The Weathering Aircraft Pdf Download

Weathering is a term associated to the process of making the modellook like it has been used. This usage takes many forms: dirt and grimeaccumulations, exhaust staining, sun fading of the paint, rusted metal, and lotsmore. Weathering is really more artistic than mechanical or routine. I havelearned and refined much of what I do today from a guy in my model club thatworks in graphic arts. It is this artist that built some of the best weatheringexamples I have ever seen.

While I fortunately have been blessed with some artistic ability, noteveryone is. That does not mean that people with less artistic ability can notweather models. It just means they need to work with some simple techniques tostart developing their artistic abilities. There is no "silver bullet"when it comes to weathering. More than any other process in modeling, weatheringis one that requires practice to develop a set of techniques that work for you.

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The biggest artistic point in weathering is knowing when to stop -- how muchis too much? The model keeps looking better and better as the weathering isapplied. Suddenly, a magic line is crossed and the weathering is too much,ruining the whole effect. Knowing where that line is and when to stop is thereal trick to weathering. I have been learning this over the years, sometimeswith catastrophic results.

What follows is a detailed description of how I go about weathering mymodels. What I write here is specific to the way I do weathering. I make nobones about being right or wrong here. Every modeler has there own tricks andstyles. No tricks or styles are wrong as long as the modeler is happy with theoutcome of their labors. While I am always looking to improve my abilities, I amsatisfied with the results I get using the procedures I am going to outlinehere.

No single technique will do all weathering. My method involves severaltechniques, executed in sequence, to build up the desired finish on the model.Depending on the exact need, I may skip some steps or re-apply some stepsmultiple times to achieve the results I want. With practice, these techniquesare not real difficult or time consuming. I can completely weather an averagesize aircraft with general, overall weathering in a couple two-hour sittings.The reason I can not do it all in a single sitting is because there is need fordrying time during the process.

This process, with minor variation, works on most all parts of the model, notjust the outside surfaces. I use this process inside the cockpits, inside thewheel wells, on the landing gear, and just about everywhere and anywhere that Ineed to simulate weathering. The best thing about this weathering process isthat it is permanent. I can (and do periodically) wash my models under runningwater without disturbing the weathering that I fought hard to create. Try thatwith pastels...

The above process can simulate a wide spectrum of weathering types. Byvarying the amount of thinner used, I can darken or lighten the effects. Byvarying the colors of paint, I can tailor the look and feel of the weathering.There are some special cases, though, that require different techniques. Thefollowing items deal directly with each special case.

Mastering a few simple techniques can go a long way to improving how yourweathering looks on your models. Once you master the techniques, you can startto work on the artistic side of the issue. Figure out when enough is enough andyou will have it licked.

As GM said, there is no right or wrong way. Which do you want to model, a fresh aircraft off the assembly line, in between showing some use or a hard working one? I do agree that less is more so I tend to just show some use and try to be accurate working off from my reference material.

Not necessarily overdone, but weathered out of scale is what I usually see. Streaks or washes way too dark or the streaks or stains themselves too large. Or, the whole aircraft weathered heavily but no weathering of the tires, gear, or pylons and ordinance.

Its all about personal preference, yes (my personal preference being realism), but honestly, Ive heard much more negative comments from modelers on exaggerated weathering than from a kit sticking with accuracy. In fact, most negative comments Ive heard about accurate builds stem from the fact that the commenter/s were mostly unaware that the finish was actually based on photos.

And yes, one can "overdo" weathering. Ive seen a low-viz F-14 kit uniformly covered with patch up paint work (like the patchwork has become the camo itself), and quite a number of pre-shaded, post-shaded plane and helicopter kits sporting uniformly faded/oxidized paint. One look and you know its overdone.

To me the biggest accuracy issue is the plane with dozens of mission markings on it, but a pristine finish with no weathering. Another issue is prominent black panel lines with little other weathering. Painted aircraft usually show very subdued or even invisible fabrication seams, but may show access panel seams prominently.

