Working with oil paints.

[MrChef]

So working on the T34-85 redux. It's not a build or rebuild more of a repaint. Thought I'd share my new adventure in oil paint use. Oil dot filter, Oil rendering, etc. This is the second time I'm using oils. and I gotta say I really like it. Drying times if that's the concern can be sped up and controlled. Learning how oils work is a joy. They can be manipulated, adjusted or completely removed to satisfaction.I can work on something then come back a day or so later and just add on or blend or change how I want at will.

Ok so I'll set the stage first I took this perfectly good happy little T34-85 and decided that winter whitewash camo wasn't gonna cut it anymore this summer season. Plus I had used it as a mule to practice with winter whitewash camouflage for my Winter Group Tiger I-822. So I felt it was time to give it some love.

So you may remember-



Time to strip her down and get ready-



I did Not use my regular methods of removing all the paint and weathering. After much elbow grease, scrubbing and work I got most of it off-



At this point I used Tamiya airbrush cleaner with a short trimmed epoxy brush and stippled any of the surface that wouldn't have been smooth. On the T34 that's just about every surface which is lucky. This reset the surface and removed any traces of left over stubborn paint-



Ironically the applied Heng Long decals were some of the most tenacious that I've ever had the pleasure of melting.



I'm not going to spend a lot of time here. This is where I did armor texturing with Tamiya putty and Tamiya putty diluted with Tamiya airbrush cleaner. Suffice to say I have a few less brain cells.

Ok fast forward to the primer coat. I'm a simple guy I use economical effective paints. Besides the texture and surface of the T34 wouldn't appreciate anything nice anyway-



I chose the black only because it was a full can I had. Coulda been pink for all I care.



I looked at a bunch of spray paints. I already knew I was going to mess with oils so I figured I'd get something robust and cheap, Perfect for a Russian T34-



$5.79 at Walmart and it's a Green that I think I can work with.





Thats the painted Heng Long sprue in the sunlight for comparison.



Anyway here is the oil paints I picked up from Michael's craft store mostly on sale from $5.99-$7.99-



A big thing with oils is a little goes a looooonnnng way.

Here's some brushes and the thinner I use which I strongly suggest splurging on the artists odorless mineral spirits instead of the cheap stuff from Home Depot. It's much less harsh, does a better job overall as it evaporates quicker and is almost truly odorless unlike the cheap stuff which resembles refined diesel which linger, smell and just aren't as friendly to use-



Here's how to set the paint up with on a cardboard pallet to leach out the oils. They suggest a few hours before use. I usually st it up the night before. This way the paint/pigment is ready when I am to use and will blend nicely and can be coaxed to dry quickly.



I will usually give the oil paint about 8 hours to leach. Then after use, I cover with plastic wrap and it lasts about 5-7 days. Depending on the colors some dry much quicker than others. Most of the colors I use dry fully when applied in thin layers or thinned with mineral spirits as the carrier between 3-5 days. Then it's safe to clear coat.





This is applying an oil dot filter.





This is a comparison of the lower hull with the oil dot filter applied and the turret still just painted the Rustoleum Camo Deep Forest Green-



Upper Hull and Turret pseudo-simpatico-




So, after much more casual blending, highlighting, etc.

Mocked it up a bit for some pics. It's far from done but thought I'd share how it's coming along-
















Annnnd the blending and adjusting continues. Soon enough it'll be ready for clear coat, numbers, washes and weathering.

Just thought I'd share working with Oil Paints. I have much to learn and practice but it's so much fun to work with I hardly have an issue with that.

[Ecam]

I do not pretend to understand the "oil dot filter" but am impressed with your paint work. Enamels are the only paints I've known, the acrylics are my mystery paints. But as the world gets greener I am sure the oils will be in the decline.

[MrChef]

I do not pretend to understand the "oil dot filter" but am impressed with your paint work. Enamels are the only paints I've known, the acrylics are my mystery paints. But as the world gets greener I am sure the oils will be in the decline.

Thank you. The more I learn and practice the more I'm amazed at how this stuff works myself.

The Oil dot filter is just magic wizardry to me.

And ironically the more I learned about oil paints they are safer than some acrylic. They are Not toxic or dangerous to our health or the environment with the exception of 1 or 2 colors which are Not widely available. Enamels are the offenders that will be phased out.

[Meter rat]

Like Ecam, I have no idea what you are doing, or how you achieve what you do, but it looks fantastic.

[Son of a gun-ner]

Like Ecam, I have no idea what you are doing, or how you achieve what you do, but it looks fantastic.

Well, I've read it three times, therefore, that makes five of us

Mr Chef, I could follow your tank preparation, your spaying, your oils preparation and thinner use, and so on, but, I couldn't follow your choice of dot size and quantity along with colour choice and colour proportions/percentages. Nor could I follow your method of getting from those dots to the finished result. What did/Have I miss/missed please do explain this wizardry.

Other than that, it looks suite cool

[ColemanCollector]

I've used oils in the past and the idea with the dots is randomness of finish. You work them out with thinner and blend them with the next dot's bit of real estate. Trick is to not overwork them, otherwise you end up with a uniform sludge colour all over. Underwork them and you end with
blotches of colour variation that are too distinct. Like any pre-weathering/weathering technique it's all about subtlety. It's a very controllable method and gets rid of that monotone colour that blasts out from the rattle can.
I used it with 1/48 armour back in my Bandai days. I got OK-ish at it, but started using watercolours (not acrylics) after seeing the tutorials from Craig with the DAK group. Water is a whole other ballgame of challenges to oils and mineral spirits. But I do like the ease of erasing the occasional error I make with window cleaner. I'm on my third bottle.

Both are fun!

Mike.

[MrChef]

I've used oils in the past and the idea with the dots is randomness of finish.

Both are fun!

Mike.

Thanks Mike for sharing. I never thought of watercolors.

Your explanation was crystal clear. I'm a newb to this stuff so it's better for solid modeler content creators to show or explain what I'm learning. I'll link to vids because it's easier to see how oils work than to try to explain it.

Here is a good one from Adam Mann showing the dot filter technique.

Skip to 20:35-

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Following is Panzermeister36 sharing using oils for weathering and effects-

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[Herr Dr. Professor]

Hi, Chef! Thank you for the video links: I will check them out a.s.a.p.