STOP OVER-WEATHERING YOUR SCALE MODELS

[@hanschristianben505]

the amount of hate in the comments section is astounding, to say the least… but from reading, it seems that either they don’t really understood what he was saying, or even watched the whole damn thing in the first place… he never said to not do weathering… nor he berated those who do apply it heavily… nor he said not to do it at all… he was just giving suggestions on how to do weathering - based on realistic settings… that’s all… if the modeler has other preferences or aim for their subject, then of course feel free to do so… PS: before anybody here questions my credibility, I’ve been in and around airplanes (combat aircraft, mind you) since I was a kid, and I’ve been flying airplanes for my career for a decade and a half (and counting already), so don’t give me that “have you ever been around an operational aircraft” BS, or else I’m going to chew you down like my plane’s turbine engine does to a bird.

[@chrisveya7556]

Thank you for this perfect summary! 😄👍🏻

[@aleks1939]

Excessive weathering has become a cult unfortunately.

[@j.heilig7239]

Exactly. “The way I do it is the only way to do it” regardless of whether it looks like a real airplane or a cartoon.

[@lpjmodels]

My advice to modellers. Build how you like. Wanna weather the heck out of something ? Go ahead . Wanna go squeaky clean? Go for it.

[@chrisveya7556]

Exactly my words, if you have the patience, skills and time to do heavy weathering, go ahead and enjoy! If not? No problem, its not only okey, sometimes even more accurate. Thank you for your feedback!

[@scottfw7169]

Likely varies with whether the builder is looking at the model as a historical documentary or as an artwork. Railway modeling has similar weathering factors in play, but, at least here in the US, it also has some real world locomotives and freight cars which went three decades without being repainted, and were only minimally touched up; the mechanical bits got plenty of attention, but the paint, all it got was "Yeah, yeah, whatever". Also coming to mind is the Aircraft Resource Center forum thread having contemporary photographs of some active military aircraft with multiple layers of paint patching and touchup variations it would take multiple hours to replicate on a model.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes, you are exactly right. It really depends on if the model should be more or less accurate or a piece of weaterhing effect art. And as i said, people who have the patience, skills and time are excluded of this. And having the fun in mind, i just want to say, its not only okey to build a kit with sublte weathering, sometimes its even more accurate. It always depends on the subject. Thanks for the feedback!

[@scottbuildsthemall5124]

I personally go with subtle weathering. As a fellow modeler once said, I know what dirt looks like, I am building a model to represent a vehicle. Having served on aircraft carriers, I can attest that the planes were maintained, and much of the weathering was touch up painting following maintenance for corrosion control.

[@Tekjoe25]

I had a friend in the Fleet Air Arm who described being involved in this exact same work on Sea Harriers. Couldn't believe the trouble they went to.A lot of attention to detail.

[@ianbeale2527]

Dark washes and panel lines is one of my gripes.Also when a lot of new techniques are applied to one kit, when a couple would have made it look more realistic. But - it's up to the modeller and how much artistic license they take when weathering a kit. I have watched many, many builds on KZbin that have pushed past the realistic weathering stage and continued on to make the kit look unrealistic by the finish. But it seems from the comments in those videos that it's the latest trend to do X,Y AND Z, instead of just X and Y. One of my favourite "over weathering" was a Hawker Hunter display aircraft "Miss Demeanour". Covered in panel lines, washes, chipping, grime etc, etc. The real aircraft having a pristine, polished paint job !

[@giorgoschrysochoos8874]

I'm mostly building 1/350 ships. Subtle weathering is the key. Perhaps it's the scale. Perhaps is the appeal of looking at a minimal weathered ship on the shelf instead of a 'rust bucket'. I'm with you on this one. Keep up the good work!

[@jameslarosa2396]

With ships, I see beautiful dioramas with the ship crashing through waves but there isn't any water on the deck. I find that questionable.

[@chrisveya7556]

This is exactly how i saw a model of a ship in my mind in the past, a rust bucket. Of course these exist, but its the minority for sure. Thanks for the feedback!

[@CaptSpeirsB744]

You should look at WWII US Navy Carrier borne aircraft. They were sun bleached, paint worn of leading edges and heavily exhaust and oil stained. The South Pacific Theater was brutal on equipment, the sun and salt water was maintenance crews worsted enemy.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely right, im not saying anything is wrong with weathering, just think about why, where and how the effects should be applied. I didnt do this really in the past. Thanks for the feedback!

[@BigE-wf6zo]

Im old...plastic model making has moved away from a kids hobby or interest to the adult world I started making models in the middle of the 70s. I still make model kits and enjoy it completely. Here's my take, simply enjoy building the kit. Learn as you go... you'll get better. Enjoy the time. 😊

[@chrisveya7556]

💯 Thanks for the feedback!

[@crs9796]

Very interesting. I agree with most of what you say, but my grandfather was an armorer on Spitfires during the battle of Britain, and he said that some of the aircraft got crawled over so often between missions and got so abused, they looked terrible. Although care was taken to do the servicing correctly, there was much paint chipped off around the gun service doors, wing roots for pilot and crew standing, and fuel fills, spills, oil refills etc. They just didn't have time to make them look pretty.

[@TheKipperedOne]

I agree. I have always been more impressed looking at models that were subtly weathered. Really interesting post - thank you. Subscribed!

[@chrisveya7556]

I wasnt at first but now i got an overdose somehow and started to get more subtle in my work and i think it starts paying off Thanks for the sub!

[@19KiloM1A1]

A lot of this depends on the model and theater of operation. Armor models need a lot of weathering. Aircraft in the Pacific need a fair amount as well. It just all depends.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely, these are decisive facts and they should be considered to get convincing results. Its what i didnt consider in the past and applied heavy weathering anyway😄

[@davidmccann9811]

I remember reading somewhere that the grit and dust blown up by props on coral islands literally 'sandblasted' the aircraft.

[@unclebobsbees4899]

​@@davidmccann9811Quite true. Coral sand highly abrasive.

[@kenhanson1819]

I really enjoyed your video. I would say I'm a subtle weathering guy, but often I find it is easy to go overboard without realizing it until I'm finished. I think this is primarily because it's an enjoyable technique to do, and so when you're having fun applying the weathering it's easy to get carried away with it. I love your suggestion about doing subtle layering instead. Your examples look amazing, so I will give them a try!

