Step 1: Preparation & Pre-shade coatI begin by cleaning the model well in soapy water and rinsing thoroughly in clean water. Once dry I begin by spraying a ?pre-shade? coat of Tamiya flat black paint with a ratio of 30% paint ? 70% thinner using my Tamiya HG SF (or Iwata HP-C). By pre-shading the model with a dark colour you are able to gain some depth to the finish as well as integrate the various materials used to make the model (plastic, polyeurethane resin, photo etched brass, metal foil etc.). After the pre-shade is dry you can now plan what the model?s paint scheme will be. In the case of my Sdkfz 251/9 I decided to tackle one of the tougher schemes: winter wash. This white camouflage paint was applied over the vehicle?s primary paint (usually dark yellow or dark gray) in order to conceal it in winter conditions. This white wash would gradually wear away and was usually applied pretty sloppy.

Step 2: BasecoatI then mix up a dark yellow basecoat using Tamiya acrylics in a 25% paint ? 75% thinner ratio. At this point you will need an airbrush with a very small needle/nozzle combination. I use my Iwata Custom Micron B but a Tamiya SF will also work well. A pre-set handle is essential when applying the basecoat unless you have supreme airbrush control. I use the pre-set handle as a ?safety net? when spraying with the needle closed down tight as it is sometimes easy for your finger to slip and cause too much paint to hit the model. Begin by spraying very light coats of dark yellow over the black pre-shade making sure that you let the black show through in random patches throughout the panels and particularly heavy in any recesses. If at any point during this whole process you apply too much yellow, (or white in the next step) simply go back and spray black over the area and reapply the dark yellow. You can recover from any disaster with this method.

Step 3: WhitewashOnce this coat is dry mix up some Tamiya acrylic paint at a 20% paint ? 80% thinner ratio. Close down on the needle and begin spraying the whitewash making sure you keep the edges quite dark (where the whitewash would wear quicker) and the centers lighter all the while making the pattern appear as random as possible. By spraying very random patterns of white you are ensuring that the model won?t appear too ?toy like? with very obvious light cloud pattern panel centers. By making sure that you?ve created a very random pattern that?s very ?splotchy? you are effectively eliminating other techniques which are used to create the same effect. Drybrushing your model can achieve a similar effect of lightening the panel in areas, but why not kill two birds with one stone and do this while you?re painting with your airbrush? On top of this, a high end airbrush and some practice will yield a subtlety and opacity in the finish which I?ve yet to see any other technique approach. (Graphic C)

Step 4: Muck ?er up mateOne of the more common weathering effects is ?washes?. By running highly thinned dark paint in corners and recesses you create an illusion of shadows and depth. Again, this can be a risky process as the wash can dry unevenly or leave large tide marks - why not create this depth with your airbrush? Begin by mixing up some Tamiya flat brown and flat black paint in a 10% paint - 90% thinner ratio - the actual colour of the post shade can vary upon your brown/black percentage mix but think of your last experience walking into roadside public restroom and you should be close enough. This technique is known as ?post shading? and was popularised by Australian modeller James Blackwell. Begin by spraying this mixture into corners, panel lines and recesses. You will need a fair amount of control to pull this off with subtlety so practice first on a spare model or scrap plastic ? a high precision airbrush such as an Iwata CM-B or Tamiya SF is highly recommended and the pre-set handle will make your job much easier. Once the panel lines are shaded you can begin vertically streaking the side of the vehicle to simulate dirt and grime. Try and be subtle and this will pay dividends. Another thing to note is that you might want to adjust the tone of your post shade mix depending on the basecoat of the model. For example, I stayed more in the ?brown? range for this model because the basecoat/whitewash is very light. On a dark green or dark gray model you might want to adjust it and make it lean towards the black end of the mix as a brown post shade on an OD or dark green model may not look right to your eye.

Step 5: ChipsIf well executed, chipping effects can bring a model to life. I am by no means an expert on this technique and am still learning, but I feel that in certain conditions it is inevitable that some chipping will occur and temporary winterwash seems to be one of them (along with repainted desert vehicles). I chipped the model with some regular pencils. Try and examine some real vehicles if possible to get a feel for the paint chips. Obviously a factory fresh AFV shouldn?t have many (if any) chips so use common sense and as always subtlety is the key here.

Step 6: PastelsTo finish the model off and to tie in all previous effects I ground up some pastel chalks into powder using a variety of brown shades. I used these mixed with Tamiya thinner on the running gear to create a mud effect and then used the pastel powder in ?dry? form applied with a small brush to create heavier streaking all over the model. The pastel streaks stand out a lot more than the airbrush post shade streaks so it gives you 2 layers of streaks with different opacities. The pastels seem to work very well when dusting up roadwheels. Head down to your local art supply store and grab a bunch of these in the appropriate shades, just remember to buy the ?chalk? type, not the ?oil? based variety. Once these techniques are mastered you will have effectively eliminated both washes and drybrushing in your weathering process and by using a high end airbrush you will have more control over the finished product. So grab your airbrush and try some of these effects, you will find yourself gaining more confidence in your painting and eliminate some tedious steps in the process. I?d like to thank Dan Oldfield for his great colour plates which clearly demonstrate each weathering step and Mirko Bayerl for his advice and inspiration.