Scale Modeling How-To: Dot Filters Explained

Applying dot filters is not difficult from a technique standpoint. The "secret ingredient" is often simply knowing some of the theory behind it. This video explores both theory AND application, using Bandai's Star Wars 1/144 AT-AT Walker as a demonstrator. This technique will work equally well on Gunpla kits from Mobile Suit Gundam, Maschinen Krieger models, and any other scifi or traditional genres.
A previously published blog article also covers this technique: www.jonbius.com/2018/06/29/do...
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[@ajc4477]

Nice to see a tutorial made by someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much - I am grateful!

[@mythopaints3278]

I come from the 28-32 mm scale part of the hobby and I honestly think oils are criminally underused! Thanks for helping to spread the oils way

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! And thanks for watching and commenting!

[@williamclifton8503]

I really like the way you explain your thought process behind what you do. It really helps me to understand how this all works in order to take my building to a new level! Thanks!

[@JonBius]

I'm so glad you found it helpful! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. 😊

[@krzysztofmathews738]

This is an excellent explanation and demonstration. I've heard about this technique from some folks online, but this is the first time I've seen this properly shown. Thank you!

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for your kind words, and thanks for watching and commenting!

[@masoudsotoudeh9243]

You make difficult tasks easy with your comprehensive explanations. Thank you.

[@JonBius]

I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement, and thanks for watching and commenting!

[@jxvolker]

Excellent tutorial on dot filter techique. I learned a lot watching this, Jon.

[@JonBius]

Awesome! I am glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@warrencann3824]

Another really useful video. I like the way you explain things. I have seen a few dot filter videos and I don't think anyone explained why they chose the colours they did.

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! I always try to remember that the "why and what" are often as important, if not more so, than the "how". Thanks for your kind words, and thanks for watching and commenting!

[@axerxes3981]

Thanks for your detailed and hands on explanation of the "Dot Filter" process. Very helpful and informative. Thanks for sharing. Ax

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@ZakuAurelius]

Nice on Jon! I’ve done this a few times with enamels but I’ve been wanting to try with oils! Picked up some cheap ones just to give it a go and get the feel for using them~ now just deciding on a victim!

[@JonBius]

Cool! I'm so glad you liked it! Oils really do take this technique to another level. They blend so nicely. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@steveford6897]

Awesome as usual Jon!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! I am grateful! :D

[@xsamitt]

You have the best way of talking to help us.Thank you so much!

[@JonBius]

That's so kind of you - thanks! I am always grateful to know that the videos help my modeling friends. Happy day to you, and thanks for watching and commenting!

[@stryderprime]

I have those oil paint pens you have here and seeing this tutorial I now know what to do. good work!

[@JonBius]

Thank you so much! Yes - the Oilbrushers work very nicely for this! Have fun with it. :D

[@Gundamuk]

Excellent stuff Jon, thanks again for more invaluable advice :)

[@JonBius]

Thank you so much! I'm grateful for your encouragement. 😊

[@jhoodfysh]

thank you for the detailed explanation Jon, good job.

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your kind words, and for watching and commenting!

[@lv2xlr8NOW]

Super helpful, and just in time. I'm doing a damaged X-wing fighter. Great video and explained well. 🤜🤛

[@JonBius]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting! And I'm so glad it's helpful. Sounds like a cool project too! 😊

[@petermerz2704]

Again, good tips on weathering!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much Peter! I am grateful! :D

[@zpetriw]

Fantastic tutorial. Thank you for sharing!

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much for your kind words, and for watching and commenting!

[@lanesteele240]

this was one of the first videos of yours that i watched. it autoplayed after the weekly upload. so here i am dropping a comment down below. also it is pronounced 502 Achooo

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! That was a fun kit to build. Thanks for wathcing and commenting!

[@kirillkapaln4536]

Speak of the bobb ross and out he comes! Thanks for the tips, entertainment, and abit of the attention span exercising.