[@c123bthunderpig]

At last, a model builder with an excellent presentation on weathering. I re-entered the hobby after a long sabbatical and it was like Ripp van Winkle. Materials ,like weathering , panel liners paints etc. I thought to be a successful builder I had to use all these materials. I quickly found it was not my " old " style and wasted time and money trying to return to building for fun. My older kits looked fine, besides weathering combinations typically get diluted with trying to seal the surface for the next step. And weathering just like surface details, do not scale well. Last , I see kits with super weathering but perfect decals. There is no way to weather decals and make them look real. Weather on armor looks good because of their environment and camoflage. So thank you for validating the reason I wanted to get back to the hobby, to have fun and build a nice representation of the aircraft, my old kits look just fine. Now if the kit cost were like the cost of my old kits :-)

[@chrisveya7556]

Having fun doing it is the most important! And i dont want to say heavy weathering is bad, dont do it, but it doesnt necessary has to be included in each and every build really. Thanks for the feedback!

[@flitsertheo]

In the 1980s when after a field exercice we returned to our barracks with our M109A2 SPs the first task of the crews was to clean their vehicles thoroughly. It wasn't a task they could "delegate" to conscripts. The vehicles never showed paint chips either, these were immediately retouched. And the rubber pads of the tracks were replaced regularly, so these may have looked used but not worn out. Rust ? Forget it, that would have meant a bad inspection score. The only problem was some vehicles were really old (20+ years) and it showed. For instance the Minerva-Landrovers and the Unimog 406 trucks, both dating from the sixties.

[@BigE-wf6zo]

Hi there I spent a lot of years in the US Marine Corps. Infantry. On land or on ships, vehicles seldom got as dirty or muddy as depicted in dioramas. If a tracked vehicle got as muddy as depicted in a diorama, the crew would scrap off the mud at the first chance. There was a chance the tracked vehicle would throw a track. Vehicles of all types did get very dusty.

[@mikedietrich8356]

I agree completely, and have always kept my weathering light, because I don't like to cover my paint job with a heavy layer of dirt.

[@Juno58]

Agree. I do 1/72 planes, mostly ww2 fighters. I noticed negatively that exhaust stains on fighters like i.e. P-51 simply be applied straight backwards instead of following the airflow on top of the wings. Or / and they often end suddenly at the height of the trailing edges of the wings. I recently saw an FW 190 model where the exhaust soot could even be seen on the top of the horizontal stabilizer! 😅

[@chrisveya7556]

It is really a process and there are many things to consider and insider knowledge is needed. Thanks for the feedback!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

So, I have some thoughts on this subject. My first thing, and now this is entirely my personal opinion and its not meant as a personal attack against you (I think we're cool enough through Instagram that we can have a good discussion) is that it isn't our place to tell people what they should or shouldn't do in scale modeling, I think in general its bad for the community and is a form a gatekeeping. Scale modeling is such a subjective hobby in all aspect and what looks good to one doesn't look good to another, but that doesn't make one more right or correct than the other. That out of the way, I definitely think your opinion certainly raises a lot of good points. But, I think for me the problem isn't "over weathering" but rather its "bad weathering". I say that because there are plenty of examples in photograph and film of aircraft (and I'm mainly speaking about ww2 aircraft here) that look like they've been to hell and back, Flak Bait is a good example that comes to mind. But poorly executed weathering can definitely come across as "over weathered" and look bad, but well executed weathering, even extremely heavy, can look realistic and accurate to its 1 to 1 counterpart. Now, I definitely fall under the camp of Scale Modeling is an art form and each model is an interpretation of a real life subject, so my opinion is certainly skewed here, but the idea of trying to make the model as "realistic" as possible is something that doesn't interest me as much. I think that a 1/72 F-15 painted "realistically" would look like a small gray blob and be boring. But again, that's just my personal opinion and I think that's where I circle back to my original point, just because I don't like it doesn't mean someone else shouldn't do it. If thats what floats their boat and brings them joy from the hobby who am I to tell them to stop. And in the end, that's what the hobby is about, bringing ourselves joy and pleasure, we shouldn't be building to please other people, but to satisfy our own wants and needs. Alright, stepping off my soapbox now, again, I super respect OPs work and invite anyone to come critique my own work! Cheers, Brett

[@PanzerChicken69]

If the purpose of modelling is to create miniature replicas of the actual aircraft youre building, than modelling is in a weird state. I also like to play video games and last few years the biggest games have started to make theire digital models look like models; blackbased, pinwashed and weathered toysnakes.

[@chrisveya7556]

I noticed this too, all weathered aircraft 😄

[@chrisveya7556]

Hey Brett thanks for sharing your thoughts and dont worry, i wont take it the wrong way at all. I seem to have a habbit of poking the can of worms with these videos altough i basically just speak whats on my mind. Now i dont want to tell anybody how to enjoy their hobby, anyone who has the time, patience and skills to apply heavy weathering on every build should not watch the video. So you shouldnt have😄. I just share my thoughts and raise some questions about my favourite hobby because im curious what other people think, a bit outside the box lets say. Well bad- & over-weathering are maybe somehow close together sometimes i guess😄 Thanks for the feedback Brett!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

@@chrisveya7556 All good man, I too am curious what other people think and enjoy a good discussion! I agree that its a fine line between good weathering and bad weathering! And its really easy to go too far or just make it look ridiculous! I'm still trying to figure out what that line is myself! But keep up the good work Chris and putting out content, cheers! Brett

[@MrFelipefelop]

@@HammerheadModelMaking Very well said,I appreciate your opinion. top lad 👍🇬🇧

[@plan4u56]

Thank the Lord! you my friend are the ONLY ONE I'VE SEEN or HEARD addressing this issue of OVER WEATHERING!!! The modeling community has Pushed this "Weathering" issue. Modelers have jumped on the band wagon and My thought is that they are using "Artistic License" to Weather a model. Or No Reference material! I laugh at modelers who put a model contest that is over done. When I Look at an Over done model my eye goes to the Heavy Weathering and the rest of the model gets lost. Then the modeler doesn't get his Ribbon or medal or plaque because his model looks like "Heck" Well BURT that's How it Goes! Always put Photo documentation down to Support Your Weathering issues. Less is best. But modeler's are a Stubborn lot! I'm one of them! Wow One oily streak leads to another then another and another, paint splotches, Exhaust stains, Fuel drips, Mud, DUST, OVER CHIPPING!!!! STOP IT!!!!! Maybe there is a Modeler's Weathering Three Step Program. Blessings Darrell U.S.A.

