You can use artist oils to simulate dirty streaks, grime, and dust to your model armored fighting vehicle while adding color variations that occur with exposure to the elements. You just need a few colors, thinner, and a brush.
For this example, I’ll use 502 Abteilung Earth, Sepia, and Light Mud oil paints with odorless paint thinner. However, you can use any brand of artist oil paint and compatible thinner.
Start with a dot filter: Place dots of your chosen colors randomly on the model. I tend to concentrate lighter colors at the top of the vehicle and darker colors under prominent features, but that’s not a hard-and-fast rule.
Once the dots are applied, use a larger flat brush moistened with thinner to streak the colors from top to bottom. Remove enough of the paint to keep the effect subtle but retain color variations and streaking.
Let the dot filter dry overnight (at least). Use the darkest color from the filter to apply pin washes along panel lines and around details like bolt heads. Vary the density of the wash depending on how dark you need it for the area. Remember, you can always reapply.
Dry-brush with the lightest oil color used in the dot filter. This picks out highlights, replicates dust, and increases contrast. Go slowly and blend thoroughly with a clean, wide brush to smooth the paint to an almost translucent consistency.
A product like Ammo by Mig Jimenez Splashes Turned Dirt (No. A.MIG.1763) works wonderfully for, well, splashes. Just get a small amount of paint on a stiff-bristled brush and drag it over a toothpick. With a bit of practice, you can get random, but controlled, spatters.
Before making the spatters, I’ll mix a little of the artist oils for the dot filter into the Ammo Splashes to help tie the colors together — the product is an enamel and can be mixed successfully with oil paints and diluted with odorless thinner.
If you decide to mount the model to a base, after you’ve attached it, apply the same mixture to the groundwork and wheels to tie the scene together.
Weathering and dirt add interest and realism to a model. Of course, there are many more applications for artist oils and enamels, but using these techniques together will definitely lift your model to the next level.