1/350th scale Hobby Boss 688 model (US readers)

ET2SN · 07-06-18, 02:04 AM

Some more odds and ends I've been goofing with. For the record, I don't have any kind of relationship with HobbyLinc outside of me ordering stuff and sending them my money and them shipping it to me.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/ak-xtreme-...amel-paint-672

AK Exteme Metal pale brass (AK672).
Before opening the bottle, I looked on the bottom to check out the color and shade. "Pale Brass" isn't what this is. Its more like a slighty brownish dark-ish gold. For the armor and tank modeller this is a nice shade of paint for shell casings that have been kicking around for a while. It isn't "new brass", more like brass that has been handled for several weeks or months. For the ship and sub modeller, there are possibilities as long as you aren't looking for freshly polished brass.
The next thing I noticed is that this stuff settles in the bottle quickly. Like on the order of a minute or sooner. For air brushing, it looks like you won't want to fill your color cup, just use drops of paint then work fast. AK says this is enamel paint pre-thinned for air brushing. I kept thinking more along the lines of Testor's Metalizer paints but maybe slightly thicker. As soon as I opened the bottle, yep, its Metalizer. So, I'm not sure if its a traditional hobby enamel, spirit-type laquer, or a hybrid of something in between.
For newer builders, skip this stuff and stick with enamels or acrylics. For more experienced builders, know what you're getting into. This paint is as frustrating as Testor's Metalizer, in some ways even more so. In other words, it smells just like Metalizer.

Expect to spend a lot of time shaking that bottle and try to find it at your hobby shop so you can check out the color prior to buying it. With the "thumbs down" stuff aside, there are some possibilities with this paint. I brushed some of it on a bare piece of white resin to see how it dries and its surprisingly tough after it cures. Buffing it with a Q Tip left a more uniform surface (this isn't a buffing type of paint) and hardly any of the pigment wound up in the cotton.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/ak-red-acr...ylic-paint-180

AK Red Surface Primer (AK 180)

For the armor folks, this is Panzer Red Primer. For us ship and sub modellers, its RED LEAD and its finally available again!

AK got the shade right. Its not too red or too brown. AK also assumes you'll be using it quite a bit since it comes in a 60 ml squeeze bottle, which isn't too large but is roughly twice the size of a large (23ml) Tamiya paint jar. Color aside, AK says this is a water-based acrylic mixed for both brush and spray painting. From my experience so far, it acts like thinned down poster paint. For spraying, just use it as is although it seems a little too thick for air brush use. For brush painting, this might get a little more complicated. A flat primer would be almost vital to get this stuff to lay down right, and I want to play around with seeing what differece using white, gray, or black primer would make.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mfm/mfm591.htm

Magcraft Magnets (1/16th inch dia., 200 per pack)

One of those "trick" items you'll want on-hand when doing box-stock builds gets too routine.

This is nothing more than 200 tiny magnets. Glue one to one part and glue another to another part and they'll stick together. This is what Tamiya now uses on their "nose bleed" 1/48th and 1/32nd scale aircraft kits to attach things like pylons to wings or engine cowls to the fuse. For ship builders, its also a great idea for making your models less delicate. The magnets will separate before those tiny plastic and photo etch parts break.

I have two uses for mine so far. One is on my Hobby Boss 688 kits. This model features both a closed and opened top to the sail. Why not use both and swap out the tops? The magnets keep the parts in place until you decide to change them. The other kit is an early 90's vintage (Revell) B-52 bomber I found in 1/144th scale. I also found some nice resin conversion parts for the underwing pylons and now I can use the "bare wing" slipper fairing, the large ALCM pylons, or the iron bomb HSAB and MER pylons. The optional parts will just clip in place when I want to change them. Other sizes are available, but I ordered the 1/16th inch diameter (1.6 mm) that are 1/32nd thick (.8mm). Set up is easy, but you'll need to be precise. Just drill a 1/16th hole in both parts (this is where you need to be precise) then glue in the magnets (I'm not sure yet if super glue or 2 part epoxy is better) once you're sure they will stick together and not repell each other.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/aki/aki892.htm

AK Stainless Steel Shakers (AK892)

OK, this became less of a joke and more of a "Hmm" type of item as my acrylic paint collection became larger. What you get is a jar full of 1/8th inch stainless steel balls (something like 250 of the darned things). Just drop one in your paint jars or dropper bottles. There will be much less swearing involved after you take a bottle of paint off the shelf that's been sitting there for a couple of months. Since they are made of stainless steel, there is a minimal chance of rust or a chemical reaction with your paint.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/hobbyboss-...50-scale-83513