[@chrisveya7556]

Praise the lord! Thank you for the great feedback💯

[@davidmccann9811]

If you're aiming for a realistic appearance then good clear photos are essential. If you prefer a pristine 'museum like' appearance then go with that. One of the things I personally don't like is heavely shaded panel lines that make the aircraft look like a jigsaw, but that's just me.

[@hamiltonrobert488]

True. It depends on the model you're building (location, purpose, workload, time..etc). As with planes, some modellers over-weathered the plane that it looks unflyable! Air forces or Navy do have high discipline in keeping machinery in good shape and overall military cleanliness so i wouldn't weather it like 'a junk' piece of fighting machine. But surface scratches, wear and tear at certain spots are unavoidable and left 'as is' during wartime. Again, be relevant to the time and period of where/when the model is supposed to be.

[@chrisveya7556]

👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼

[@paulhungerford4166]

Yes…I quite agree! I am a pilot/mechanic for a living. And it is refreshing to hear what you’re mentioning. Heavy weathering has it’s place in certain models/dioramas! But as a full sized aviator, not all aircraft are like that! True, towards the end of any conflict, many aircraft get pretty beat up and depending on where they were located and who was left in maintenance, the aircraft can be quite a mess. But usually, when the mechanics are working on the aircraft, they’re cleaning and servicing as well.

[@MachinaRexModels_Clay]

Judging from the many thousands of archival photographs available wartime mechanics wasted very little time "cleaning" combat aircraft while servicing them.

[@SEMJW]

I have an official, RAF training film posted on my channel on preparing, painting and maintaining WW2 aircraft with the added requirements for, High Speed airplanes. The film proves the use of putty and primer filler use on the leading D box section of Spitfire wings. Keeping the outer surfaces smooth (not a high polish) and clean were important in reducing drag. I am close to finishing two, 1/24 Airfix Mk. IXc Spitfires in the markings of George Beurling (MA585) and Johnnie Johnson (EN398). Both will be posed in flight with pilot figures. The timeframe depicted will be, June of 1943. EN398 was five months old with new paint, MA585 was a few weeks from the factory plus the research on missions flown and the environmental conditions direct how to weather.

[@chrisveya7556]

Very interesting stuff! I need to see this film👍🏻👍🏻 There are good reasons to keep the outer surface clean on an aircraft. I love the way you build these Spitfires, there are not enough aircraft models built flying👍🏻 Thanks for the feedback!

[@SEMJW]

@@chrisveya7556 Thank you. Examples of model builds are also on my channel. The Spitfires will have motorized propellers and similar custom stands as the 1/24, P-47 and the 1/18, FW190 A-5 video posts.

[@danwilliams1686]

I totally agree with this video , I have scaled back my weathering as well. It depends on the area of operation for the aircraft to determine what level of weathering you should accomplish. Take, for example, an F-4 phantom, an airforce phantom housed in a revetment should be lightly weathered. A phantom on a carrier should be medium weathered, but a Marine phantom in Vietnam doing ground support should be heavily weathered. In my humble opinion.

[@chrisveya7556]

Very good example! Exactly 👍🏻 Thanks for the feedback!

[@poxxopoxxo]

Parole sagge, usura del mezzo e invecchiamento da danni atmosferici sono due cose diverse. La virtù sta nel mezzo. Mi ha ridato la voglia di fare. 👍🏻🥇

[@chrisveya7556]

This is a very good point! These are two different things which must be considered 👍🏻 Grazie per il tuo feedback!

[@philmartin5689]

Two points - 1 it is generally claimed that only the cleanest vehicles and especially aircraft were photographed for publication in wartime journals, so there is little evidence for real levels of weathering 2 some modelers and especially armor modelers, tend to push the post shading and shadow washes to such an extreme, that the models take on a cartoonish appearance, something like the over sharpening, high contrast, colour saturated digital images, that some photographers create.

[@chrisveya7556]

I think this is becoming something like a genre of its own. These, like you said, almost cartoon like looking models, covered with so many effects. And thats fine imo. I just decided to go down another route lately. And pay honour to the ground crews 😄 Thanks for the feedback!

[@wellardme]

I really agree! Have you seen Night Shift's channel? He is a master modeller and shares interesting techniques but his pieces are very cartoon-ish. They look awesome but not if going for realism.

[@philmartin5689]

@@wellardme You clearly read my mind. He's one of the best modellers on KZbin and I've nothing but admiration for his technique and his results are great, but I wish he's reign it back a little. No need to push the amp to 11 so to speak. I'm primarily a photographer and I feel the same about over processed digital imagery.

[@wellardme]

@philmartin5689 exactly mate! Sometimes we go a bit OTT. Nightshift likes to go for "fun" over "realism" for artistic effect. Which is fine if you're aiming for that. I prefer realism whilst keeping within those boundaries.

[@kentbarnes1955]

I have always thought weathering should be built up 1 subtle layer at a time until it "looks" right. The "looks" right can vary wildly depending on the final result one is striving for. Learning to put on "subtle" layers of weathering are more indicative of being "skilled".

[@chrisveya7556]

Exactly, it is a process and takes some time and everybody Sees it differently. Fortunately because how boring would it be if everybody did the same finish Thanks for the feedback!

[@jprules2578]

The aircraft I model are usually documented and I have photos of, or a similar plane in that group or theater. I usually under weather compared to some documentation, but i understand the abuse of it because I've seen it in some other's builds. I do not like either pristine builds or overkill ones.

[@lewistaylor1965]

Altho my kits are never of one specific aircraft I do go by references when weathering 90% of the time...I do love to see weathering and distressing on models...which tends to bring them away from the toy look...The only person you have to please is yourself and it's a really fun trip learning and gathering the skills to get there...Good video!

