Mottling - Aircraft of World War II

Maglar · 08-13-2009, 12:21 AM

If there is a thread already about this just throw me a link..

Since I plan on buying the Heinkel and doing the MTO scheme which has mottling involved, I thought I would ask some tips for doing the effect. I plan on using my airbrush..... Anything will help.!

(my airbrush is an Aztek, if theres anything involving tip size and color)

Thanks, Corey

Crunch · 08-13-2009, 01:00 AM

A scheme like that looks reasonably straight forward - and that's from a very amature airbrusher/modeller...

Sand base coat, then fill in over with the green. do it free-hand, but planned, and it should blend in quite well.

I'm looking at a similar scheme, should I find time to dedicate to this GB.

Wildcat · 08-13-2009, 04:51 AM

I was also going to ask this Corey! What's the best method for brush painting (which I do). I've heard of using a sponge to do the mottling, anyone care to comment on this technique!

A4K · 08-13-2009, 05:06 AM

Personally I don't like the technique Andy, but that's just me. (I brush paint too)

I've yet to find the 'ideal' method, but so far still prefer the old (and very tedious...) method of carefully hand painting the splotches and blending the edges with a soft pastel wash. Be a hell of alot easier with an airbrush I reckon !

Wayne Little · 08-13-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maglar

If there is a thread already about this just throw me a link..

Since I plan on buying the Heinkel and doing the MTO scheme which has mottling involved, I thought I would ask some tips for doing the effect. I plan on using my airbrush..... Anything will help.!

(my airbrush is an Aztek, if theres anything involving tip size and color)

Thanks, Corey

I use an Aztek 430 Corey, getting the mix of paint and pressure right and knowing your airbrush is the key....takes plenty of practice and patience!

I use the Grey nozzle for most of my airbrushing...youv'e seen my results.....

Maglar · 08-13-2009, 12:34 PM

I have the grey, it shoots nice but a smaller radius. This oculd be ideal for the mottle while I use the white tip to lay down the base coat.

muller · 08-13-2009, 02:04 PM

I've seen a method of doing these schemes online a while back. Paint the whole thing olive green, then use blobs of blu tak to mask where you want the mottling, then spray over the whole thing with the sand colour. Never tried it myself, maybe you could try it out on a scrap piece of plastic to see how it looks?

Wurger · 08-13-2009, 02:14 PM

The way is OK.But I suggest painting with the sand colour firstly.Then Blue Tack for masking these areas of sand colour and then spray with the Olive Geen.

Airframes · 08-14-2009, 09:03 PM

Andy, in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales, I used to use a cotton bud (Q Tip?) for mottling, and it works quite well.
Here's how to go about it.
First, paint the base colour of the large area, eg., RLM 65 Hellblau, as normal.
Next, take some cotton buds, and pull-off any loose fibres, then smooth out with your fingers.
Dip the tip only into a vey thin layer of paint in a pallete, and wipe off the excess by 'dabbing' onto a piedce of plain paper (not tissue).
Gently and carefully apply each mottle spot, in a sort of dry brush method, and give the cotton bud a gentle, light twist at the end of each application.
When all of the mottling has dried, go over the entire area, using a dry-brush, with the base colour (RLM65 in this example), to diffuse the edges of the mottle. Do this very lightly, so as not to detract from the colour(s) of the mottle itself.
This should 'soften' the edges of the mottle, and slightly tone-down what will at first appear to be too heavy a colour for each mottle spot.
When the clear coat is applied, the mottle will appear to jump out, and may look a little too stark, but once matt/semi-matt coated, the diffusion takes place again, and the job should look quite convincing.
I used this method for over thirty years, until I got an airbrush that could cope with smaller mottles, and some of the models done using this method I had to look at twice, in order to convince myself they hadn't been sprayed. It also works very well on armoured vehicles, for some of the German colour schemes, where a brush might be too 'heavy'.

Wildcat · 08-15-2009, 12:36 AM

Awsome Terry! Thanks bud, I shall give your method a crack when I get to the painting stage.

Airframes · 08-15-2009, 09:07 AM

You're welcome mate.

vikingBerserker · 08-16-2009, 09:45 PM

Excellent!, Thanks Terry!

Airframes · 08-17-2009, 04:17 PM

You're welcome VB.

stona · 08-18-2009, 01:35 PM

I actually do a variation on Airframes' method using an airbrush. I spray the base coat and them spray the mottle over it. I then return to the base colour and tidy up any mottles that just look wrong. I then do a very light overspray of the base colour over the mottling. This would be equivalent to Airframes' dry brushing of the base colour and as he says this tones down the mottling and makes the effect less stark. It is very subjective and you are always anticipating the effects of further coats of Klear/varnish etc. It needs a bit of practice.
Steve

Airframes · 08-18-2009, 05:16 PM

Yep, that's more or less the way I do it with an airbrush, depending on the scale and the size/colour of the mottle itself.

