Acrylic Ink Washes ? ! A Noob !

[panzerace007]

Hey Guys,

Gamers ! You've been holding out, or either I've been in th Dark !

Acrylic Ink Washes ! Where have you been all of My life ? I'm getting back into figure painting. I do 1/35th Armor & th related- Figures, Dios ,etc. I've been reading up on the Figure Painter- Calvin Tan & his technique. Recently after painting a Pea-dot camo on a German Panzer Commander, I wondered how to shade the figure & not obscure the Camo. I have recently seen the Video on You Tube from Michigan TOy Soldier - He demos the technique of using Acrylic Inks for washes ( on figures - shading). You gamers know what I'm talking about !

I never knew about th inks ( I'm also a recent Convert to Vallejo ). Also a while back I purchased some of Citadel Washes Gryphonne ( Sepia). At th time I wanted to use it to wash Armor ( as I knew it was acrylic & wanted to get away from using Oil paint, This will be dry over night & the Oil takes 4 days !).

I used it tonight !! I washed a 1/35th scale Figure after applying his His base coat ( sorry no pix yet, it's drying). I'll apply th camo pattern in 2 more stages. I also washed another figure that I had applied th camo to previously & to a 3rd a 120mm after camo was finished . Needless to say I Love it !!! It's AWESOME !! I'm just not sire which is th best way. I'll find that out after I paint th camo pattern on this Newer Tank Commander.

I know Vallejo's Games line now has an INK line ( a whole line with different colors of Ink) ? I also think that Vallejo's Model Color line has sepia ink, not sure about other colors in Ink washes. Obviously Citadel does , but all of the Gamer's names ( no offense) for the washes it throws Me off as to what th colors are.

This stuff ROX ! I could also see where a mono-tone uniform would just PoP with this wash & it's more concentrated than Oil. More stable , meaning that the ink won't break up in a wash, as I 've seen happen to Winsor & Newton Oil paint ( that's frustrating, having to go back & reapply a wash for coverage!)

So, Gamers .... Share th Love for th Inks with a Noob ........ Show Me th Light & I will follow !

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

There are about 8-10 washes in the Vallejo Model Color line, I carry 5 in stock.

Black
Sepia
Pale Grey
Fleshwash
Umber

I started using them when they came out last year and love them.

Same thing I think as the inks in the game line, just in a different labeled bottle (not 100% sure on that however, same colors anyway).

 

[panzerace007]

There are about 8-10 washes in the Vallejo Model Color line, I carry 5 in stock.

Black
Sepia
Pale Grey
Fleshwash
Umber

Is the Flash wash similar to a Burnt Sienna ? A Deep Green would be cool too ( for shading Field Grey German uni's) , & a Khaki Drab or Olive Drab wash ! Yeah , I'm lovin' it too !! I'll post in th Figure Forum after I'm finished.

Although I'm a dyed-n-th-Wool Oil painter for th Flesh , at least .... for now ! ;D

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

I have never used the Flesh wash yet myself, but a few have tried it and swear by it. I guess if you aren't going to go all out and paint the face, a basic flesh coat and then this fleshwash will do a decent job for those that hate/can't paint faces.

 

[Just Mike]

In some of AKE's videos, he uses a lot of MIG Production's enamel washes. They appear to be very cool indeed. Don't know if you'd have access to those but if you can get your hands on even one and give it a try, I'm sure it would work well for you.

If you're interested, and let's face it, who isn't interested in what I have to say? To thin acrylic paint enough to actually flow out of the brush and not pool where you touch the brush to, thin with 50% alcohol/50% water and just barely a drop of dish soap - preferably blue. Blue tends to make colors - especially white look better. May not flow as well as enamels but it should do.

 

[panzerace007]

MIKE,

I like th idea on thinning the Acrylic. But these Inks are Off-th-Chain ! I love it ! It acts like an Oil Wash , In th fact of how it flows - Smooth !, It dries quicker. Just to be on th safe side I washed a figure last night , giving it 24 hours to dry, I'm gonna apply th camo tonight . If I had done th wash in Oil/Terpinoid mix I would have to wait 4 days before I could touch it !

It acts just like Oil, 4x faster drying time ! This stuff is SMOOTH , like Butter ! It's more concentrated that an Oil mix. I use Winsor & Newton & some times th 1st pass with th wash, will need a little touch up. This Acrylic Wash ?! - 1st time on & Fah-gid-aboutit !

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Yeah the Vallejo Inks/Washes are not just a thinned out acrylic paint, something a little extra to them than that. And a little goes a long way.

As far as any wash pooling, enamel, acrylic or otherwise....if your subject has a gloss coat put down before your washes, it should prevent any pooling or tide marks.

I have tried the Mig washes, used to sell the product, but the Vallejo I find is better, and cheaper, and I don't sell the Mig stuff anymore.

Personally I found that it was a very hot enamel wash, too hot at times, to the point that it was melting glue joints in the suspension of my last armor build. I normally use Tamiya X Thin cement, when that stuff is cured, nothing is moving it...but the Mig Enamel wash softened it up enough that the suspension parts on a LAV gave way. That is some hot stuff to do that...and with the availability of an acrylic product out there that does the same thing....going to stick with that, much better to use!

 

[panzerace007]

As far as any wash pooling, enamel, acrylic or otherwise....if your subject has a gloss coat put down before your washes, it should prevent any pooling or tide marks.