[@adm65260]

ahhh here is the problem. pristine scale models look like a plastic model. weathering adds a degree of realism (even if it is artistic realism) . At the end of the day , it's a hobby , it's meant to be fun and who cares what anyone else thinks .

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely, its all about having fun. I dont want to say weathering is bad, everybody should always do as they like. Im only sharing my opinion based on my own journey. Thanks for the feedback!

[@thethirdman225]

Have a look at Paul Budzik from Scale Model Workshop. You may not agree with his style but he’s very good.

[@thethirdman225]

@@ottovonb60 Of course he didn’t. Keep your shirt on. I just put him up as an alternative. You’re pretty good at reading things into what other people say, aren’t you?

[@Rainyman63]

To me, weathering is a way to give a mass-produced kit a bit of individuality. I use small, cheap kits to practice and test some ideas a which led me to the conclusion that I too often risk messing up a good model with too much weathering. Especially weathering in 1/72 scale is dangerous for me. No weathering at all looks dead and kinda boring, but just a subtle hint of grease and dirt, slightly bleached colours from sun or salt water and some minor scratches at the right places (!) do a lot to make a plane look „real“.

[@chrisveya7556]

Very well spoken 👍🏻👍🏻 Thanks for the feedback!

[@jameslarosa2396]

Agreed. I see weathering that might be sometimes accurate for a real aircraft, but looks terrible on a small model.

[@chrisveya7556]

Oh yes, i did this mistake many times. The effects have to be scaled down as well and not only in size.

[@georgedesjardins6080]

My entrance into modelling was the early sixties when the weathering consisted of excess glue, by the eighties it was liquid glues, air brushing accurately toned paint, photo etched parts and subtle weathering with soft pencils and charcoals, still modelling to this day and to my eyes the Simple subdued of the eighties catch my eye and seem to tell a more accurate story….having said that, I can’t wait to go full on with the ICM 1/48 Marauder “Flack Bait” that I have been gathering info on since the eighties. My God, what a story to tell on plastic!

[@chrisveya7556]

I guess back in the day it was more simple and today its more easy. There are so many great and helpful products out there. Also weathering effect stuff but you have to learn to be selective and define what is really necessary and not overdose😄 Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@georgedesjardins6080]

@@chrisveya7556 agreed, had a tackle box in the early eighties, now a full large rolling lower toolbox and a stash the size of a 1995 Honda Civic because the kits have truly progressed….holy crap! The eduard P-51B is amazing, the GWH A-10, oh, and the B-25, the b-26 marauder, all of the ICM/HKM recent offerings……I’m Dooooomed😂

[@scale-model-workshop]

I really enjoyed your presentation and I agree with your opinions.

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@araserbilgin876]

First of all, weathering in model making has started to rely more on the tools you can access and therefore money, rather than skill. Almost every type of effect has its own paint, oil, or pigment. Interestingly, as these tools have increased, the weathering process has also become excessive. Techniques for mixing a few oil paints to create realistic mud or oil stains are a thing of the past. Rain effect? Just grab this solution. Oil effect? Just use this paint, apply it accordingly, and bingo! You have a war machine that looks as neglected as no technical officer would allow... My childhood was spent at air force bases, and in the country I lived in, there is a strange tradition of placing old planes as sculptures at the entrance of the base. These planes, exposed to the elements-rain, snow, dust, and exhaust-without any maintenance or cleaning for about 20-30 years, still don’t look as weathered as the models we see on KZbin today. In fact, the canopies are usually the most worn parts that reveal the age of the aircraft; over time, they fog up and lose their transparency. This points to another absurdity within the modeling world: all the planes are covered in oil, dirt, and rust, yet somehow the canopy looks pristine as if it just came out of the factory yesterday... It doesn’t just look unrealistic; it also doesn’t sound logical. Finally, as a professional musician, or rather an artist, we always say "keep it simple," which is much harder than it sounds. This is where the genius of The Beatles lies; they created very simple and beautiful things, which requires immense talent. Weathering effects, as you mentioned in your video, appear more realistic and beautiful when used appropriately and without exaggeration, in my opinion.

[@BrettG64]

Excellent topic, amigo. My thoughts: I agree totally with what you are saying. Lots of weathering just for weathering sake... no-go for me. My method of weathering depends on the subject. If I am working from a photo, that's what I try to accomplish. If its a tank that is really muddy and messed up that's what I do. If the aircraft I am portraying is really stained up and a general mess (again, talking photo here) that's what I attempt. If I am building without photo reference or building a non-specific vehicle without photo reference, I go with a more general weathering approach. Dust, old mud that has mostly worn/crumbled off... just a general road weary look.

[@psychodermix]

Great clip. Thank you for this insight

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@davidgazaway]

I think over weathering is not realistic. However, I feel weathering is an art form, and I’m amazed by some of the weathering jobs out there. I am trying to get to that level, simply because it’s art.

[@philippabaker1078]

Great video! I totally agree.

[@wellardme]

Thanks for this video, mate. I just finished a T-34/85 and just used colour modulation, some oils for rain marks, pin washes, a light spray of deck tan.. that was more than enough. I didn't even add any scratches. I love the art of adding rust, mud effects etc but rust only occured on tanks after years, not after a few weeks in battle. A T-34 was a bit dusty on the plains and not caked in mud; maybe a tad discoloured. I agree, less is more. If I'm doing a specific diorama set in a wet winter thaw, I'd take my tank outside and will dip it in a muddy puddle. Done.

[@chrisveya7556]

Sounds great the way you weathered your T-34! I also love playing around with rust effects but everytime i do it on planes it looks out of place mostly. Thanks for the feedback!

[@Bellerophonmodeler]

Real simple. Whatever you want to model, look at it. You want to model a real aircraft? Go look at it, or at pictures of it, or at least pictures of ones like it. But if what you look at is someone else's models, you're going to build a model of a model. Fine if that's what you wanted, but that's why modelers exaggerate certain effects, like panel lines. Real aircraft sometimes are heavily weathered, and if that's what you want to model, you can find photographs of that. I recently did a P-51 with some areas of heavy weathering, but based on photos of the real thing. I was somewhat surprised at the real weathering looked like.