08-13-2009, 01:00 AM	#2
Crunch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Posts: 355	A scheme like that looks reasonably straight forward - and that's from a very amature airbrusher/modeller... Sand base coat, then fill in over with the green. do it free-hand, but planned, and it should blend in quite well. I'm looking at a similar scheme, should I find time to dedicate to this GB. __________________ In the build; 1/72 Hurricane IIc -DONE!- Click here! 1/72 Do28 Skyservant - Decal stage 1/72 Do17 - Underway 1/72 Sarvioa Marchetti SM 79 - In the box still 1/72 RAAF DHC4 Caribou - In the box still

08-13-2009, 04:51 AM	#3
Wildcat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Queensland Posts: 4,543	I was also going to ask this Corey! What's the best method for brush painting (which I do). I've heard of using a sponge to do the mottling, anyone care to comment on this technique! __________________

08-13-2009, 12:34 PM	#6
Maglar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1,151	I have the grey, it shoots nice but a smaller radius. This oculd be ideal for the mottle while I use the white tip to lay down the base coat. __________________

08-13-2009, 02:04 PM	#7
muller Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The Emerald Isle Posts: 1,497	I've seen a method of doing these schemes online a while back. Paint the whole thing olive green, then use blobs of blu tak to mask where you want the mottling, then spray over the whole thing with the sand colour. Never tried it myself, maybe you could try it out on a scrap piece of plastic to see how it looks? __________________

08-13-2009, 02:14 PM	#8
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	The way is OK.But I suggest painting with the sand colour firstly.Then Blue Tack for masking these areas of sand colour and then spray with the Olive Geen. __________________

08-13-2009, 05:06 AM	#4
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Personally I don't like the technique Andy, but that's just me. (I brush paint too) I've yet to find the 'ideal' method, but so far still prefer the old (and very tedious...) method of carefully hand painting the splotches and blending the edges with a soft pastel wash. Be a hell of alot easier with an airbrush I reckon !

08-14-2009, 09:03 PM	#9
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Andy, in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales, I used to use a cotton bud (Q Tip?) for mottling, and it works quite well. Here's how to go about it. First, paint the base colour of the large area, eg., RLM 65 Hellblau, as normal. Next, take some cotton buds, and pull-off any loose fibres, then smooth out with your fingers. Dip the tip only into a vey thin layer of paint in a pallete, and wipe off the excess by 'dabbing' onto a piedce of plain paper (not tissue). Gently and carefully apply each mottle spot, in a sort of dry brush method, and give the cotton bud a gentle, light twist at the end of each application. When all of the mottling has dried, go over the entire area, using a dry-brush, with the base colour (RLM65 in this example), to diffuse the edges of the mottle. Do this very lightly, so as not to detract from the colour(s) of the mottle itself. This should 'soften' the edges of the mottle, and slightly tone-down what will at first appear to be too heavy a colour for each mottle spot. When the clear coat is applied, the mottle will appear to jump out, and may look a little too stark, but once matt/semi-matt coated, the diffusion takes place again, and the job should look quite convincing. I used this method for over thirty years, until I got an airbrush that could cope with smaller mottles, and some of the models done using this method I had to look at twice, in order to convince myself they hadn't been sprayed. It also works very well on armoured vehicles, for some of the German colour schemes, where a brush might be too 'heavy'. __________________

08-15-2009, 12:36 AM	#10
Wildcat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Queensland Posts: 4,543	Awsome Terry! Thanks bud, I shall give your method a crack when I get to the painting stage. __________________

08-15-2009, 09:07 AM	#11
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	You're welcome mate. __________________

08-16-2009, 09:45 PM	#12
vikingBerserker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,760	Excellent!, Thanks Terry! __________________ "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it" "Those who dwell in the past, condemn the future"

08-17-2009, 04:17 PM	#13
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	You're welcome VB. __________________

08-18-2009, 01:35 PM	#14
stona Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 133	I actually do a variation on Airframes' method using an airbrush. I spray the base coat and them spray the mottle over it. I then return to the base colour and tidy up any mottles that just look wrong. I then do a very light overspray of the base colour over the mottling. This would be equivalent to Airframes' dry brushing of the base colour and as he says this tones down the mottling and makes the effect less stark. It is very subjective and you are always anticipating the effects of further coats of Klear/varnish etc. It needs a bit of practice. Steve

08-18-2009, 05:16 PM	#15
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Yep, that's more or less the way I do it with an airbrush, depending on the scale and the size/colour of the mottle itself. __________________

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