too much

[jbrundt]

The weathering debate has been going of for many years now. There are equal proponents on either side of the 'spanish style'.

 

Basically it comes down to what you, the modeler, like.

 

You are the one who has to look at the completed model  for the rest of your life and in the end you can't make everyone happy............ so ultimately the completed model has to make you happy.

 

Argument can be made that what we do is a form of art and all artists have different styles and conversely every viewer of art is different and has their own particular tastes. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

[BradG]

I fall into the 'do whatever you like' group, but personally I don't like pre shading panel lines as I find it makes the aircraft look like a caricature and unrealistic, for the most part. Likewise for post shading where some people highlight the very middle of each panel, because as we all know, panels fade from the center out! That said, I do like to grubby up my aircraft, with panel line washes, oil stains (particularly on the under surface for piston engine aircraft) exhaust and general dirt and grime. There are some great pictures of Spitfires around that are black, from the nose to the tail with oil and crap, so you can get pretty carried away here. I'm actually just slapping together a 1/48 Yak 9 to try out oil filtering to give the paint a less monotone look.

 

I try to go for realism in my builds, but sometimes I don't really go into the history of the machine I am building, so I don't know if it lasted a week in battle or 3 years and most of the time, when armour is concerned, I don't really care nor have the time to research the history of the vehicle.

[wunwinglow]

All this boils down to the modeller observing and understanding the 'story' of how and why their subject got to be where it is. To depict weathering, and all the other 'effects' that modellers can now depict, you need to know how it happened, why it happened, what processes were, what materials were involved, how they impacted on the fabric of the subject. Oil leaks tend to happen from particular points within the airframe, the oil will take a particular, often very characteristic path to the outside of the airframe, then get spread about by gravity, panel breaks and contours, the airflow locally, attempts to mop up the excess. It might discolour or remove paintwork, get burnt on hot surfaces, collect dust, gun smoke and so one. These all combine to make distinctive marks on the airframe, and only careful study of real aircraft, as well as skilful application of your hobby materials, will result in a convincing model. They will differ from type to type, from new to old, from theatre to theatre, and so on. You need to understand the whole story, to be able to tell the whole story. Start making things up, or aping other modellers work because it looks cool, is a recipe for disaster. Imagine putting a whole load of exhaust staining up the fin of a Starfighter, because you saw a neat looking Tornado model.....

 

Tim

[Ken Stetzenko]

The best solution is to study examples of the real aircraft in service from photos and note how that particular aircraft weathers etc, and then copy it, All aircraft weather differently. Preshading is mostly overdone and too dark.

[Radub]

I personally do not like heavy weathering on my models. I weather my models with artists pastels and I make my own washes with watered-down paint.

I had the opportunity to get close to many planes so I am aware that planes can get a bit grimy. I would not write off weathering altogether. Weathering has its place. Weathering products have their purpose. But sometimes the technique is abused. It is like make-up: When done properly it enhances the subject, but when abused it ends up with Lady Gaga or Nicky Minaj (but quite often the Joker).

What I am trying to say is that the key is subtlety. However, "subtlety" means different things to different people.

Radu

[DougN]

Since we are venting, my current pet peeve is over weathered cockpits on combat aircraft.  Often these aircraft had service lives of weeks/months, with very few surviving for years.  Yet I see modelers slogging washes, chipping and grime around like the plane has sat with the cockpit open to the elements for decades.  Some wear and chipping would be normal, but how would all that filth get in there?  Granted there might be some mud on the floorboards if the aircraft was operating from a muddy airfield, but even then the crew chief would get it cleaned out so it did not cause issues with all the control cables, etc.  It seems we often get a little carried away with a weathering technique because it looks cool and it is fun to do.

 

I agree that variations in the tone of the exterior colors, when done well, can really add to the realism of a model, but that overdone panel lines look out of place (with the exception of the occasional long-in-service Jet where they actually repaint over the panel lines) when looking at real aircraft.

 

Doug

[Erwin]

It all depends on what you want it to look like.

 

But bear in mind that ALL planes rolled out of the factory brandnew without any oilstains,dirt,etc...

 

I build all my models "factory fresh".

 

But try doing that at a convention !   The comments you get displaying such a model are not suitable to be repeated.

 

IMO,weathering is much overrated.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Erwin

[Brad-M]

Why do we have to remind people on how they weather their models? If someone askes me for advice, I'd probably say something, but I don't think we have to remind people of how they enjoy their hobby.