[@chrisveya7556]

Its like what i did in the past, trying to build a model of a model. Now i realised it makes no sense. But on the other hand, your right, im sometimes very surprised how weathering can appear on some aircraft. Thanks for the feedback!

[@FoxThreeScaleModels]

Totally agree... Less is more. I've have seen a few models on social media and club tables that way over weathered and it takes away from the end result. Only over weather if you have images of the actual subject that backs it, or its known to be over weather like a WW2 Japanese aircraft for example.

[@chrisveya7556]

It can be difficult to apply heavy weathering without a specific reference. Its like painting out in the blue. So a certain reference is very helpful to understand the way weathering is created over time. Thanks for the feedback!

[@devensega]

Nah, it’s the best part of the hobby. And it’s my model.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely 👌🏼 like i said: if you have the patience, skills and the time go ahead Thanks for the feedback!

[@andyshaw5378]

I think weathering will be theatre specific. Desert environments can also abrade paint finish as well as dust. Jungle will have more rust due to moist and warm conditions. European theatre would have some dust due to all the rain 😂. But you’re right no one would fly a plane that wasn’t air worthy. The losses were too great to loose extra pilots due too poor preparation. Great topic well considered

[@chrisveya7556]

You are exactly right, it depends on the environment and the situation at the time. This is how i will try to decide in the future where to apply which effect and not on the amount of different weathering products i own😄. Thanks for the feedback!

[@MachinaRexModels_Clay]

Re: "no one would fly a plane that wasn’t air worthy." Dirt, stains and worn paint do not make a plane any less air worthy. A scale model that reflects that wear simply looks like a real plane instead of a toy.

[@FinsburyPhil]

I like to have a story behind my model. For me weathering is about conveying that story. I always try and work from reference photographs of the actual plane or one from say that squadron around the date I’m trying to depict it in. The same plane can look very different (even have a different paint finish) from one month to the next in some locations

[@chrisveya7556]

I love that spirit on how to approach a build and im following this route as well👌🏼 But i usually have a look at different reference photos and then pick one as main reference. Whatever isnt visible on this photo, i use my fantasy or check other photos. But always keep the main reference in mind. Thanks for the feedback!

[@philbrown8181]

I'm building a Revell U-boat. A good number of the contemporaneous photographs of the boats show them being repainted and repaired. So I quite agree.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes specially ships and boats need a proper paint job regurlarly otherwise they will soon have a mayday situation out in the sea Thanks for the feedback!

[@davidmccann9811]

Ships quickly deteriorate when they spend any length of time at sea.

[@billwright2811]

Wow Chris, you are getting a lot of views lately, just shows the quality of your videos and skills. Less is more, for sure.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes, i changed the concept of everything and it starts to pay of👍🏻 Thanks for the feedback!

[@aussie6910]

All I do is a little dirt & dust, minor fuel stains & lighten the track/tyre contact points. Unless it's a 'farm hack' they're a little grubbier. I look at the vehicles scattered around my place & model accordingly for how the dirt sprays etc. Current project is sun bleaching/fading & dustying an Egyptian T-34 & Israeli M-60.

[@manchu9inf]

exactly, people forget that life span of combat vehicles was counted in days or weeks. And if a vehicle was too damaged and was recovered it went back to higher level depots to get rebuilt. Aircraft got repainted, tanks got repainted, very rarely were combat vehicles allowed to get rusty in the field. Sure combat vehicles got dirty, muddy, dusty, fuel spills, some field modifications, but heavy rust streaks? Nah, heavy rust streaks just didn't happen, light weathering looks the most realistic keep in mind the scale of the vehicle also, some people also overlook that.

[@chrisveya7556]

Very true words, it was some kind of romantic view i had in the earlier days. Of course both happens, but subtle weathering is just more likely after all. Thanks for the feedback!

[@stevelamb5760]

the same applies with panel lines

[@chrisveya7556]

Many people mention the panel lines, i have to pay more attention to them👍🏻

[@richardjordan5036]

I agree with you Chris. All these planel lines on a airplane are nice for details to make it pop,but when it comes to it it is so exaggerated. If a pilot saw the panels of his aircraft with all those lines like that,he would not fly the plane. Its pannels are opening up and separating. Also when showing damage on a plane or a weather plane that was fixed on the field,people should in my opinion,modelers should take fresh paint and paint little squares were some of the damage was done. A lot of beer cans where flating out and rivet over the bullet holes for repairs and painted with fresh paint.

[@chrisveya7556]

Now thats a great idea which i will definitely remember: making patches, little squares where reparations were freshly painted👍🏻 Thanks for the feedback!

[@thepiratepenguin4465]

When it comes to aircraft, I agree with you. AFV are different story. Mud, dust, chipping for impact all adds to the story & the character of the Tank.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely, sorry, because im mostly building aircraft models, i tempt to speak from the aircraft modeler perspective. Armour is different, stuff drives on dirt and through mud. Thanks for the feedback!

[@willthorson4543]

Just use pictures for reference. Simple stuff. Aircraft look like crap in combat zones. Why? Because the mission comes first. Keep the engine and fuel lines clean( working) the glass clean, and weapons working. Go look at B25s and A20s in the Pacific. Aircraft flying from dirt airfields in Europe or coral Islands in the Pacific. Yes there are those that go nuts on weathering but I've seen modelers get fake outraged over a weathered aircraft even when pictures SHOW the dirt and scratches and such. Also. Aircraft and specially armor coming out of factories are not pristine. Tanks have to be road tested. Aircraft have to fly. Dust is always prevalent. I definitely agree on not every one can weather an aircraft. And some are pretty rough on it. Like I wrote. Just use reference pictures

[@chrisveya7556]

Very true and i love to have a ramped up ww2 aircraft model but i realised to achieve this look i need to hold my horses and start applying several subtle coats of different effects to get the appeal it happened over time, layer per layer and more stronger effects only in dedicated spots. Of course this is a general practice and every specific aircraft version can have completely different types of weathering. Reference is always King Thanks for the feedback!