[@JonBius]

I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for for your kind words, and for watching and commenting!

[@agasp68]

I feel lucky because my main passion is oil painting, so I have available many oil paints of very good quality. You can really get any kind of effect you are looking for is many creative ways. A while ago I even painted one model only with oil paints 😂😂

[@JonBius]

Yes! Painting with oils allows so many blending opportunities. I've seen Vince Venturella, James Wappel, and a few other mini painters use oils for a full model paint too. Very cool stuff! Thanks for watching and commenting! :D

[@davidstanic3081]

You helped me heaps! Subbed bro

[@JonBius]

Glad I could help, and thanks for the sub!

[@normenbuchmuller4705]

I finally got it, thank you very much! grin

[@JonBius]

Great! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@SprueFascinationChannel]

Nice technique, thanks.

[@JonBius]

Thank you, and thanks for watching! 😄

[@ssgrandall]

thanks, this was great info

[@JonBius]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@joegoddard6895]

Hi Jon thanks this really helps. I’ve had little luck with filters, I’m hoping my problem is the oils I’ve been using, which look almost identical to the ones you said you didn’t have great results with. I Also didn’t think about using the Vallejo washes you mention. Will probably try that on my RF-101C today. Question, I also notice most people tend to apply a wash before filters and after a clear coat. (Future in my case) One problem I’ve had with this is that the oils during the filter stage seem to fill the panel lines with the filter oil colors and cover parts of the wash. Maybe I’m using too many dots in an attempt to make the crappy oils work better. At a bit of a loss. Didn’t realize you had a youtube channel. have followed your blog for sometime. Look forward to seeing more videos.

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much for your kind words, and for watching and commenting! There are several ways to handle that. You could put the dot filter on prior to panel line washes. Once the oils are dry, they're in place and later washes shouldn't impact them. Another way is to just "reinforce" any panel line work done before the dot filter once it is applied. Cheap oils can definitely be a problem. Stick to modeling brands or good artist's brands and you should be golden. (Or shiny ochre... LOL ) Thanks again!

[@tarasduda3518]

Jon, amazing detailed tutorial. Thanks a lot! I’ve just started to use this technique and faced some issues. I paint with acrylics and then cover surface with satin or matt varnish. And after applying oil dots they leave stains on a surface, right on the place where I put them, like small dots. Even after making streaks and trying to wash them off. I use odorless Mig thinner and good oil paints from an art shop. Could you give me a piece of advice of how to deal with it?

[@JonBius]

Thanks for watching and commenting, and for your kind words! I am grateful. Several things to try- - Sometimes a matte finish can be "too matte", and depending on the type of oils, they can grip the surface strongly. Opt for the satin surface and see if that helps. - Try the wet-on-wet method I show at the 26:00 mark. That can help the initial dot be a bit "looser", and not grip as tightly. - Thin the oils just a bit before application. THis can help them move easier. It works especially well with the pre-wetted surface. - Be sure you're working in smaller sections. Some oils can actually begin drying incredibly fast - An alternate technique to try is thinning the oils a bit heavier, almost to the consistency of a wash. Using a liner brush, apply them with light, quick downward strokes, almost a downward flicking motion. Do this with two or three colors, and then lightly blend. - Double check your oil paints. I've found that even if I buy from an art store, if it's part of a set that is cheaper, the oils are usually not as good. I've seen it happen in my own work that oils I thought were good quality leave those dots - and all were from large sets of oils. I hope this will be helpful! Thanks again for your kind words, and for watching and commenting!

[@spruetherapy]

The streaking commment won me over. Have a sub! Oh plus I'm learning how to do all this oil based shennanigans too! :D

[@JonBius]

I'm glad you liked that! Whenever I say "streaking", I am always reminded of its meaning when I was a kid in the 70s, and Ray Stevens song. :) I use oils on several other videos - be sure and take a browse through my videos and playlists! And thank you so much for subscribing - I am so very grateful. :D Have a great day!