 

Cheers

Brad

[Guest]

It's a hobby . People build for fun.They will do what they want to do. Personally, I like dirty aircraft, and thats how I will build them. OK, I'm done. Move along........Harv

[Rowen]

In general I agree that some weathering is over the top. Some models have no weathering whatsoever. As has been said, it's a hobby and we do our models the way we want them to look.

 

However, I do have one pet peeve about weathering and since we're on the topic, this is apropos: I've seen a ton of models that are very weathered - yet all of the markings look factory fresh. Sorry. This just doesn't fit to my eye. If your wings and fuselage are chipped and dirty, etc, why would your hinomaru, balkenkruez, roundels, etc look like they had been painted on this morning?

 

Just saying

 

 

-Ro

[Troy Molitor]

I agree with too much and not enough weathering.  If you like a lot of war weary weathering, then put it on a base.   I've been involved with commercial aviation for 25 years and can honestly say some aircraft get abused while other are kept in great shape.  The outline of every panel line on the bottom surface of a wing looks ridiculous to me personally.  The effort of a brilliantly detailed model is overshadowed by unrealistic appearance to my eye of something that is usually out of the elements. 

 

I have also flown UH-1H's and AH-1 Cobras in the National Guard that were twenty years old and look fantastic in appearance too.  The dirt and mud accumulated into the cockpit floor would get cleaned out after a two week war against the Bolshevik hoards trying to invade the wonderful states of Wisconsin and Missouri!  No offense obviously to the Bolshevik's.  Personal taste to each individual obviously. Keep them coming!   

 

Troy

[Jeff Herne]

Hahahaha! He said Bolsheviks! (sorry, it's Friday)

[tomprobert]

I agree with a lot of what has been said - worn, patchy paint is great to my eye and brings the model to life (I just wish I was better at it!) One thing I cannot get my head around though is seeing high-vis US Navy aircraft (1970s/80s) weathered to within an inch of their lives and given badly faded paint and a matt finish - even aircraft that had been at sea for a while retained their gloss finish and were very well kept!

 

Another thing I simply cannot understand is panel line washes. I find it very strange when looking at a beautifully painted model and each and every panel line is darkened; to me this doesn't look right at all.

 

I cannot recall (or very, very few at most) ever seeing an aircraft in real life with every panel perfectly darkened and visible, especially when 'scale effect' is taken into account. If you stand more than a few feet away from an aircraft panel lines are very difficult to see (but there are exceptions of course.) Panel lines on real aircraft are a few mm wide at most, and when scaled down would be near to invisible on a model; by the time some builders have finished they would be 15 feet across if the effect was scaled up...

 

But, I repeat what others have stated and that is build your models as you wish, and above all enjoy it. It would be very boring if we all finished them the same now wouldn't it? 

 

(Edited for typos)

Edited November 1, 2013 by tomprobert

[DrDave]

I Bagsy the role of "weather Commissar"

[Out2gtcha]

Deep breath time.

 

No matter how you want to cloak it the building of models is interruptive and artistic, not science.  Accuracy and fidelity are rightly admired but we don't just hit a subject with a shrink ray.

 

Your reaction to weathering effects can be likened to saying to Monet, "Hey Claude, Nice pond but shame it's so blurry.  Maybe next time you try something more like a photograph."  

 

Model building is a broad church and has many different sects.  No need to try an define a one true way.  I have much respect for those that build em neat and tidy.  That's a tough gig , not easy to hide any goofs.  Bringing any kit to completion to a level of finish you, the builder, enjoy is a thing to celebrate, not in any way demean. Heck, build and don't finish I been doing that for years

 

Build what you want, How you want.  

 

Much of the rest is just pub talk. 

 

Not spoiling for a fight just had to vent.

 

Dan

 

 

VERY well said Dan............and I mean VERY well said.

 

I had to take DEEP DEEP breathe here too. Who has the right to say any one style of weathering is right or wrong?  Modeling is in fact our art form IMHO. Period.

 

If you like spending 6 months intensely building a model, then painting  it florescent orange, go for it. Its YOUR model. Period. Some build for contests, some for commission, some for themselves, and some a combo of all the above.

 

I hate to sound like a jerk, but the bottom line is this thread is about 1 thing............opinion. And that my friends is strictly subjective.