Pigments: The Basics
October 22, 2019 by avernos
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Really good tips in this. I’ve a bad habit of airbrushing half my pigments off when varnishing… really need to remember to stop doing that!
One thing I would say is don’t forget that pigments and pastels come in lots of different colours so pinks, reds, blues and purples can all be used to jazz a model or base up.
Or weathering, blues, greens and reds make great oxides.
White for concrete dust.
Yellow for sand.
I don’t think there is a colour that couldn’t be used.
Not only oxides, but mould! Have you used the Tamiya stuff that looks like make-up? Those are brilliant.
Nice never used powders before the pencil trick was great could be a good way get a set of pencils for two quid for a range of colours on standby.
Not sure how other coloured pencils would work. Regular pencils do because metallic pigment is just graphite
But the first pigments I messed around with was a £3 box of artists chalk pastels. 8 colours in there and pretty much all of them could be used for one effect or another
you can also use the eye shadow makeup… though I recommend buying some rather than pinching the other halfs stash…my wife didn’t appreciate me scraping some of her eye shadow for modelling
Very interesting This is one technique I must try. Thanks Jerry, pass the Jameson.
sláinte
So whats your preferred way of sealing in pigment powders so they don’t flake off over time, but also don’t fade, wash, or blow away when applying the seal? I just try to be careful with airbrushing a coat of varnish immediately after applying any pigment, but it tends to be less pronounced afterwards.
drop on alcohol normally, then hit it with airbrush varnish afterwards. But yeah it’s never quite the same, diorama builders have it easy…bastards!
Nice one… just Saturday I bought pastel colours to grind them down for pigments XD
Nice.I shall remember this lesson and look for budgie sand and pastels. 🙂
I would like to add that when you use pastels for pigment make sure they are dry, and not the oil pastels. Those have their use, but if your looking to stay with water, use dry.
Great video guys, looking forward to seeing more content like this especially stuff that showcases the green stuff world products you have available now.
cool beans Gerry !
Great video, I’ve had pigments on the shelf for while now but never had the nerve to try. I will have to try them now.
If you put them on dry or with water at the start you can always add or subtract with water.
I’d recommend that for a beginner. Just varnish your mini first and if it doesn’t work out wash it off and try again.
The graphite is brilliant (and cheap!) for making shiny, worn metal on tanks, especially the tracks. I don’t have much experience with tanks but have driven a few tracklayers and the tracks and dozer blades get that shiny, worn look. Do you then seal the applied pigments under clear or matte varnish?
Yup varnish afterwards to stop it rubbing off
Good video, thanks for this – keep them coming.
I hope the budgie sand was clean…
I’ve used some pigments when weathering the tops/sides of vehicles but for the mud, I just found it easier to use dried mud from my back garden (the finest Sussex Low Weald soil) mixed with pva glue. Works a treat on my 15mm vehicles and very quick to do. Cheap as well! Wouldn’t do it for anything larger scale as it wouldn’t look as good – that’s a job for the pigments.
it was clean but it wasn’t happy when I opened the door to the cage to get it from it!
I believe fine scale modelers and railroad modelers have used soft pastel chalk markers.
an excellent intro to using pigments
I’m going to be honest this blew my mind how well this works. Especially the pencil trick such a brilliant effect and such an easy way to do it.
This will help add life to my flames of war Americanskys
thanks for this video. Pigments aren’t something I’ve tried before so a simple how to showing all of the basic uses is ideal.
anything I can do to help 😉
Great video.
I’ve got most of those items lying around, but had no idea how to use them!
I’ll have to give it a go now!
Great tutorial. Have been wondering about these pigment things. The pencil graphite for metals looks great.
Will brush on varnish work to seal pigments? Just worried that the brush action could wipe them off?