[@fubarx79]

Excellent video, i agree 100%, an extremely weathered aircraft in most cases is unrealistic, there are some exceptions, such as late WWII Japanese aircraft that are really warn down due to extreme adverse operational conditions. I personally tent to seek as much photographs as i can find and try to reacreate the wear and tear i observe, but i also understand why someone would want to heavily weather just for the fun of it, i too enjoy heavy weathering on armor models, especially if combined with a diorama base. So guys try to have fun and dont stress too much, every mistake is a learning experience and a step to success.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely 👌🏼 And everybody should do as they like. I surely will build some models and apply heavy weathering in the future. Just not have it as a standard for each and every build. Thanks for the feedback!

[@stevecsongvay3455]

Couldn’t agree more.

[@chrisveya7556]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@spandecker727]

My pet peeve is chipped paint, in many cases I think it’s overdone, some of the objects look like the crew beat on it with heavy chains every time they climbed on

[@alec_f1]

You have to remember that resources were scarce in times of combat and thin paint saves not only precious resources but weight as well. Also, you have to remember that flat paint wears quickly and they weren't as concerned about the finish of the aircraft as the function of a machine doing sorties every day.

[@spandecker727]

I’ve been building models for close to 50 years and have probably looked at thousands of period photos of the real thing, I agree with him, the recent trend is to overdo it and everyone follows suit. My personal opinion is you can throw as much dirt on it as you want, but limit the paint deterioration and rust. Vehicles in war don’t last long enough to show much age and vehicles not involved with war are usually well maintained

[@XenoTerran]

​@@spandecker727you're kind of wrong. For example on the pacific theatre, the air killed the paint jobs very quickly. Also you could look at 'wrong' photos for a lifetime. That doesn't mean anything. Also you forget that AA ammo relied on shrapnel effect and that really chis paint. So many factors you're just simply ignoring or just not aware of.

[@spandecker727]

@@XenoTerrangranted I’ve seen photos from the pacific and the aircraft can look pretty beat up, but my emphasis is on armor and paint on a Sherman tank in Northern Europe isn’t going to react like a dark blue Corsair sitting in the South Pacific sun. I still contend people are over-doing it on the paint chips and rust, and copying each other until all the models look the same. I guess I’ve never liked following the crowd.

[@XenoTerran]

@@spandecker727 you're not taking into account flying debris. Artillery fire. Falling brinks, stones small arms fire. Tanks are getting beaten up even more than planes.

[@charlie418791]

Well said , Sir. Especially the overdone panel lines.👍

[@chrisveya7556]

You mean the preshading or are you talking about the panel line washes?

[@charlie418791]

Both ! I hate when every panel is outlined. Been buildin planes for 53 yrs. Yes...I'm old. I have yet to see a plane that looks like that. They look look like a toy to me. Not very realistic.

[@charlie418791]

I subbed ya just fa that reason , lad.👍

[@FNG1968]

Excellent video and very interesting

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@MidcoastModeler]

I agree with realism over artistic interpretation myself. In some cases, aircraft for instance, Pacific theater in particular, aircraft suffered heavy paint damage. Combat aircraft were of course worn more heavily than aircraft not used in combat. An example I saw once at a show was of an F4F-3 in pre-war yellow wing paint that was weathered as if it had been lost in a jungle after fighting the entire axis . That was certainly overdone since these aircraft were washed as much as fire trucks. Great video yet again about a controversial subject. Research your subject I always say. The people who operated these vehicles deserve our respect and our miniatures should display that respect. Keep up the great work

[@chrisveya7556]

Another great input from your side, i love reading your thoughts👍🏻 Of course everything carrier based was heavily attacked by the sea and the weather conditions. Clearly visible in reference photos. On the other hand i dont understand why i see so many Corsair builds for instance with chippings all over the flat wing section. Even i did this on my Corsair altough i did not understand exactly why😄. As if the surface would have been hammered down. I dont know, was it? Thanks for the feedback bro!

[@MidcoastModeler]

@@chrisveya7556 the corsairs used by the marines that were based on island airfields actually had heavier wear on painted surfaces due to the material used on the runways being so abrasive but I would imagine the under surfaces would be the most worn. Apparently, and I’m not sure, the sand had crushed coral in it and it would practically sandblast the surface of aircraft 🤷 the conditions these people had to endure 😓

[@thethirdman225]

The thing I notice most on WWII models is weathered drop tanks. What’s the deal? Use them once then drop them. When are they going to get weathered?

[@alec_f1]

Depends if they were reused. Many accounts show they only dropped tanks if completely necessary. Also depends if they had limitless reserves of fuel tanks and resources at their disposal and where they were deployed in the theater of war.

[@thethirdman225]

@@alec_f1 They were a consumable and unlikely to be very heavily weathered.

[@thethirdman225]

@@barpfoto Thanks for your remarks, considerate and constructive criticism is always welcome. You will be really important one day.

[@thethirdman225]

@@ottovonb60 No, they weren’t.

[@Juno58]

​@@ottovonb60 of course not always, but most of the time pilots were glad to drop them.

[@cyrilabati8705]

Modeling is for having fun it’s a hobby, no model is a realist representation of reality by definition.

[@chrisveya7556]

Sure thing! Im only sharing my thoughts on the subject and im curious about peoples oppinions. I dont want to tell anybody what to do. Thanks for the feedback!

[@Chilly_Billy]

In many cases, heavy weathering is accurate. Think of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal, French Corsairs as well as USMC Phantoms and Skyhawks serving in Vietnam, USN aircraft after a long deployment aboard a carrier, etc. That's just the airplanes. Tanks and such will get filthy within days of leaving the depot.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes absolutely true. There are many cases i just wanted to point out (maybe mostly to myself), its not in all the cases. There can be also a more subtle standard which would be more accurate in other cases. Weathering is fun, no doubt about it Thanks for the feedback!

[@StevenRogers-hw9dj]

Even heavy weathering on a real aircraft isn't nearly as noticeable, from the distance that makes it appear the size that a model appears to be from three feet away, as it is on far too many models. It ends up looking cartoonish.

[@modellbaubyjanik]

Hmm... Sehr interessante Punkte, über die ich mir noch gar nie Gedanken gemacht haben. Machen aber zu 100% Sinn. Danke für die Gedankenanstösse😀

[@chrisveya7556]

Sehr gern! Danke fürs Feedback Janik!