[@spruetherapy]

​@@JonBiusA sense of humour in many model related videos seems missing so you stick out, in a good way! :) I've just finished this video. I mainly model WW2 aircraft and have generally used my airbrush and some acrylic and clay washes but I'm looking to get a more weathered look, so oils seem to be the way to go. If you have the time, I'd appreciate you check out my video of the 1/72 FW190 build review and any tips for weathering would be much appreciated. Thanks for this video, it's given me lots of ideas and I'm off to check out your other vids. Cheers! Dan

[@JonBius]

Before I got into scifi, I'd built hundreds of aircraft. This is an older article from my blog, but it may give you some good ideas. www.jonbius.com/2015/11/17/my-weathering-technique/ Oils will definitely up the ante on weathering possibilities. The ability to blend them, apply very thin layers, etc., is a great plus. I don't see them as a replacement for other materials though, but rather as a compliment. I use all of it - acrylics, enamels, oils, pigments, etc. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. HTH! Have fun!

[@spruetherapy]

@@JonBius Thanks for taking the time to reply Jon. Have a good one! :)

[@meh3396]

Thanks for the tutorial. I'm starting to gain more confidence to try this technique out with my gundam kits. But i was wondering, is it possible to use acrylic paints or laquer paints as a substitute for oils?

[@JonBius]

Awesome! I'm so glad you found this helpful! For acrylics, a different application technique is used. The paint must be very, very thin, or an acrylic wash product should be used. One of my older videos demonstrates this technique. (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXKtg6GLraZgi8k) It doesn't give the exact same effect, but it is close enough if acrylics are what you have. (Airbrush streaking is an option too, if you have one available.) I'd not recommend using lacquers. The thinners required to try and replicate either of the methods these videos showed would mess with the paint underneath. Varying the colors slightly in a brush application might work with a hand painted lacquer finish, but it would be quite an advanced technique that I'd only suggest tackling if you are very experienced with brush painting lacquers. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@gerardcampbell3981]

Great weathering video, Jon! I've just got back into building Star Wars models after decades off. I've just completed the Slave 1, which I think turned out OK, and now have the bug: I've got an AT-AT and the Lando Calrissian Millenium Falcon to work on now. My question is: I'm keen to start airbrushing but am totally in the dark over the best air brush for a complete beginner to the technique. Any recommendations on a good starter model? Do I need an air brush with a compressor or is one that fits disposable gas cannisters OK to use? Advice would be appreciated.

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much! I am grateful. Take a look at this video - it answers your questions in detail. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hX_FeJSQat-bg80 And part 1 and 2 cover things in more detail. Short answer - I'd recommend a Badger Patriot 105 and a small compressor like I show in the 2nd video. I've used those for years and they work quite well, and are very affordable. HTH!

[@davidgreen5099]

Thanks! Subbed.

[@JonBius]

Awesome, thank you! I am grateful!

[@saintdane05]

Hey there! Do you need to do any special preparations if you're working with acrylics? Will the terpenoid harm it?

[@JonBius]

Not at all, actually - that is the beauty of using acrylics as the base paint! :D As long as they are dry enough that moisture won't reactive then, you can apply oils as needed, and then use turpenoid over them. The key is just making sure the acrylics are dry. In times when I did speed builds, I'd push the envelope and use them sparingly over acrylics that had only been applied a few minutes before. However, I'd recommend several hours/overnight for the acrylic paints before applying oils. As always, running a few tests will always be helpful! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@booger12345]

I've been looking for videos to help explain this technique and yours is the best I've found! When it comes to buying oil colors though, I'm a bit lost. Are there any suggestions you have for good oil colors to start with that can be used on multiple colors? Or should I aim to get colors to match the project I'm working on? Thanks for posting such an informative video!

