So filthy

My friends, it's time for some weathering! The weather outside is disgusting, so it's the best time for modelling, and yesterday I was tested negative in our country-wide Covid testing. 

So, as usual I started with some textured earth on the lower portions. This time I kept it really subtle because I don't want the model to look extremely muddy (I'm keeping that for the next model 😁)

Then some real earth and loose grass - real earth from my garden and grass is made from sea ball (sea grass) cut into random short pieces. To fix it in place I tested VMS Ballast Freeze for the first time. Compared to AK Gravel and Sand Fixer it's water based and won't hurt the paint. However it has some "body" aka when it dries, it can leave raised visible blobs. I found that the best way to work with it is to load it into your brush, flood the surface containing loose debris and then use tap water to move the debris into desired position and feather the edges of the ballast freeze. You can also use a large soft brush to remove excess water and fixer to speed up the drying process. Once it dries it leaves barely visible satin residue similar to what Gravel and Sand fixer does. Another big advantage is that ballast freeze won't get reactivated with enamel thinner, so it's safe to paint over it. 

Once this was done, I did some pre-dusting with an airbrush. Nothing crucial again, because we don't want the model to be completely covered in dirt! It's just a foundation for enamel paints and it also helps to blend the textured mud and loose ground with the surface. So now I'm gonna start blending some enamel earth tones on top of that. Also, note how I masked the unsprayed parts behind the tow cables 😆

Also, welcome all new Patrons! As always, I'll be sending refunds to everyone who joined at the end of the month!