[@Fred_SPb]

Absolutely agree with you!

[@chrisveya7556]

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@TheCld1981]

I'm mostly keep weathering minimal

[@deanmaguire6701]

Completely agree. and your finished models look fantastic. 👍

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@zacklewis342]

Seeing a lot of comments about how those who object are just lacking weathering skills. What a bunch of crap. If anything, I see more modelers covering up lousy builds and paint jobs with heavy weathering. Too many modelers weather heavily because they don't have the brains or the skill to make something look actually realistic, especially anyone who accentuates panel lines.

[@j.heilig7239]

Wait, you mean real airplanes don’t look like they’re quilted, with paint peeling off in giant sheets?

[@soupy607]

I am so happy i found someone who thinks like me. I have watched so many videos of weathering and i will be honest .. i dont have the skills to do it. It got to the point that i was going to give it up alltogether. Then i decided to go as far as i wanted and forget about what other people were doing and get back to enjoying the hobby

[@chrisveya7556]

No matter if you apply heavy weathering or not, having fun is the most important thing when it comes to scale modeling. You do you, no one else could Thanks for the feedback!

[@artsmodelstation9396]

I like how Tamiya paints their models

[@carlsmoot2939]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here. But first, I agree that weathering can be overdone. But I don't think that it can be a hard and fast rule to do subtle weathering in every case. I do think it can be considered a rule of thumb and a safe option. Bear with me for bit while I go into this. If you are building a specific airplane and want to strive for realism, then if references are available, they should be used to guide your weathering efforts. There are plenty of examples of very heavily weathered aircraft, with no subtlety to what has occurred to that aircraft. But perhaps what you're after is a general representation of a specific period or squadron or battle, or whatever. You're less concerned with absolute accuracy. Then references should still be used, but with some restraint or caution. Maybe you're strictly interested in doing something that is visually engaging, but not necessarily realistic. And artistic impression if you will. Then the Spanish style weathering or over accenting certain aspects might be in order. Again, the use of references is best to avoid mistakes, which can still occur with these types of builds. Here's another thought. If you don't make mistakes, then you are almost certainly not trying anything new or different. You are also not learning what works and what does not. Practice is key here, and in order to do that effectively, you have to do it a lot and be prepared to fail, make mistakes, redo work, or simply learn a lesson for the next build. This means that you need a mindset that not every model you build is going to be the ultimate copy of that model on your display shelf. It's probably best to use cheaper and older kits for this type of practice since the newest kits are a sizable amount of money. If you are concerned with messing up a particular model, because it is the latest wunderkit, then you should probably not experiment on that kit, but rather on an older example. Minimize the internal detailing and focus on the external work. Then experiment away with weathering.

[@chrisveya7556]

Very well said Carl and i do not disagree with what youre pointing out here. When i say stop over weathering, i basically say it to myself, because i came into the game with the mindset every model built must weathered to the ground. Now i realised there is a more convincing standard. So nothing against heavy weathering at all. And of course if a particular aircraft version is the goal, reference photos are king. And exactly on many reference photos i spotted weathering in dedicated spots only, this activated my thinking process😄 Thanks for the feedback Carl!

[@rexsmith9577]

I must agree. In 1989, a FW-190 from WW2 was found in a Russian forest. That aircraft was less weathered than many models that I have seen.

[@chrisveya7556]

hahaha! you know people now think i hate weathering, which is not the case actually. But...yeah good point

[@roarexenl]

I think everyone can build their models as they themselfs please. its your own project and your own kits. so if you want to make a chickencoop in a sea king or pigeons nest in a chipmunk have fun.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes absolutely, as i said at the beginning of the video: if you have the patience, skills and time, go ahead and have fun, this video is not for you. Everybody should do as they like, you can place an entire zoo around your models if it makes you happy

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

To me, overweathering can be unrealistic. I look over as many pictures as possible of the particular aircraft or tank I am modelling to get an idea of how, where and how much it weathered. I stop often and come back to the model with fresh eyes a day or two later to gauge the weathering I have applied. I go slow because it is easier to add weathering than to remove it. This is what I do, you build your model as you please. As long as you’re enjoying the hobby, do as you please. There is no right or wrong way. 😊

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely right and the last thing i wanted to say, is weathering is bad in any way or wrong. Just to get a more convincing look apply it selective Thanks for the feedback!

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

@@chrisveya7556 👍🏻 🫡

[@texasnutmegger3296]

I think you're spot on. I'm from the school of less is more but I also take into account the location and type of aircraft. For example, a Pacific theater Wildcat on Guadalcanal in 1942 would theoretically much more dusty and faded than a P-47M in England in 1945. German aircraft probably weren't around long enough to get substantial weathering. Subtle is the way to go, good video.

[@skeeter3080]

I'll build my model however I want...thank you.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes of course aint nothing wrong about it. I only want to share my thoughts and not tell anybody what to do, its just a suggestion. Thanks for the feedback!

[@6346n]

I am pleased that someone brought this up. My own angle comes from having washed and waxed a lot of airplanes to get my flying career started. Many of these machines were factory fresh. I love the look of an airplane fresh off the wash rack. I'm not critical of weathering per say. Quite the contrary. A well done weathering job can add a lot of depth to the visual impact to a build. There is a photograph of Don Blakeslee in the cockpit of his P-51B with the Malcolm hood slid back with massive paint chipping on the wing root and such. To reproduced that look would be one hell of an accomplishment. Maybe I'll give it a try some day. I saw one build that seemed to have a hand on that skill set. Looks like a lot of work! In the meantime I'll keep my little beauties clean and shiny to show off their beautiful lines and proportions. Build on mates!

[@darthrazor66]

I think "over-weathering" is another symptom of to many modelbuilding products nowadays. Same with Resin, Photetch, masks, detailsets... I'm guilty as well, having and using countless pigments, washes, filters. And buying add-ons for a model, which costs sometimes 2 or 3 times more than the kit. 😅 In principle nothing wrong with it, if you like it and can afford it. But there is one big problem: Every new starting model builder, or even intermediate builder, see the clips of finished "masterclass"-models on KZbin or pictures of them on Instagram etc. and think he has to do the same thing. And have to achieve great results immediately. Fails, and is lost for our hobby.

