The hobby has benefited from the oil wash technique, but when and who is credited?

bob

I have it on good authority that it was indeed Leonardo da Vinci, while disposing of his brush cleaning jar, after a particularly productive Mona Lisa painting session, tripped and spilt (or washed) the leavings over his model Helical Air Screw. While wiping the mess away he noted how it left a particularly pleasing effect in the crevices which added some depth to the visual appeal, and that is how the humble oil wash came about.
My mate down the pub told me so, and Trev hardly ever puts me wrong.

Spud, that was a good one.

Bob

At the risk of a thread jack, I couldn't resist.

I wouldn't know the answer to that but I would guess that it was Verlinden?

Don't think so! I still have a Revell-catalogue/"How to do" from 1972 where they already suggest to thin down their colours to achieve a worn effect (especially shown for ship-building/sails and engines of Motorbikes+Cars.
Thomas

Like I said, I wouldn't know!

I'm not sure who started the technique but I do believe Sheperd Paine had quite an influence on modeling techniques going all the way back to how-to pamphlets included in the Monogram WWII kits, quite a few how-to books soon followed.

Yep could have been Shep Paine, I like the idea of that

No, Paine simply made the techninque mainstream. Washes were developed by model railroaders. Before he became a "static" modeler, Paine was a model railroader. Washes were used by railroad greats like John Allen and Lynn Westcott, et al., using alcohol and shoe polish or india ink, etc. I have some issues of Model Railroader or Model Railroad Craftsman from the 1940s that mention or demo washes to bring out detail and for weathering.

Our current hobby owes much of its modern quality to model railroad pioneers.