[@JonBius]

Thank you so much for your kind words - I am so glad this video was helpful! For years I had a very, very simple set of oils - white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, raw umber, and Payne's gray. The yellow and umber afforded some warm tones, while the combination of the others gave a variety of cool tones. Add in a good red, yellow, and blue, and theoretically you can mix any color. I'd suggest starting with a limited palette like that, and then add in additional colors only as you need them. For me, I found it more economical to mix colors a bit rather than spend quite a bit on a single tube that might be used only a few times. You may also want to check out those Oilbrushers by Ammo. They cost far less than tube oils, and can give you a wider palette at a lower cost (if that is an issue of course!). But I think starting with a few flexible, "universal" colors that can be mixed to add additional tones will help you the most, and identify where it might be easiest to buy further colors that get a lot of usage. Hope that helps!

[@booger12345]

@@JonBius thanks for the reply! I had some mig oil brushers and had no idea how to use them, but I also got some if the abteilung oils. Can't wait to try them and looking forward to more vids!

[@JonBius]

@@booger12345 No problem! Be sure and subscribe! (Thank you. :) )

[@robbie_rohm88]

Thank you for the extra amount of detail in this video. Can I ask how you control the streak locations? I mean, the holes on the surface of the piece would obviously hold water, and over time, just like in real life, the dirt would dilute with the pooled water and dirty streaking would ORIGINATE from the holes. I’m yet to watch a video that highlights that exact detail.

[@JonBius]

That's a great question. The short answer is that not every streak requires a start point, basically. It would definitely originate from recesses, holes, rivets, etc. But if you examine the sides of any vehicle that is dirty, weathered, worn, etc., there are streaks and discolorations that seemingly have no origin point from a side view. There may be an origin point on the top of the vehicle, or the process of dust, dew, more dust, more dew, rain, etc., can create micro textures that will later result in all manner of slight discoloration and tonal variation across the surface. I always view the dot filter process as a way of adding overall tonal variety. While sometimes I do deliberately streak areas from a particular origin point while adding dot filters, I generally leave those more specific streaks until later in the process. I hope that helps. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@EMTBAFV]

How did you go around it at the start? Did you clear coat it with matt, Satan, Gloss for example? It works better on a matt surface the blendings alot nicer but it's not as recoverable as if using a Satan or gloss coat it'll seap into the paint we do it both ways matt surface is more popular way, it's been a good how-to video though! Happy New year 🎉

[@JonBius]

It's been so long since I did that video I can't recall. My memory is it was either matte or satin. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@artsmodelstation9396]

Jon - do u have video on how u used ur airbrush to create the effect on model ?

[@JonBius]

No, I sure don't - but it's in my plans for the next few months. Basically, I took advantage of how well Tamiya paints work when heavily thinned with alcohol. Shot through a .2 or .3 airbrush in quick, light passes, you can do a really quick job of laying down some nice basic streaking. HTH!

[@artsmodelstation9396]

Jon Bius ok. do u recall colors u used ?

[@mickcorbett2501]

I'm wondering if you have a video that shows how you got the airbrush streaking effect before you added the dot matrix streaking? I've seen how you do the mottling effect is it a similar technique?

[@JonBius]

Yes, it is very similar. I essentially do the mottling spray (like I did on this Viper kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2mXh62No8qNiKM), and then once that is in place, I thin the paint down, lighten it up, and just start doing vertical streaking in light, quick passes. I just keep varying the paint, a little lighter, a little darker, until I get it like I want. They key is thin paint- build it up slowly. A video about that is a good idea - I need to work that in to a future build. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@mickcorbett2501]

@@JonBius Thank's for the quick reply! Love your videos they're very informative and as a beginner I feel like I have learn't loads already watching your videos and I'm excited to trying out different techniques. It's a great looking effect and I shall be trying it out. I have the Bandai Snowspeeder so will be trying out the mottling effect on that. Thanks again

[@JonBius]

@@mickcorbett2501 Cool! I'm so glad it the videos have helped. Be sure and check out my Snowspeeder series - it might spark some ideas.