I admit, I'm a sucker for anything Hobby Boss in 1/350th scale. I already have this kit, it was just the pre-built and pre-painted version that MRC sold (of course, I detailled it up a bit). But, there were things I wanted to check out on the original kit which was not available for quite some time. So, am I planning to build another one? I'm not sure yet. I wanted to see how Hobby Boss modelled the the ducted fan and stator at the stern of their kit. Plus, I might do a conversion build of the USS Cheyenne and the rumor was that she tested most of the Virginia's propulsion system.
So, what's the kit like? Well, its Hobby Boss for starters. There isn't anything here you wouldn't expect to find on their other 1/350th scale subs. The only down side is that this was one of their early kits. Remember what I said about the MRC pre-built sub and how the aft end of the boat was assembled? I wanted to see how they molded it because that model has a stern that looks a little out-of-square. That brings up the one gripe about this kit. The propulsor "fan" and the stator both have some severe "flash" and molding issues. In 1/350th scale, flash and bad moldings are a huge concern and can be difficult to fix. But, with some effort and patiece they are fixable. Otherwise, the Hobby Boss kit features some parts that MRC didn't use, the photo etch parts. The PE parts are nifty but slightly confusing. You get the nice PE nameplate for the base plus "covers" that fit on the sail (I'm guessing that two of them are the exhaust ports for the diesel engine). You also get a PE "CO's Playpen" for the bridge

although the instructions don't show a lot of detail in how its bent into shape or where it goes. For the record, the playpen is made out of aluminium tubing and clips together so its easy to assemble and tear down. It also clips into place to the top of the sail, just behind the bridge.

ET2SN · 08-06-18, 07:57 PM

Holy cow, almost 500 views on this thread.

I guess I should share a little tip I stumbled upon when it comes to making a rubber tiled hull look a little more realistic. Tiled hulls (above the water line) take on an odd sheen after they have baked in the sun for a while.
You can mimic this effect using India Ink and a brush or Q-Tip.

Start by painting the upper hull with a semi gloss Tire Black or, better yet, Testor's Black Chrome and let it dry and cure fully. The key is that the paint must have a semi gloss or semi matte finish (you don't want a full gloss or full matte/flat finish).

Next, grab a bottle of India Ink. Black works best but you might want to try brown ink for a look of aged tiles.
Using a small artist's brush, paint down a coat of ink over the paint and let it dry. You should notice the "sheen" effect at this point. If it looks right to you, stop at this point. If you want more of the effect, try lightly blotting some of the ink on the hull using the brush (better yet, try this effect on some painted scrap so you get the feel of how its applied).

DO NOT try to overcoat the hull once the ink has dried. You'll lose the effect.

India Ink over plastic and enamel paint is far from permanent but it looks "right" and is very easy to re apply.

As far as what brand works best and where to find it- experiment and look around. If you get the effect you want, you found the right brand.

Just make sure its ink like you'd use in a quill type pen. Make sure its as thin as water or even thinner. You don't want this effect to look "perfect" so don't worry about painting close to different colors or in seams.

Chris K · 08-07-18, 06:32 AM

^Good read!

ET2SN · 08-24-18, 01:32 PM

Well, at 600 views you get an extra post.

The first thing to realize about painting the screw of any modern sub is that their Navies don't like to advertise them. In other words, what looks right to you is usually valid. If the ship is dry docked, the screw is usually covered with a large tarp for reasons of security and to also avoid damage in a (relatively) hostile shipyard environment. If the boat's tied to the pier, you won't really see it, anyway.

Without getting into too much detail, its usually best to assume that the screw is cast out of some form of bronze or bronze mixed with another "silver-type" of metal. You could also opt for a "stainless steel" effect if you want to try something different but in most cases its best to lean towards a bronze-silver color. Understand that real screws don't see much maintenance, so its best if you go into a project keeping in mind how "worn" you want the finished kit to look, including the screw. If you're going for a "new construction" look go shiny, if you're building an older veteran of the pier go for a more "gungy" looking screw.