Personally I found that it was a very hot enamel wash, too hot at times,

Although, at least in building Armor, you want to get that pooling & Halo effect. I like getting th halo effect when I use a Sepia wash to simulate Fuel stains ! It rox for that !

Pooling comes in handy when you wanna show a lot of wear or Dirt !!

Now , If I can find a way to get th same Halo from th Vallejo or Citadel Sepia wash I'll be God Smacked !! ;D

It's that crazy Ink ! It's super concentrated !

I'm surprised I haven't heard from any of the War Gaming figure painters ... singing th praises of the Ink Wash ! Maybe giving a few tips etc ....

 

[sunsanvil]

I've been using the Vallejo GameColor "Inks" for many years (I think I was the first one to ask Elm for them) and more recently the ModelColor Washes. They are every so slightly different in that the GameColor has a bit more resin in them (the whole "games miniatures get handled a lot" notion) but otherwise same stuff. Anyway, I use nothing else.

Here's a trick: Mix in a little of Vallejo's "Gaze Medium" (about 25%, never more than 50%). What it will do is dilute the color a little and soften the edges making it more forgiving. It also slows the cure time (it still dries fast, just doesn't cure as fast) which makes it easy to wipe up any excess with a q-tip and diluted booze (don't use full strength or you'll eat the paint/varnish).

Unorthodox use of acrylic wash: The back of the shield was done by painting it the neutral grey, then simply "flooding" each cavity with black wash/gaze medium.

 

[stoof]

Can you use the Vallejo Washes over a coat of future?

Stoof

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Yes for sure, in fact the future, because it is a gloss coat, will actually get the wash into the areas intended instead of spreading out on the flat paint and leaving tide marks.

 

[panzerace007]

SUNS,

WoW ! Great lookin Gundam !! O.K. ... I'm sold! This is off th chain. That shield is Killa' !!

You mentioned - " a Q-Tip & diluted booze " ... diluted booze ?

Does Vallejo or Their Games line , have a Dark Green Ink ? Almost a black geen ... just not too much black ?

There is nothing Unorthodox about th way you washed th shield ! I do that a lot to parts of the Tanks that I build to show grimy dirt build-up !!

Thanx again for th tip. I'll give it a whirl !!

Elm City - so you ca get tide marks from th Vallejo Ink ? I would like to do it purposefully around fueling areas or to do a stain, but to keep it from happening on th whole model, I should give a coat of Future to th whole Tank ?

 

[sunsanvil]

Booze = Alcohol (like from the pharmacy). I buy the "70%" and for this purpose add a little water to dilute it further because using strait 70% (or stronger) to tidy up a wash would eat into the underlying Vallejo varnish/paint (then you cry).

There are greens, and you can mix with black to get the tint you want.

Tide marks I find are something you always have to be mindful of (no silver bullet). Technique is a factor. An underlying gloss coat makes washes run easily, but in my experience diluting and slowing the dry time of the wash/ink (which is what the Glaze Medium does) mitigates tide marks more than anything.

 

[panzerace007]

Rock-On SUN !!! Great tips ! I'm noob to th Inks , well Vallejo for that matter too ! Thanx for th tips !

Booze - Alcohol - I figured ,but just wanted to make sure. 70% huh ? I use th 90% stuff to thin My Tamiya paint for th Airbrush. I'll keep th 70% in mind for th Vallejo .

Glaze Medium .... Will any brand do ? I think Liquitex makes a Glaze , or is it a good Idea to keep th Vallejo Brand together. Does Vallejo play well with others ? ;D

Keep th tips comin SUN !! Great Job ! Thanx ! I'll post some Pix soon on th Figures !

WoW ! I keep lookin at that Gundum ! Awesome !

 

[sunsanvil]

The term "Glaze" medium can had different interpretations so I'd avoid the art auxiliaries, but that's just me. Vallejo's is water thin and has just the right properties for washes (don't forget, like all their products including the "thinner", to shake before dispensing). In fact before using the inks/washes I would make my own by mixing ModelColor and Glaze Medium (and just a bit of water).

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Elm City - so you ca get tide marks from the Vallejo Ink ? I would like to do it purposefully around fueling areas or to do a stain, but to keep it from happening on the whole model, I should give a coat of Future to the whole Tank ?

It it is put over a flat coat, it should spread out over the surface instead of just running to the recesses.

Paint your kit, gloss, wash, flat coat and then put your fuel stains. If you are adding in pigments, you can do old fuel stains under your pigment/dust layer, for newer stains they can be put on over the pigment/dust layer.

The trick is in the multiple subtle layers.

 

[panzerace007]

Duly noted on the Ink mix !

Elm City ... 'Herd that !! Multiple Layers .... Like Our friend the Onion !! many,many layers !!


Feel free to keep chuckin' those tips out with th Inks. This Is ALL welcomed NEWS !!

"But these Inks go to 11 "
Spinal Tap - These Go Up To 11

 

[panzerace007]

The term "Glaze" medium can had different interpretations so I'd avoid the art auxiliaries, but that's just me. Vallejo's is water thin and has just the right properties for washes (don't forget, like all their products including the "thinner", to shake before dispensing). In fact before using the inks/washes I would make my own by mixing ModelColor and Glaze Medium (and just a bit of water).

SUN - I've mixed the Citadel's Wash Sepia with Liquitex's Slow-Dri Blending Gel (acrylic) with great results. I wonder how th Inks would react . ?