[@artsmodelstation9396]

What oil colors u recommend for ships grey hull ? Same as u used ?

[@JonBius]

I'll have to give a politician's answer... "It depends." :) If you're wanting to keep the overall tones cooler, then using the colors shown in the video would work well. This would probably work best in a static setting with the model on a stand. (Although test how it looks over a red lower hull - it may dull it down more than you want. Warm colors may look better on the red parts.) If you're having it in a water based setting, then whatever conditions you're trying to suggest there would dictate it. For example, if the water effects were very rough, and the lighting effects were imagined as cloudy, you might want to go for bolder, cool tones to suggest movement, water running down, etc. If it were calmer water, you could do warm tones on one side, and cool on the other, to suggest a setting/rising sun. So I'd say that you'd want to first consider the setting you will place it in. Hope that helps - thanks for watching and commenting!

[@artsmodelstation9396]

Jon Bius cools tones definitely. thx.

[@wolowizard4441]

Hey mate, I’m going to take the dive and start using oil paints!! Do you have the prime the model before you start the pin wash/dot filter? I’ve heard that you need to cover the model with a satin varnish. This will be impossible for me because I haven’t got an airbrush and can’t find any satin varnish sprays. Thank you

[@JonBius]

Give it a try! Just put down your primer/paint as you normally would. Once those are dry, the oils can go over the top - as long as the paint underneath is acrylic or lacquer. If they're enamels, you'll definitely need an acrylic clear coat. The oils generally go best over a satin finish, though matt can work too. Gloss isn't ideal because the oils just streak away. Hope that helps! Thanks for wathcing and commenting.

[@wolowizard4441]

@@JonBiusI'm basing a Sherman with Vallejo US olive drab, so that's an acrylic paint :) Will the thinner I'm using to blend the oil paints upset the acrylic base paint?

[@JonBius]

@@wolowizard4441 As long as your using odorless thinners for oils & enamels, you should be good to go. Test a small area to double check, but that should get you going! Have fun!

[@manchild2223]

Great teacher! Thanks for all of the details. I’m new to scale modeling and have a question about the order of paint layers. Does this sound right, 1. Acrylic primer 2. Acrylic base coat 3. Gloss varnish 4. Apply filter 5. Apply panel lines 6. Apply wash 7. Apply dust affects 8. Appt matte varnish. I’m confused about the order of things. Any help is much appreciated.

[@JonBius]

Thanks so much for your kind words! The primer type is not critical - the main thing is to prime it. For the base coat, I prefer an acrylic or lacquer paint. (I think I used Tamiya in this instance.) Generally I don't gloss coat before the dot filter. The dot filter technique needs some grip, otherwise it all just slides off. If you do seal it at this point, I'd recommend satin varnish. Once the dot filter is applied, you can either seal it (gloss or satin) and then do the follow on effects, or just go straight into the follow on effects. It all depends on the look you're trying to achieve. The key is experimentation. The range of possibilities is huge, so repetition and not being afraid of "messing up" is critical to growing in weathering. Ultimately the goal is for you to control the technique - not the other way around. 😊 I hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@fangchern691]

Hi Jon, enjoy this video very much. Would you recommend to do dot filter on Bandai 1/5000 Star Destroyer? If yes, what are the colour to use ?

[@JonBius]

You could, but it would need to be very, very subtle given the scale. I'd stick with grays, and maybe a few blue-gray colors. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@fangchern691]

@@JonBius Thank you for the valuable advice. I watched several dot filter videos including yours, frankly speaking I'm not sure what colours to use for each different background, like a grey Rebel fighter from star wars , a Gunpla like green zaku, etc.