In the past, I've used an unconventional way to apply Testor's Metallizer to get a neat effect. I would start with Metallizer non-buffing Brass and apply it over the bare gray plastic with a brush in heavy coats. Lots of heavy coats, something like 12-16 to get it looking right then finish with a light coat of Metallizer sealer. To me, this gives a good approximation of a screw that's been in the ocean for several years. The downside is that even though Metallizer tends to "flash" and dry quickly, you're looking at a fairly lengthy (and smelly) process.

Lately, I've been using Tamiya Titanium Gold (X-31) as a base and mixing it with shades of silver , brown, and gray to get some neat effects. Once the paint is mixed, one coat works great and its done.

Again, unless you wore the uniform its very rare to see a screw in a picture so get creative. If it looks right to you, that's what really matters.

Also be aware that no two screws will look alike outside of New Construction. Sea conditions and general use will effect their color.

Whatever color you end up using, try not to go crazy with a "weathering" top coat. At most, try using a very thin and light flat white or light gray dry brushing effect.

While I'm on the subject of metallic paints, don't forget your MBT vents. Some (most) kits will mold the upper hull with the vents capped. The caps are usually painted steel with a rubber underliner that are bolted to the hull to prevent damage to the actual vents when the boat will be tied to the pier for a while. With vent caps, either paint them black or go crazy and paint them white or even red. It really depends on the crew and some vent caps could look very creative. For a hull with no vent caps, use a dark-ish version of steel on the actual vent and a small area surrounding it. Keep in mind this paint will contrast to the "jet black" of the hull so its better, usually, to shade the metallic color a little darker than you might think.

Weathering the hull and "sea growth". I'm not a big fan of painting "moss" on the hull. It looks dark green if the boat's in the water but quickly changes to a dirty white once its exposed to the air. "Moss" also needs a fair amount of sunlight to grow, so it tends to stay within a couple of feet of the waterline.
If you ask around, any of us who spent time as a "non-qual" also spent some time shaving the hull while we were in Deck Div.

Its a nasty job that no one appreciates unless they are the CO, XO, or the COB (and someone else is doing it). Cleaning hull growth off the bow is even worse, along with being as nasty as cleaning it off the hull you also get the chance to get really wet when you slip and go in the drink.

So, I'm sure my exposure to that crap has colored how I build my models. Hull growth is also one of those areas where you're adding a dynamic effect to a static model. It won't look the same in the winter as it does in the summer, it won't look the same if you've been under way for a while, etc. etc.
The only time I'd consider trying it was if I was building a diorama of a boat in a dry dock or if I needed to rescue a screwed up paint job.

So, what else can get weathered on the hull? Aside from the India Ink trick I mentioned in the last post, the main visible wear areas are the non-skid walkway on the deck and some basic chipping on the cleats and the forward edge of the stern planes. BTW, don't be shy with non-skid. I'll use an old gummy bottle of enamel flat black and mix in some baking soda to give it some "teeth" before I roll it onto the hull using a Q-Tip (mask off the rest of the hull first to get a clean line). The non-skid is the main walking area (in reality, its the only walking area topside) so try lightly dry brushing some tones of dark to light gray to simulate wear and crud. Keep in mind which hatch is the normal access to the ship and where the brow would be placed and build up that area a little more than rest. Non-skid gets nastier when each new layer is applied (imagine it being painted on with an old mop and you get the idea). One last thing, make sure you don't paint non-skid over the hatch covers or their combings. These areas aren't non-skid or rubber tiled and should be painted in semi-gloss jet black that has a little more shine than the hull.

On the lower hull, pay attention to where the hull would rub against the camels while tied up in port. Severe wear can be normal in these areas and I've seen pictures where it almost looks like there's a pinkish or white primer under the red hull paint (or, it might just have been an effect of the wear). Speaking of primer (if you're doing a diorama of a boat under maintenance), the upper hull (at least back in my day) panels would be primed with a zinc chromate epoxy. Testor's aircraft enamel zinc chromate is about as close as this color gets, maybe add a few drops of white to give it a more milky shade. Its also a close match to the proper color of the upper radio antennas (instead of adding a touch of white, add a touch of darker green).

One last thing about decals.

Kits of US subs love to include those DSRV targets that get applied over the hatches. In reality, they are rarely used (new construction sea trials and post overhaul trials) and get painted over quickly. The targets can be thought of as "neat" in a "Welcome back to the waterfront" kind of way but can quickly turn into "Geez, those guys must get rescued a LOT" if left alone for too long.

