Airbrushing, new to me, looking for help advice

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I realized the markings should have gone on before the weathering. Oops. I was so fixated on my intricate weathering, I missed that.

David, what do you use for rust? A mixture of some sort?

No. You're good -- the markings go on after the weathering. Use well thinned out acrylics to over-coat the markings to reflect the degree and color of the weathering that surrounds them.

Burnt-Umber, oil paint, or a slurry of iron filings suspended in a binder, brushed on, and when dry hit with a mild acid.

[Ken_NJ]

I realized the markings should have gone on before the weathering. Oops. I was so fixated on my intricate weathering, I missed that.

David, what do you use for rust? A mixture of some sort?

[wlambing]

What he said! But, the draft marks shoulda gone on first, as the weathering would be over top of them, too. On the hull, the bottom draft mark is at the main axis of the boat. On the rudder the bottom number is near the bottom of the rudder blade.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Touch up the sonar windows with dabs of acrylic paint applied with a 000-pointed brush. The paint is easy to mix so matching the color will not be an issue.

The weathering looks just fine, Ken. Don't fixate on the job, just move on to the next one. Apply the markings, clear coat that sucker and be done with it.

This is your first stab at weathering and your results outstrip my first efforts, so stop *****ing!

David

[Ken_NJ]

Here I applied my scum line to the Skipjack. You can see the top of the lower tape strip is proud from the the hull. This allowed the spray to not create a solid stark line.



With the lower tape removed, these two pics show the result. The lower part of the white scum line has that fuzzy appearance.





Here I resprayed the algae green coloring over the white scum line. My thought was the boat has been in the water quite some time and the white scum line is dead fauna which has been overgrown with new algae.







Here I have removed all of the tape and proceeded with some cleanup of airbrush over spray. You can see the weathering on the above waterline.



Some of the white got past the masking on the sonar dome. I tried gently sanding it a way but it started removing the gray. I don't have that color gray left so will need to figure out how to correct that.



I think it looks pretty good for my first time. I'm still not happy how the below waterline weathering came out.

[Ken_NJ]

I've been playing with the scum line. Some things work for you, some don't. The one below I taped a 1/8" line and used white tube type oil paint brushed on. I then tried using an oil crayon to discolor the white line. At least the ones I have they go on like kids crayons. I tried smudging it with a cotton ball, a q-tip and my finger. Was not getting results that I liked. I moved on to another method.



What I tried here was tape off the same 1/8"ish line. But the strip of tape on the bottom, I left the top edge lifted from the surface so paint was allowed to spray under the tape. This gave me a fuzzy line on the bottom of the white stripe. The top edge was a sharp clean edge. I then sprayed white. Removed the bottom tape then sprayed the bright green over the white and blended that into the below waterline weathering.

[Ken_NJ]

Thanks David. While I am waiting for the scum line to dry on the test article, had to finish the oil canning on the exhaust housing. The oil canning that David says he could not find any existence of on page 52 of his todays work thread.

So here is my oil canning. It will be covered by a misting of the base color eventually.



This is sitting in front of a heater trying to get dry.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Well thank you Rob. Trying.

Testing with artist oil paint and oil crayons
Trying the oil crayon I drew a straight line on construction paper. It seems that it goes on like chalk, grainy. Tried it on the test article, it did the same. Something to get use to I guess.
I then placed two pieces of painters tape on the paper about 1/8 inch apart, simulating the width of the scum line. I applied the white oil paint from a tube with a brush. It can be applied in different densities so it does not look like one solid line. Checked it the next day after about 18 hours. I can smudge it with my finger. The oil paint needs longer to dry. I applied a thinner coat (the squarish section in the lower left corner) and applied heat with a hair dryer. That dried well. Also applied heat to the lines I previously painted. The heat worked there as well. So I learned if using artist oil paint from a tube, apply in thin layers, and use heat to help it dry faster. I read online there are additives that can be added to facilitate it drying faster, not going there.

On my test article PVC hull I will try the tube oil paint in multiple thin layers and apply heat and wait a day and maybe more heat. Multiple layers will have some spots more solid looking and other spots a lighter look, that multiple density look. Then smudge some green oil crayon to give it a worn look. All in theory. Hopefully my theory works. Some sort of a plan.

Damned good stuff, Ken. You're taking me to school now.

David

[Ken_NJ]

Well thank you Rob. Trying.

Testing with artist oil paint and oil crayons
Trying the oil crayon I drew a straight line on construction paper. It seems that it goes on like chalk, grainy. Tried it on the test article, it did the same. Something to get use to I guess.
I then placed two pieces of painters tape on the paper about 1/8 inch apart, simulating the width of the scum line. I applied the white oil paint from a tube with a brush. It can be applied in different densities so it does not look like one solid line. Checked it the next day after about 18 hours. I can smudge it with my finger. The oil paint needs longer to dry. I applied a thinner coat (the squarish section in the lower left corner) and applied heat with a hair dryer. That dried well. Also applied heat to the lines I previously painted. The heat worked there as well. So I learned if using artist oil paint from a tube, apply in thin layers, and use heat to help it dry faster. I read online there are additives that can be added to facilitate it drying faster, not going there.

On my test article PVC hull I will try the tube oil paint in multiple thin layers and apply heat and wait a day and maybe more heat. Multiple layers will have some spots more solid looking and other spots a lighter look, that multiple density look. Then smudge some green oil crayon to give it a worn look. All in theory. Hopefully my theory works. Some sort of a plan.

[rwtdiver]

On this one, yes. I've also smeared oil-paint and/or ground in powdered chalk. I like to try different things. Experiment all the time.

KEN,

Just funning you! I think what you have been doing with your boat is commendable, especially if this is your first time at weathering a sub! I do envy everyone on this forum that do all fantastic weathering work! I can certainly tell you that you are learning from the master himself (David M.)!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Sorry Rob, not going for the freshly painted look this time.

David, did you start the immediate topmost scum line with white oil crayon then smudge green crayon into it?

On this one, yes. I've also smeared oil-paint and/or ground in powdered chalk. I like to try different things. Experiment all the time.

[Ken_NJ]

Sorry Rob, not going for the freshly painted look this time.

David, did you start the immediate topmost scum line with white oil crayon then smudge green crayon into it?

[rwtdiver]

Alrighty then. I guess I'm done with that portion. On to the scum line then the tape can come off. I was almost ready for 2021 Subfest, now I have to get going and be ready for Groton. Wouldn't mind you coming here and kicking my butt. It would help.

Once I'm really really done, if I don't like it I can always sand it all away and start over.

Ken,

You could always do this!! :-)))



OH MAN! Am I in for it now!! Forgive me David, the devil made me do it!!! :-))

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Alrighty then. I guess I'm done with that portion. On to the scum line then the tape can come off. I was almost ready for 2021 Subfest, now I have to get going and be ready for Groton. Wouldn't mind you coming here and kicking my butt. It would help.

Once I'm really really done, if I don't like it I can always sand it all away and start over.

*sigh*..............

[Ken_NJ]

Alrighty then. I guess I'm done with that portion. On to the scum line then the tape can come off. I was almost ready for 2021 Subfest, now I have to get going and be ready for Groton. Wouldn't mind you coming here and kicking my butt. It would help.

Once I'm really really done, if I don't like it I can always sand it all away and start over.