[@JonBius]

@@fangchern691 I always start by thinking about the overall impression I want to leave. For example, if I want something to look dirty versus aged, that gets me started. Warm colors generally make a model look dirty, while cooler tones indicate aging. This works over any color in general. But you can also just think of the variants of a color. For example, a green Zaku would be helped by using various tones of green to help age it. Subtle hints of a yellow and blue (which make up green of course) will also help. Then, if you want some areas to also appear weathered, go to the opposite side of the color wheel and use a few variations of red - brown colors, reds, etc. Again, subtlety is usually best, and just build it up. And don't discount experimentation. Learning what colors work, and which ones don't, ultimately comes from trying it all out. Don't fear experimenting - you'll learn a lot more by a willingness to try different things. It's really helped me! I hope this "food for thought" is helpful!

[@fangchern691]

@@JonBius Thank you so much again. Indeed experimenting is so important.

[@uglitor]

Should one do panel line washes (enamels) before or after this dot technique? If before, would the thinner possibly ruin the panel line wash?

[@JonBius]

Thanks for watching and commenting - I am grateful! I generally do the panel line washes after this technique. Once the oils have been given time to cure, they're generally rock solid as long as you don't flood the surface. HTH! Have a great day!

[@uglitor]

@@JonBius Thank you Sir!

[@benzone3711]

Can this be done over airbrushed acrylic paint? If so does the acrylic paint layer need protecting first with a clear layer?

[@JonBius]

Absolutely! I use oils over acrylics all the time. I've done it with clear protective coats, and without. It depends on what you're trying to do, and what's underneath. (Here's a video I did about knowing what to use when. It's focused on Gundam, but the principles apply universally. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mquWeItohraEmsk) Rule of thumb - if you're not sure, clear coat it. For the dot filter method, a satin varnish works well. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@benzone3711]

@@JonBius thanks for the reply and the link, I'm building a model of the Power Loader from Aliens, so gundam is pretty close!

[@benzone3711]

Reply for the mighty algorithm.

[@EMTBAFV]

Us armour modeller's will dampen the brush slightly first before starting pulling the oils down! Definitely makes the world of difference doing this at the very first stroke! Maybe give it a bash I think you'll end up liking it alot more and you don't need as much dots to get a great effect but there's not just one way that's right it's trial n error but try the damp brush on first strike! Alot of the linseed oil is soaked out of Ammos it saves us a day of leaving the oils on a bit of cardboard to soak up the linseed oil over night before applying or it'd never dry that's really why they dry faster you don't want the linseed oil on your paintwork!

[@JonBius]

Yep, that works too! I've done that but found I prefer the other ways.. But whatever gets you the desired results is good! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@hanifbudisatrio9772]

will acrylic paints be as good as that? excellent tutorial video sir👍

[@JonBius]

Thank you so much for your kind words! Acrylic paints wont work for this particular method. They'll dry too fast, and you wouldn't be able to streak them. The long drying time of oils is what makes the dot filter method work. A similar effect can be achieved with acrylic washes, however. Check out this older video I did and see if it doesn't give you some ideas. Hope that helps! (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXKtg6GLraZgi8k) Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@giuliogennaro4281]

Jon, a question, it looks like you are applying dot fiter before panel lining / pinwahsh. Is it correct? Thanks

[@JonBius]

In this case, yes. I generally prefer to do lining/pinwashes after the dot filters have dried thoroughly. However, sometimes I forget, or decide later to add it. In any case, you can always go back and enhance the lining/pinwash as needed. (IIRC, I used a mechanical pencil for the panel lining on this one...) Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@cobusprinsloo]

How long do W&N oils take to dry?

[@JonBius]

I'll have to give a " politician's answer" - it depends. The variables that go into are: - How much oil you've allowed to leach out into a carboard palette - How thick the application is - Whether you've used any drying agents (like VMS Oil Expert) Generally when I use thin applications thinned with VMS Oil expert, things are pretty much rock solid within 24 hours, and I've been able to work over them within just a few hours of application. The key will be to experiment a bit and find the sweet spot that works for you. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ryan072581]

what kind of thinner are you using that isnt eating completely through your top coat and paint???

