What is your preferred technique?

I've yet to get the results I really want - whether it's from a wash or dry brushing. I always lose detail.

Are there any good guides to this? I do mostly 1:48 scale.

Scott,

I spray the engine with Testors Non-buffing Aluminum then give it a wash of thinned black oil paint, let it dry, then a wash of thinned Van Dyke Brown oil paint. Finally I give it a light dry brushing of the Aluminum paint again.






Hope it helps.

Mark

Painting engines can be a pain some times . If I'm brush painting it's more of a dry brushing effect and only done with enamel paint , acrylic is to grainy / flakey . I used Testors Model Master paints for this , ones for airbrush use only , but I left the caps off for some time to let the base evaporate so it's more like a thick powder paste . You can make small batches of this by put a few small drops in a small bottle cap .Dip your brushin and wipe off the eccess and dry brush the surface . Seal it with clear coat of your choice . Next add you wash , build this up until you are happy with the effect you are after . Try the different shades they have in this line for different effects .

For their regular line of enamel paints I put a small amount in a bottle cap but this time I add just a touch of thinner and do the dry brushing effect followed by a clear coat and then washes .
You can even use alclad's line of products as well .

cool - thanks for the quick responses...

do either of you use primer?

You are very welcome Scott !

I never used primer before and never had any problems so I would say you are good to go !

What'ya building ?

Scott,,

No primer here either.

Mark

My method is to prime the engine with grey primer and then to spray the engine with Alclad Aluminium. Once dry I give the engine a quick wash of Tamiya flat black thinned with Isopropanol.

Here how it turned out on a 1/32 P-47 engine



Hope this helps

Got a P-61 Black Widow just started for the Boom Boom campaign.
And I just received the Eduard exterior detail kit, which comes with a very fine wiring harness, so I want to do it right!

I use a very similar method to everyone else.
First I prime the engine with matt black, followed by a coat of Alclad II. Sometimes Aluminium, sometimes a different shade.
I paint the details, con rods etc and then everything gets a good coating of Burnt Umber oils heavily thinned with turpentine.
I soak up the excess with the tip of a brush and leave it to dry naturally.
I drybrush with a light grey colour.


Hope this helps,
Nige

Thanks for all the advice. Those are some realistic engines.
Best Resource on the web.