08-24-18, 01:32 PM	#4
ET2SN ET2/SS Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,549 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	Screws and general weathering. (modern boats) Well, at 600 views you get an extra post. The first thing to realize about painting the screw of any modern sub is that their Navies don't like to advertise them. In other words, what looks right to you is usually valid. If the ship is dry docked, the screw is usually covered with a large tarp for reasons of security and to also avoid damage in a (relatively) hostile shipyard environment. If the boat's tied to the pier, you won't really see it, anyway. Without getting into too much detail, its usually best to assume that the screw is cast out of some form of bronze or bronze mixed with another "silver-type" of metal. You could also opt for a "stainless steel" effect if you want to try something different but in most cases its best to lean towards a bronze-silver color. Understand that real screws don't see much maintenance, so its best if you go into a project keeping in mind how "worn" you want the finished kit to look, including the screw. If you're going for a "new construction" look go shiny, if you're building an older veteran of the pier go for a more "gungy" looking screw. In the past, I've used an unconventional way to apply Testor's Metallizer to get a neat effect. I would start with Metallizer non-buffing Brass and apply it over the bare gray plastic with a brush in heavy coats. Lots of heavy coats, something like 12-16 to get it looking right then finish with a light coat of Metallizer sealer. To me, this gives a good approximation of a screw that's been in the ocean for several years. The downside is that even though Metallizer tends to "flash" and dry quickly, you're looking at a fairly lengthy (and smelly) process. Lately, I've been using Tamiya Titanium Gold (X-31) as a base and mixing it with shades of silver , brown, and gray to get some neat effects. Once the paint is mixed, one coat works great and its done. Again, unless you wore the uniform its very rare to see a screw in a picture so get creative. If it looks right to you, that's what really matters. Also be aware that no two screws will look alike outside of New Construction. Sea conditions and general use will effect their color. Whatever color you end up using, try not to go crazy with a "weathering" top coat. At most, try using a very thin and light flat white or light gray dry brushing effect. While I'm on the subject of metallic paints, don't forget your MBT vents. Some (most) kits will mold the upper hull with the vents capped. The caps are usually painted steel with a rubber underliner that are bolted to the hull to prevent damage to the actual vents when the boat will be tied to the pier for a while. With vent caps, either paint them black or go crazy and paint them white or even red. It really depends on the crew and some vent caps could look very creative. For a hull with no vent caps, use a dark-ish version of steel on the actual vent and a small area surrounding it. Keep in mind this paint will contrast to the "jet black" of the hull so its better, usually, to shade the metallic color a little darker than you might think. Weathering the hull and "sea growth". I'm not a big fan of painting "moss" on the hull. It looks dark green if the boat's in the water but quickly changes to a dirty white once its exposed to the air. "Moss" also needs a fair amount of sunlight to grow, so it tends to stay within a couple of feet of the waterline. If you ask around, any of us who spent time as a "non-qual" also spent some time shaving the hull while we were in Deck Div. Its a nasty job that no one appreciates unless they are the CO, XO, or the COB (and someone else is doing it). Cleaning hull growth off the bow is even worse, along with being as nasty as cleaning it off the hull you also get the chance to get really wet when you slip and go in the drink. So, I'm sure my exposure to that crap has colored how I build my models. Hull growth is also one of those areas where you're adding a dynamic effect to a static model. It won't look the same in the winter as it does in the summer, it won't look the same if you've been under way for a while, etc. etc. The only time I'd consider trying it was if I was building a diorama of a boat in a dry dock or if I needed to rescue a screwed up paint job. So, what else can get weathered on the hull? Aside from the India Ink trick I mentioned in the last post, the main visible wear areas are the non-skid walkway on the deck and some basic chipping on the cleats and the forward edge of the stern planes. BTW, don't be shy with non-skid. I'll use an old gummy bottle of enamel flat black and mix in some baking soda to give it some "teeth" before I roll it onto the hull using a Q-Tip (mask off the rest of the hull first to get a clean line). The non-skid is the main walking area (in reality, its the only walking area topside) so try lightly dry brushing some tones of dark to light gray to simulate wear and crud. Keep in mind which hatch is the normal access to the ship and where the brow would be placed and build up that area a little more than rest. Non-skid gets nastier when each new layer is applied (imagine it being painted on with an old mop and you get the idea). One last thing, make sure you don't paint non-skid over the hatch covers or their combings. These areas aren't non-skid or rubber tiled and should be painted in semi-gloss jet black that has a little more shine than the hull. On the lower hull, pay attention to where the hull would rub against the camels while tied up in port. Severe wear can be normal in these areas and I've seen pictures where it almost looks like there's a pinkish or white primer under the red hull paint (or, it might just have been an effect of the wear). Speaking of primer (if you're doing a diorama of a boat under maintenance), the upper hull (at least back in my day) panels would be primed with a zinc chromate epoxy. Testor's aircraft enamel zinc chromate is about as close as this color gets, maybe add a few drops of white to give it a more milky shade. Its also a close match to the proper color of the upper radio antennas (instead of adding a touch of white, add a touch of darker green). One last thing about decals. Kits of US subs love to include those DSRV targets that get applied over the hatches. In reality, they are rarely used (new construction sea trials and post overhaul trials) and get painted over quickly. The targets can be thought of as "neat" in a "Welcome back to the waterfront" kind of way but can quickly turn into "Geez, those guys must get rescued a LOT" if left alone for too long.

