Dried dust and mud weathering effects SBS

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 a 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 these weathering effects on early war axis vehicles or green allied or Russion AFV's will produce a much more pronounced effect, with a starker contrast against the vehicle's paintwork. 

I prefered to add any textured dirt layer before this dust layer effect is airbrushed on, as I like it be the final weathering layer, to keep the overall dust and mud tones consistent. But obviously, this is just an effect I used on 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 the dust layer. Or you can mix and match if you find that visually more appealing. Likewise, adding pin washes before or after this dust layer will produce different results.

 

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. Streak brush stokes in a downwards motion on vertical surfaces to create graduated deterioration marks in the surface dust due to things like rain. Use a circular moition with a brush on horoizontal surfaces to create a disrupted effect. We can create additional ‘smudges’ into the dust layer where crew members would have disrupted it further. For areas where you want the dust layer almost untouched you can still add light marks or scrapes with sharper tools like a cocktail stick or airbrush needle.

Undisturbed dust layer on the rear top portion of a Pz.IV muffler.

This can be a great alternative to adding dust effects with enamels.

 

Here is my step-by-step process:

• The first thing I do is to select, then mix a dusty toned acrylic colour. One that suits the environment or the groundworks the AFV will be placed on. 

• Mixing the paint with H20 as opposed to acrylic thinner will make the overlying paint easier to lift. Thinners can be used but the overlying paint can take a little longer to remove, but can often leave softer transitions. 

• Reference images are really helpful. You will get an idea to the extent that dust will cover and hide surface detail on operational AFVs, and where it rarely reaches and 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 selected areas of of the model are to be worked on. 

• To begin, I apply two light coats of hairspray at arms length or chipping fluid decantred into an airbrush for a much more controlled application. 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 coat at least 15 minutes to dry then I dive right in. These steps can be repeated with multiple dust coat layers, but be aware - agitating the same areas again and again can lift previous layers if too much H2O is used. Sealing disrupted dust coat layers with varnish allows this to work, but it does disrupt the workflow

• 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. As already mentioned, period AFV images, modern ASFV colour pics, or plant machinery images, all 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, The idea is to then slowly and lightly agitate the surface with a paintbrush. The harder the bristles or surface of any tool you use, the quicker the paint will lift.  

• 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.

• If you would like larger dust & dirt deposits to be left on the surface, the aim would be to only remove small amounts of paint and create far more subtle effects. For leaving just light dust and dirt traces then the aim is to remove far more paint, leaving the remnants around raised detail and in all the nooks and crannies.