One of my projects which are relatively close to the finish line is Saladin. Just before it went into storage I was experimenting with weathering the wheels, using techniques I have read about at that time.

Now Saladin sits on my bench and hopefully will get finished soon!

I have first weathered lower part of the hull, so that the wheels can be mounted. I used mix of pigments, which i have sprinkled on the hull turned upside down and then fixed it with enamel thinner. To blend the thinned with the surrounding surfaces, I have applied mottled layer of AK’s Dust and Dirt deposits enamel wash. I have tried to airbrush it, but it went quite difficult as after few seconds the airbrush got clogged, so I was more using burst here and there. I am trying to figure out how to deal with it, as on the older models as far as I can recall, I was able to airbrush enamel washes…

Wheels were weathered using mix of the same Dust & Dirt wash and pigment mix. I have applied the mix on the wheels one by one by hand, let it dry a bit and then removed it from the raised surfaces using napkin, brushes and fingers moistened with enamel thinner. In this way the wash and thinner got accumulated in the details and sunken surfaces on the wheels. In few places I have been bit too intensive as the layer of rubber black was removed as well, I have fixed it by locally dry brushing acrylic rubber black paint back.

At the end the wheels got mounted, I always like to see the models with the wheels and everything…

Next I will be on to the top and blending the whole weathering around the model.

 See previous part