07-06-18, 02:04 AM	#1
ET2SN ET2/SS Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,549 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	Some more odds and ends I've been goofing with. For the record, I don't have any kind of relationship with HobbyLinc outside of me ordering stuff and sending them my money and them shipping it to me. https://www.hobbylinc.com/ak-xtreme-...amel-paint-672 AK Exteme Metal pale brass (AK672). Before opening the bottle, I looked on the bottom to check out the color and shade. "Pale Brass" isn't what this is. Its more like a slighty brownish dark-ish gold. For the armor and tank modeller this is a nice shade of paint for shell casings that have been kicking around for a while. It isn't "new brass", more like brass that has been handled for several weeks or months. For the ship and sub modeller, there are possibilities as long as you aren't looking for freshly polished brass. The next thing I noticed is that this stuff settles in the bottle quickly. Like on the order of a minute or sooner. For air brushing, it looks like you won't want to fill your color cup, just use drops of paint then work fast. AK says this is enamel paint pre-thinned for air brushing. I kept thinking more along the lines of Testor's Metalizer paints but maybe slightly thicker. As soon as I opened the bottle, yep, its Metalizer. So, I'm not sure if its a traditional hobby enamel, spirit-type laquer, or a hybrid of something in between. For newer builders, skip this stuff and stick with enamels or acrylics. For more experienced builders, know what you're getting into. This paint is as frustrating as Testor's Metalizer, in some ways even more so. In other words, it smells just like Metalizer. Expect to spend a lot of time shaking that bottle and try to find it at your hobby shop so you can check out the color prior to buying it. With the "thumbs down" stuff aside, there are some possibilities with this paint. I brushed some of it on a bare piece of white resin to see how it dries and its surprisingly tough after it cures. Buffing it with a Q Tip left a more uniform surface (this isn't a buffing type of paint) and hardly any of the pigment wound up in the cotton. https://www.hobbylinc.com/ak-red-acr...ylic-paint-180 AK Red Surface Primer (AK 180) For the armor folks, this is Panzer Red Primer. For us ship and sub modellers, its RED LEAD and its finally available again! AK got the shade right. Its not too red or too brown. AK also assumes you'll be using it quite a bit since it comes in a 60 ml squeeze bottle, which isn't too large but is roughly twice the size of a large (23ml) Tamiya paint jar. Color aside, AK says this is a water-based acrylic mixed for both brush and spray painting. From my experience so far, it acts like thinned down poster paint. For spraying, just use it as is although it seems a little too thick for air brush use. For brush painting, this might get a little more complicated. A flat primer would be almost vital to get this stuff to lay down right, and I want to play around with seeing what differece using white, gray, or black primer would make. https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mfm/mfm591.htm Magcraft Magnets (1/16th inch dia., 200 per pack) One of those "trick" items you'll want on-hand when doing box-stock builds gets too routine. This is nothing more than 200 tiny magnets. Glue one to one part and glue another to another part and they'll stick together. This is what Tamiya now uses on their "nose bleed" 1/48th and 1/32nd scale aircraft kits to attach things like pylons to wings or engine cowls to the fuse. For ship builders, its also a great idea for making your models less delicate. The magnets will separate before those tiny plastic and photo etch parts break. I have two uses for mine so far. One is on my Hobby Boss 688 kits. This model features both a closed and opened top to the sail. Why not use both and swap out the tops? The magnets keep the parts in place until you decide to change them. The other kit is an early 90's vintage (Revell) B-52 bomber I found in 1/144th scale. I also found some nice resin conversion parts for the underwing pylons and now I can use the "bare wing" slipper fairing, the large ALCM pylons, or the iron bomb HSAB and MER pylons. The optional parts will just clip in place when I want to change them. Other sizes are available, but I ordered the 1/16th inch diameter (1.6 mm) that are 1/32nd thick (.8mm). Set up is easy, but you'll need to be precise. Just drill a 1/16th hole in both parts (this is where you need to be precise) then glue in the magnets (I'm not sure yet if super glue or 2 part epoxy is better) once you're sure they will stick together and not repell each other. https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/aki/aki892.htm AK Stainless Steel Shakers (AK892) OK, this became less of a joke and more of a "Hmm" type of item as my acrylic paint collection became larger. What you get is a jar full of 1/8th inch stainless steel balls (something like 250 of the darned things). Just drop one in your paint jars or dropper bottles. There will be much less swearing involved after you take a bottle of paint off the shelf that's been sitting there for a couple of months. Since they are made of stainless steel, there is a minimal chance of rust or a chemical reaction with your paint. https://www.hobbylinc.com/hobbyboss-...50-scale-83513 I admit, I'm a sucker for anything Hobby Boss in 1/350th scale. I already have this kit, it was just the pre-built and pre-painted version that MRC sold (of course, I detailled it up a bit). But, there were things I wanted to check out on the original kit which was not available for quite some time. So, am I planning to build another one? I'm not sure yet. I wanted to see how Hobby Boss modelled the the ducted fan and stator at the stern of their kit. Plus, I might do a conversion build of the USS Cheyenne and the rumor was that she tested most of the Virginia's propulsion system. So, what's the kit like? Well, its Hobby Boss for starters. There isn't anything here you wouldn't expect to find on their other 1/350th scale subs. The only down side is that this was one of their early kits. Remember what I said about the MRC pre-built sub and how the aft end of the boat was assembled? I wanted to see how they molded it because that model has a stern that looks a little out-of-square. That brings up the one gripe about this kit. The propulsor "fan" and the stator both have some severe "flash" and molding issues. In 1/350th scale, flash and bad moldings are a huge concern and can be difficult to fix. But, with some effort and patiece they are fixable. Otherwise, the Hobby Boss kit features some parts that MRC didn't use, the photo etch parts. The PE parts are nifty but slightly confusing. You get the nice PE nameplate for the base plus "covers" that fit on the sail (I'm guessing that two of them are the exhaust ports for the diesel engine). You also get a PE "CO's Playpen" for the bridge although the instructions don't show a lot of detail in how its bent into shape or where it goes. For the record, the playpen is made out of aluminium tubing and clips together so its easy to assemble and tear down. It also clips into place to the top of the sail, just behind the bridge.

