Paint chipping technique - help needed

[Jaky88]

Hello fellow modelers. I have decided to build the Dragon's 1/35 Tiger 1 for my best friend. All was going well until I had to do the paint chipping. I have tried it first with a brush, but was in general dissapointed. Therefore I removed the paint and started again with AK worn effects. After disastrous results with the AK worn effects, where the paint just cracked and fell off in large pieces (TWICE!), my frustration really grew. I've spent countless hours looking for videos on how to paint chip, but none were helpful. I came across this site:

http://www.scalemodellingnow.com/tbfinishing-armourpaintchipping

If we look at the chipping its very tiny.

My question is, how do you make that kind of chipping, as all I can do with my 0/2 brush is significantly larger and less realistic:

http://shrani.najdi.si/?1v/xq/2ElpQ4uk/tiger-1-6.jpg

I didn't even come close.

If you have any advice on how to do that kind of chipping I would be very grateful. I've watched that guys video but the chipping that he does at the rear is easier and totally different to the one on the hatch.

Best regards, Jaka

[SaintsPhil]

It's not an easy technique to master and is easy to over do, I found that out while attempting it last night!

Have a look on YouTube for the Ammo/Mig Jiminez videos, he has a few on chipping, where he uses both a brush and a sponge to chip various parts of a model.

[Jaky88]

Been there and done that. The general experience I got from this videos were like: here is an unchipped model and then voila all chipped. Nothing on it how to do it.

[IanC]

Hello Jaka

I agree that it is difficult to get right. The sponge technique is perhaps easier and more effective as long as you rub most of it off first and then dab very lightly on a few edges here and there. Less is more definitely.

I sometimes use a basic dry brush technique using a dark grey or brown instead of a lighter colour. If you give the edges a bit of a random dusting with the brush it can give that sort of worn look you're looking for. In all cases wipe off most of the paint before you start, so that you're putting barely anything onto the model.

Don't get too hung up on it though. Chipping is often massively overdone on models, and while it has artistic merit it usually doesn't reflect what you'd see on the real thing anyway.

Concentrate more on the dirt, dust and muck rather than the chips and rust. Your Tiger will look great once it's had some dilute over-sprays of earth colour paint to dull the chipping down.

Good luck!

Ian

[SaintsPhil]

Been there and done that. The general experience I got from this videos were like: here is an unchipped model and then voila all chipped. Nothing on it how to do it.

There's one on there, fairly recent, of him doing it on a winter Camo russian tank, that's 'live action' it's only a few mins long so worth finding

[robw_uk]

sponge & dry brush for me - not got away with MiG chipping fluid the 1 time i have used it (think it needs to be very light coats but not sure - will do some more tests when back painting). You could do salt chipping but that would need you to undercoat in the chipping colour, apply water & salt, then spray the top coat. I have seen it done mostly on aircraft (including 1 I did) but you can do it on AFV as well...

P7110211 by Robert Worth, on Flickr

was donw with dry brush/sponge and also brushing scratches

[robw_uk]

as was (I also used oil pain, very small dot and then stippled to give the more work patches around the defined damage) :

Edited December 2, 2015 by robw_uk

[Jaky88]

Hello and thank you Rob. But can you describe it again as I dont understand. Do you smudge the oil paint? How did you do the damage and chipping on this IFV?

Thank you, Jaka

[robw_uk]

erm let me try...

1) sponging - get small amount of sponge and a small amount of paint, take most of the paint off and then start dabbing it on the edges or areas you want wear - you need to put as little paint on at a time or it will look wrong (the sponge should give you the random effect)

2) dry brush - as above, paint on brush, remove most of it and then gently "flick" of the edges - again used more for wear & tear on the edges but can be used on flat surfaces too

3) oil - finally (for me on the above any way) - a small dot of oil paint (grey or payne grey or whatever colour you want) - make sure it really is a small dot - it goes a long way, and then use a stiff old brush rub the paint in to the surface - that "should" give the effect of the paint being worn through, so you should have the base paint being broken up by the grey to give wear & tear (the large grey areas on the walking surfaces for example)...

unfortunately I am out of action for painting until after Christmas or I would do some better photos... if you want, in the New Year I can do some more to try to explain it more....

Edited December 2, 2015 by robw_uk

[Jaky88]

Thank you very much for your extensive reply. I finnaly made it and did some decent chipping. I will have some follow up questions, but since the holiday season is starting its no problem after New year.

Have a great holidays, Jaka