If you like a dusty operational look to your AFV models and are quite handy with the hairspray technique this process can create realistic looking disrupted dust and light mud effects. What we are aiming to do is to selectively remove, mark, and disrupt an airbrushed dust toned layer of paint. We are effectively reverse ‘hairspray chipping’ the surface by leaving larger deposits rather than creating small chips. This works best using acrylic paints over a layer of hairspray or chipping fluid.
All these images on this page show the effect on late war axis AFV's with a three tone camo, so you have to look close up as the effect can appear very subtle. Using this effect on an early axis German Grey vehicle or over green allied or Russion vehicles for example, will produce a much more pronounced effect and produce a starker contrast with the vehicle's paintwork.
I prefered to add any textured dirt layers before this dust layer effect was airbrushed on, as I wanted it be the final weathering layer, to keep the overall dust and mud tones consistent. But obviously, this is just an effect I favoured for these projects, so if the vehicle is to be portrayed as just having driven through fresh mud, that can just as easily be applied over any dust layer. Or you can mix and match if you find that visually more appealing.
After airbrushing the dust coat paint layer over the hairspray, the idea is to then agitate the surface with H2O, removing small or larger sections of the overlying dust layer depending on the effect you are after. Essentially, to leave the dusty deposits where you want them to remain.
To create these effects we can use various tools but a paintbrush on its own can be good enough. You can streak brush stokes downwards to create a graduated deterioration of the surface dust due to rain. Rub it or create ‘smudges’ where the crew members would have disrupted it. Lightly scrub over the surface removing it from any raised detail but leaving it in all the nooks and crannies. For areas where you want the dust layer almost untouched you can still add light marks or scrapes where objects like vegitation have come into contact with it.
Undisturbed dust layer on the top of a Pz.IV muffler.
This is a great alternative to adding dust effects with oils or enamels.
Here is my step-by-step process:
The first thing I do is to choose, select and mix a dusty toned acrylic colour. One that suits the environment or the groundworks the AFV will be placed on. Mixing it with H20 as opposed to acrylic thinner makes the overlying paint easier to lift and will give softer transitions. Whether you cover a large area or just concentrate on selected areas is entirely up to you. This is where reference images are so important. You will get an idea to the extent that dust will cover and hide surface detail on operational AFVs, and where it rarely reaches or remains. You will be surprised at how much ends up on the rear and sides as opposed to the front of a vehicle sometimes.
Hairspary works well if you to want cover large areas or the whole vehicle whereas chipping fluid out of the airbrush works better if just smaller areas of of the model are to be worked on.
To begin, I usually apply two light coats of either hairspray or chipping fluid. Leave this to fully dry for around 10-15 minutes then the dust toned paint layer can be airbrushed on. I usually leave the airbrushed dust coats 15 minutes to dry then dive right in. These steps can be repeated but be aware that agitating the same areas again and again can lift previous layers if too much water is used.
To remove the paint it is recommended to work in small areas of the surface at a time, much as you would if you were creating chiping effects with a paintbrush. Period AFV images, modern colour pics, or plant machinery images make for a good source of reference material. This will give a better idea and understanding as to where the dust & dirt accumulates, and also where it is most easily worn off.
Using warm H20 is recommended but cold works almost as well. Don’t soak the surface, just dampen it and leave it for a minute. The water will slowly activate the underlying hairspray, and any agitation of the surface you make will lift and remove the overlying paint. The idea is to slowly and lightly agitate the surface.The harder the surface of the tool you use the more paint you will lift.
If you would like a large dust/dirt build up to be left on the surface, the aim would be to only remove small amounts of paint and to create far more subtle effects. For leaving light dust and dirt traces then the aim is to remove far more paint, leaving the remnants around raised detail.
Using a softer brush will remove less paint. Using a stiffer brush will remove more. In addition to using different types of brushes I also have various tools to hand to recreate different effects. They include an old airbrush needle and cocktail sticks which are great for making fine scratches. A sponge will also work for creating random effects much like they can be used for applying fine paint chips. Only this time the sponge is dry and we are dabbing it against the dampened surface to remove paint, not add it. I often use some old twisted twigs from the garden which are great for applying random scratch effects along the sides of vehicles to simulate vegetation that has brushed against it.
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