Weathering German Ships, an AK Interactive video.

[Shar2]

Weathering Techniques
AK Interactive

If you’ve ever wondered how some modellers create their works of art when building and finishing model ships, particularly Kriegsmarine subjects, then this DVD will help show how you can do the same. Released by AK Interactive, and produced by two great names in the manufacture of paints and weathering systems, Fernando Vallejo and Mig Jimenez. The DVD lasts around sixty minutes and takes you through the methods of weathering, adding high and low lights in a simple and easy to follow way. Whilst there are some Spanish subtitles the narration is in English. The narrator, whist actually American is very clear and concise in his diction making it very easy to follow.

After the introduction of some excellent wartime footage of battleships, cruisers and destroyers, mainly Kriegsmarine, but some British there are four chapters covering the basics of weathering. The first chapter, Preparing your model covers how to paint the main colours and in what order. The second shows how to paint wooden decks and give them structure and depth. Painting and weathering the hull from top to bottom and stem to stern is covered in the third chapter. Whilst the fourth describes how to add dirt and rust to the hull and around the anchor cut outs of the heavy cruiser being built.

The last two chapters cover more advanced techniques using a damaged Kriegsmarine destroyer as the subject. The fifth chapter covers chipping, using AK Interactives own worn effects fluid and rust set. The last chapter describes how to create special effects, in the case of the destroyer, bomb damage, blast effects and the resulting change in the surrounding paintwork. Naturally all paints and weathering effects are either Vallejo or AK Interactive but the techniques used by the modeller Fran Romero should be able to be repeated using your own favourite paints.

Conclusion

This is the first time I’ve seen a DVD like this and I have to say I am very impressed. I’ve not really thought about weathering my maritime builds to such an extent before, particularly as I generally don’t do seascapes, but this has inspired me to certainly give it go on my current and future builds. This is a great way to learn new techniques and the production of the DVD is superb. My only concern was the background music, which at times sounded like something out of a 70’s porn movie.

If you’re like me, you don’t normally do weathering, then have a look at this video and give it a go. Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of

[Chaotic Mike]

>> My only concern was the background music, which at times sounded like something out of a 70’s porn movie.

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