[@JonBius]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioDcZXaObN10mK8 HTH

[@ryan072581]

​@JonBius i am familiar with using a lacquer top coat before applying an enamel wash or panel liner and cleaning up with enamel thinner, which according to every tutorial i've seen, is not supposed to effect anything but the enamel, but i have found that unless you are very quick and gingerly with it, it will easily eat down to the primer...

[@JonBius]

@@ryan072581 That's one of the reasons I stick with acrylics, for both clear coats and paint. Far less chance of interaction. I've not had the problem you mention, but it doesn't surprise me. The only clear coats I use any more are acrylic. (Unless it's a final matt coat and nothing will go over it afterwards.)

[@ryan072581]

just read something about the Testor's Enamel Thinner that i use being too hot for this. certainly found out the hard way that zippo fluid (naptha) is even hotter, lol

[@JonBius]

@@ryan072581 Oh yes - Testors, Tamiya, Humbrol, etc., tend to be quite hot. I stick with either the art store odorless thinner, or AK or Ammo. Lighter fluid is talked about a lot as a low cost alternative, but it is so caustic, and so noxious in terms of odor, that I gave up on it after one attempt.

[@BrailleScale]

I can't be sure of the truth behind my understanding of the original "full spectrum" dot filter. I do think it started in Spain (by Mig even? Not sure) but I believe the idea was to add a kind of "bright sunny day" kind of filter. Since a basic filter is one tone and typically warm or cool, the idea is just to quickly combine multiple warm and cool filters at once. I think the streaking effect was almost a byproduct at first. But since direct, bright, natural light in sunny Spain (or anywhere else) is made up of all the ROYGBIV colors- one adds a kind of "random lighting effect" filter to unify the surface with an overall vibrant saturation as opposed to a cool pallet or a warm pallet. I do prefer the warm or cool pallet because I think it better sets the scene. Most stories, especially war stories, involve weather, be it the snowy ice of Russia, Bastogne, Hoth, or the dry sands of North Africa, or Tatooine- the warm and cool feelings have to be represented both in scale or on film by the pallet choices. Now I have also tried experimenting with my dot filters by putting more lighter dots closer to the light source and more darker dots as one gets farther away. But it seems to all come out in the wash more or less blended regardless. Really just a great way to unify a base coat- especially if it is a multicolored camouflage. Thanks for the tips and the perspective!! I really love the mottled look on the roof and think it would be cool to see the streaking on a flat surface to indicate speed like you mentioned.

[@JonBius]

Good stuff - thanks!

[@buddykiller]

5:51 help, i can't breath and my sides have left orbit!

[@JonBius]

Glad you liked that.... it just sort of came out. :)

[@Grifftrogg]

I really need to think harder about picking up some oil paint.

[@JonBius]

It's great stuff!

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

: ) the 502 is pronounced "Ahb-Tie-Lung" it is german for detailing

[@JonBius]

Say it is? 😉😁 I did not know that is what it meant - cool! Thanks for watching and commenting! I am grateful!

[@barpfoto]

Except he has no idea what he’s talking about. the translation is “division” or “department”.

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

@@barpfoto You are right about translation, the pronunciation is correct though. But thanks for correcting my mistake : )

[@leeboyd1128]

Ha! Please tell me you're a Ray Stevens fan.

[@JonBius]

Absolutely! 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@leeboyd1128]

@@JonBius I love it. ETHEL! I'm really wanting to learn this dot filter technique. Great video. Keep them coming.

[@raimee81]

Long winded and over explained. EXACTLY the kind of info I need ;-p.

[@JonBius]

🤣 Thank you Raimy! I did want to make sure I covered it thoroughly. And thank you for watching and commenting - I am grateful. Have a great day!