MENG Model Sd.Kfz.182 King Tiger [WIP - Pin Wash / Outlining of Tank Turret and Road Wheels]

Fresh from my relative success working with oils, I decided to take a step further by using oil paints to create a pin wash for the outlining process of the King Tiger. My usual go-to pin wash have been either Tamiya's enamel-based Panel Line Accent Color or Mr.Hobby's oil-based Mr.Weathering Color paints. Now don't get me wrong as both work great with their inherent pros and cons, and I don't intend to abandon either as a weathering tool. But being already knee-deep in oil paints, I thought this would be a good time as any to try out a self-mixed wash using said oil paints and white spirit.        

Pin wash hue comprised a mix of Raw Umber and Lamp Black from the Winton oil paints

Tin tray containing oil paints and white spirit was placed on an IKEA candle holder for extra stability

In a nutshell, the pin wash / outlining process creates depth by bringing out the details

Using an oil wash actually provides two advantages - one each over acrylic and enamel washes. My acrylic wash pet peeve is its quick drying time, and the difficulty in removing it once dry. In contrast, an oil wash dries slowly and during that time it can be easily removed with white spirit. This allows for a more controlled shaping of the shadows and depth by eliminating washes from places that it had unintentionally flowed into e.g. raised (or the highlight) areas of a surface. And while enamel washes can be wiped off, the thinners used to do this can be too aggressive on the scale model kit plastic or on the basecoat paint layer. Thus far, white spirit seems to be much kinder to plastic and paint.      

King Tiger road wheels within the tank tracks BEFORE the pin wash / outlining process

King Tiger road wheels within the tank tracks AFTER the pin wash / outlining process

While the effects of a pin wash or outlining are clear cut on the road wheels, it's more subtle for the tank turret. Pin wash was applied on the grooves of the gun barrel and mantlet; on the weld lines; on the innards of the top hatch; on parts of the zimmerit; and on every nook and cranny on the turret. In the end, the overall effect saw the turret take on more depth and its details brought out.

Tank turret is now better defined after the pin wash / outlining process

Details are brought out in subtle ways like in the darkened grooves of the gun barrel and mantlet

Care was taken not to let the pin wash pool on the tank turret's zimmerit layer

One challenge I did face when outlining was to prevent the wash from pooling too much within the zimmerit layer. Too much wash accumulating in the crevices of the zimmerit layer and the tank turret would have become too dark. Moreover, it would have also looked too dirty but the wrong kind of dirty. While plans for the dust and dirt weathering have not been finalized, the idea is to layer on more buff and/or ochre hues as opposed to the black browns of the existing oil wash.   

Weld lines as well as every nook and cranny on the turret roof were given a subtle application of pin wash

Wash further 'dirties up' the tank number decals giving them a more realistic look

Pin wash does a great job of bringing out the details of the turret hatch

Faded look of the gun barrel/mantlet becomes more prominent given the contrast provided by the pin wash

The pin wash and outlining process will be repeated on the hull after the pioneer tools (engineering equipment) attached to it has been painted up. So the next step will involve painting small details; something I haven't done in a long time. The irony is that I'll be doing it on a 1/35 scale kit rather than resin figurines as I'm wont to do. But it's all good as it might just wet my appetite to jump start my miniature figurine projects again. Speaking of which I had better find the inspiration to resume work on the 1/12 scale Race Queen figurine again. And then there's the Tamiya Volkswagen Beetle and Bandai First Order Stormtrooper that has yet to start. So much to do, so little time.