wing after I read about it in a forum. I wasn't that impressed. It is no more useful than liquid latex. The only advantage I can see with it is with liquid latex, having ammonia as a solvent, can sometimes etch acrylic paints and clear coats. There's no worry of that with the wax. Basically, you apply the latex/wax as a masking medium, sometimes using a bit of water to get the wax to lightly stick. These methods get especially problematic with small scales, though, because the size of the chips you're trying to make are automatically a function of the size of the brush or tool plus the size of the blob you're applying. In order to have control, you have to have a blob of wax or latex of sufficient size and wetness to be controllable and adherent to the paint layer. Pestil-ground salt (not the uniform sized round stuff right out of a package) or paint on the edge of a 000-sized brush work far better in small scales. In large scales - say 1/72nd and up - the wax/latex method works fine.

I hope this helps a bit.

Kenny

[jpolacchi]

It sure does.Thank you Kenny.I think I found that old article,well...more like someone re-posted using that method in a different forum. I was incorrect in thinking "wax" was applied,but the paint is removed with tape to pull a top coat off(ripping it off really) to expose a different color coat beneath.I need to look at it and read it again.What I saw appeared to be a condensed paragraph of the article written,so...in any case it wouldn't hurt to re-read the article.

[seam-filler]

There is a technique using candlewax between coats to get a chipped effect, but because the result is not scale, it is not of much use to modelers. However, it is used by 'crafters' to achieve chipped effects o signs and furniture.

[aussie cylon]

How's the hair spay one work?I've heard about it.

Go on youtube and search it . Heaps of tutorials about it.

I've also heard of using Vaseline, (or thick grease). Apply small amounts to wherever you want the base colour to show, spray on the topcoat, then simply wipe away the vaseline. Paint won't stick to the grease, thereby showing the basecoat. Never tried it myself, but just saying it's out there....

[TurkeyVolumeGuessingMan]

I seem to remember someone online mentioning a technique using canopy/white glue between coats of paint. Has anyone tried this with Micro Kristal Klear or something?