08-06-18, 07:57 PM	#2
ET2SN ET2/SS Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,549 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	Holy cow, almost 500 views on this thread. I guess I should share a little tip I stumbled upon when it comes to making a rubber tiled hull look a little more realistic. Tiled hulls (above the water line) take on an odd sheen after they have baked in the sun for a while. You can mimic this effect using India Ink and a brush or Q-Tip. Start by painting the upper hull with a semi gloss Tire Black or, better yet, Testor's Black Chrome and let it dry and cure fully. The key is that the paint must have a semi gloss or semi matte finish (you don't want a full gloss or full matte/flat finish). Next, grab a bottle of India Ink. Black works best but you might want to try brown ink for a look of aged tiles. Using a small artist's brush, paint down a coat of ink over the paint and let it dry. You should notice the "sheen" effect at this point. If it looks right to you, stop at this point. If you want more of the effect, try lightly blotting some of the ink on the hull using the brush (better yet, try this effect on some painted scrap so you get the feel of how its applied). DO NOT try to overcoat the hull once the ink has dried. You'll lose the effect. India Ink over plastic and enamel paint is far from permanent but it looks "right" and is very easy to re apply. As far as what brand works best and where to find it- experiment and look around. If you get the effect you want, you found the right brand. Just make sure its ink like you'd use in a quill type pen. Make sure its as thin as water or even thinner. You don't want this effect to look "perfect" so don't worry about painting close to different colors or in seams.

08-07-18, 06:32 AM	#3
Chris K Gunner Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: NYC Posts: 95 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	^Good read!