Q regarding weathering with hairspray and salt

[JMichael]

I will be trying the 'salt and hairspray' weathering technique this weekend and have a Q regarding the paint used for the base coat. Does it need to be acrylic to properly remove?

Here's my basic understanding of the process:
Paint the model rust colored (and add other rusty colors for variation).
Spray with Hairspray
sprinkle salt areas to show through the rust
spray the main color (and paint other colors)
use water and brush to flake off the salt, exposing the rust underneath.

I plan on using Testors Model Master spray paint for the main color. This is not a water based paint.

Will this work? Or is an acrylic based spray required to allow the salt to 'melt' off.

Thanks for your input. The several tutorials and videos I've seen don't mention the type of paint as most of them are using an airbrush.

 

[Einion]

Using the Testors Model Master paint for the main colour shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I think you'd want to be careful not to apply it too heavily. It might also be an idea not to let it fully cure after you've applied it, so don't leave it a day or more before you go at it with the water.

Like with anything, the best way to find out is to do a test or two...

Einion

 

[StillLifeMiniatures]

The other hairspray technique is to spray the hairspray into an empty cup and then (with a brush you will never use again) paint on the hairspray in the areas you would like them to so that the whole model isn't covered in a thin coat of hair products. I don't think using Testor's would be a problem as the hairspray and salt *should* peel off from the undercoat and take the Testors with it. The only problem I can think of with it is if the Testors has a rubbery consistency and doesn't come off without pulling additional surrounding paint off. Eh, try it.... and let us know if the Testors works. Good luck.

 

[Jericho]

Definitely do a test model. The first time I did this (to a friend's Land Raider Crusader) the results looked great... until the entire surface of the tank melted under the tap and I was left with a plain brown tank again. Too much hairspray

Second attempt that day worked beautifully.

 

[JMichael]

I'm giving a go this weekend on a 40k Sisters Immolator. Main color is Desert Sand. I will do a test on another Rhino chassis I have. I don't want to over do the 'rust'.

 

[Crackpot]

@Jericho
LOL, got the exact same problem yesterday. The salt came of nicely, but so did the main color. DOHHH!

On my second attempt I didn't wet the surface but only rubbed the salt of with my finger and a hard clayshaper. Worked good so far...

 

[Enkiel]

i did it with my Dark Eldar Ravager/Raider... But instead of hair spray, i used water (i think it does a better job, especially since water will melt the salt a bit, make it stickier).

Using water to remove the salt is not a good idea. just brushing is much, much better for the final result.

You can see my walkthru here ;
http://enkiel.blogspot.com/2010/12/starting-dark-eldar.html

 

[RuneBrush]

Don't go overboard with the hairspray - a light dusting is enough and put the salt on in little batches. Trying to hairspray the whole vehicle and then salt will mean parts will have already dried.

As Enkiel says, the biggest disadvantage of using water to remove the salt is that it can remove the top coat and leave salt marks on the surface. This applies even with a non-water based top coat as the hairspray will prevent it adhering as well as it could. Alternatively you could *just* run it under water and letting the water remove the salt

Have a look at: http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?34057-A-Couple-of-Space-Wolf-Vehicles as it shows what I've done previously.

pete.

 

[JMichael]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The hairspray in batches as RuneBrush suggested was a great idea, and one I might have overlooked.

All in all it turned out pretty good and was fairly easy.
Some lessons I learned:
-Use table salt. I only had Kosher Salt which has larger crystals, but this caused the spray paint (base color) to not have full coverage around some larger odd shaped salt crystals. Thus many of the 'rust holes' has soft edges instead of the nice hard edges.
-Several light coats of the primary color. I did only one coat in fear of putting too heavy a coat and thus sealing in the salt. First time, so better under do it than over do it.
-No good brush painting over the salt! This should be a 'Duh!', but first time and all...I wanted teh doors and a stripe red. So, red spray paint for those areas next time. Brush painting over teh salt either removed the salt (at least my bursh licking had a nice salty taste!), or completely sealed the salt in.

I did not need to wet my brush when removing the salt, just used a firm large flat brush to flake off the salt.
I did go a little overboard with the rust pigment, but hey I had fun!

Overall, a very easy and effective method. I'm a fan!
I have 5 more Rhino chassis (Immolators, Exorcists, Rhinos) and look forward to experimenting with different levels of rust.