It's not a question of overdone or underdone - look at any aircraft and you'll see examples that are pristine, and examples that are beat to hell. Well, except for the F-106. I've never been able to find an example of one of those being anything other than just slightly not clean.

It's a question of poorly done. Panel lines all uniformly shaded to the extent that the aircraft looks like something Burberry would sell. Heavy panel line shading but otherwise perfectly clean, smooth paint. Uniform "middle-out" fading in each and every panel.

It seems to me that a lot of "it's artistic expression" is an ex post facto thing. I mean, all the butthurt around dimensional accuracy, detail accuracy and color accuracy definitely points to a striving for realism, but then it gets chunked out the window when the painting and weathering start?

If it's someone's goal to create a stylized finish that looks like it's been run through the HDR process a few too many times, great. More power to 'em. But in my experience modelers who explicity take that stance are relatively few and far between. A lot of what I see that would count as "overdone" strikes me more as just following the "established" weathering cookbook, as FJ says above.

I am known for "heavy weathering". I do my models that way because, to me, it shows the rigorous and tough conditions that the vehicles operate in, but more so than that, the role that they play in the balance of the world. It's serious, deadly, impactful in so many ways. In another way, it complements the rough, masculine character of the man who man these machines of destruction.

DoogsATXIt seems to me that a lot of "it's artistic expression" is an ex post facto thing. I mean, all the butthurt around dimensional accuracy, detail accuracy and color accuracy definitely points to a striving for realism, but then it gets chunked out the window when the painting and weathering start?

Here's my mind set in general; a) museum quality display, b) ordinary wear and tear, c) distressed. Having the resources available now as opposed to my childhood has allowed me the opportunity to enhance my skills. I have 2 stashes, one to build and practice newly acquired techniques and one for subjects that I will not touch until I am confident that my skills are honed enough to attempt. I am currently practicing the techniques of weathering on my "throwaways" in an attempt to get my better subjects to fall into the ordinary wear and tear category. The most pleasing builds,to me, are those that create a subtlety, a mere perception, of an effect on that subject. In trying to achieve this I believe that scale in all things is the most important trait that affects the finished product. I aim for museum quality by practicing distressing and applying to"in service".

I don't think anyone has mentioned yet the impact that judging has on this, too. That is, isn't there a certain look that judges expect to see, and it may not be as accurate as you might think when you're looking at your photo references of a subject. I think that too many aircraft kits are finished with overly-shaded panel lines, for example, but that for those who compete, they may be working to their perception of the judges' expectations.

I think that depends upon the particular aircraft's service life and usage, as well as paint/color scheme. Some obviously will show more staining than others. This photo was taken at least 800 feet away (standard peace time drop altitude is 800 ft AGL- combat drops are done at 500 feet) yet many panel lines as well as control surfaces and access and gear door panels are visible here. In 1/48 that would be rougly 15 feet away...

All that aside, I dont do 100% artistic or 100% accurate for my weathering, but perhaps a 3 parts accuracy to 1 part artistry mix when weathering. I want to replicate as best I can the point in time that I am choosing to replicate on that particular build. Some show heavy use, others minimal. Depending upon what I turn up in research for my project.

There, amidst all the picture perfect Air Force aircraft, sat a F14. This baby was obviously just off the boat. She was at least seven different shades of gray owing to the corrosion control taking place while underway.

I think that many folks get caught up in the latest weathering fads that they do their builds out of context for how the real thing likely looked. A P-40 in North Africa is gonna hve a service life of less than a year, but will be in harsh sunny dusty climes for that time. An F-105 will be sitting in the south East Asia monsoon climate for a year or more (nearly half the production run becoming combat losses in over 3 years of hihg tempo ops). An F-111 in Europe will be sitting out of the weather in a Hardened Aircraft Shelter for years on end, armed on alert or flying training sorties and much less likely to show severe weathering over its' longer life span... And then there are carrier based aircraft...

Whether to weather?

Its surprising that you say the trend nowerdays is towards weathering rather than showroom modelling. My perception is that weathered models still come in for alot of criticism and the showroom finish is regarded as displaying a more mature level of skill. ff782bc1db