[@chrisveya7556]

There is nothing wrong using these great weathering products the question is how, where and what. I think its important to share a bit of everything: the greatest builds, the standard builds and some fails too. Its all tied together to get the real experience of scale modeling Thanks for the feedback!

[@scaleffect]

Some great tips. Sorry I'm letting you down as a subscriber as I am not the best or the smartest lol. I will try to apply your philosophy because to date, I've been nothing but disappointed with my own weathering efforts.

[@chrisveya7556]

Well you watched and commented the video, so you cant be such a bad subscriber😄 its the opposite actually Thanks for the feedback!

[@Flyboy2003]

I can just imaging the order to wash all the all the aircraft in the African theater.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes of course, but not all models are from the african theater. It always depends on the subject of course Thanks for the feedback!

[@flitsertheo]

Problem there was these aircraft were being "washed", sanded down with the desert sand acting as sandpaper.

[@mikemontgomery2654]

I agree with you. Not everything needs lots of weathering. I try to weather as much as I only need to, specific to the subject.

[@chrisveya7556]

Im trying now to apply as much as needed but as less as possible. Thanks for the feedback!

[@zensashenal]

I agree 100%. I too prefer the less is more approach. All my models are of WWII era. A lot of models I see are way over weathered. People tend to forget that WWII lasted 6 years and a lot of models are weathered like they’ve been out in the elements for a decade. Secondly, a lot of these machines whether they’re planes or armored vehicles didn’t survive one battle. Lastly, I saw a video about how the Germans would constantly repairing, washing and repainting their vehicles to keep them in tip top shape because the soldiers had to depend on these vehicles to keep them alive. I really enjoyed watching your take on the weathering topic. Thank you. 🙏

[@chrisveya7556]

Very true, we have to pay the ground crews some respect for their work and efforts too. Thanks for the feedback!

[@new.handle]

I think it all comes down to: Are you doing something that represents a real thing (than do your research and paint it as real thing is), or do you just want to have fun (than let it rip with weathering)...

[@armoredsaint6639]

To be honest with you, what bothers me is rusty tanks when tanks are being used they are not rusty dirty maybe oily greasy but not rusty so unless your tank has been burned or blown up very little rust people if any!

[@chrisveya7556]

In modern warfare, i dont think tanks last long enough to get rusty. Before they rust they get detected by drones and de-militarised. Thanks for the feedback!

[@davidmccann9811]

To me it depends upon the tanks particular history. For example, a Panther tank in Normandy that left the factory only six months before would probably have almost zero rust. On the other hand, if you look at pics of 50 year old T-34's during the Balkans War some literally have flakes of rust falling off or mudguards that have completely rusted through.

[@alec_f1]

Overweathered? No such thing. It depends on what kind of modeler you are and if your goal is modeling realistic vehicles or just doing a likeness of them. That propaganda clip here isn't showing combat aircraft. Check your reference photos if you're going for real. Weathering is an art, ia subjective, and it takes a lot of skill to pull off effectively. Original photos of combat aircraft show they weren't concerned about wasting valuable time washing and repainting in the field when struggling to keep up with mission frequency.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely and i dont question anything you said. Everybody shall do as they like and can. People of the weathering league dont need to watch this video, it'll only upset them. Im only saying, not every model needs to be weathered down to the ground to be accurate. Both exists, heavy weatherd but also less heavy weatherd. People seem to get upset but this fact, but its nothing wrong about it. Thanks for the feedback!

[@leemarlin9415]

Agree 100%.

[@chrisveya7556]

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@raytheron]

Absolutely agree, Chris. I have often thought that some modellers have become addicted to weathering. It's a snowball: OK, just a little more, just a little more... and suddenly your Spitfire looks as if no maintenance has been done on it for years. No, subtlety wins every time.

[@chrisveya7556]

As i said, people who have the time, patience and skills to apply heavy weathering for the sake of weathering, go ahead and have fun! But im not comfortable spending this much time for a maybe overdone result looking appart from reality somehow😄

[@davidmccann9811]

To me, the hardest weathering skill to acquire is knowing when to stop.

[@leew8812]

I think some folk in here are confusing weathering with panel line shading

[@chrisveya7556]

I always wondered what people exaclty define as weathering. Wouldnt you count panel line shading as some part of weathering? Doesnt it pay into the same account? Thanks for the feedback

[@TerryBurian]

This is a criticism that I also have. I started modeling back in the 1960s, and back then weathering was practically unknown, models looked like pristine, like toys. I started weathering in the mid 1980s, with a 1/48th scale Bandai T34/76 by applying mud made by mixing enamel paint and talcum powder (works great) and dobbing it on in appropriate areas. Now people have caught on to weathering, but go crazy with it. Military vehicles used in wars normally don’t last too long, either they are replaced by newer equipment or are destroyed. In severe environments like the desert or the Pacific islands vehicles did suffer much more weathering than in the ETO, but this is a case of needing to study original wartime photos and film footage. One of my pet peeves is rusty tank tracks. Unless said tank has been sitting still for some YEARS, the tracks are not rusty, they are coin finished from rolling around in grass, dirt, sand, branches, leaves, etc. Tracks are also the first thing that will shed mud from all the clanking around. Interestingly enough what needs to be weathered but usually isn’t, is the backside of propeller blades in the MTO area from the dust and sand, and also in the Pacific islands due to the coral dust which in short order scours the paint off.

[@unclebobsbees4899]

As a licensed aircraft mechanic, the over weathering has always annoyed me. The most annoying is droppable fuel tanks for aircraft. The rules for pilots in WW2 was drop tanks as soon as you get in a dogfight. So why does your drop tank look like it been there 50 years? Maybe a tire or brake was just replaced? Damaged panel or bullet patches would have original color not faded. As another commenter pointed out , flights may have been counted on one hand.

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks for the insights!

[@marcusaureliusantoninusaug2161]

Plus I don't think WWII planes actually survived that long to be heavily weathered. Even German aces that survived the war went through multiple planes in the span of 3-4 years, engine failure, plane destroyed on the ground by bombing raid, upgrade to a new model (old plane transported to a friendly nation and repainted in their colours), etc. there were many reasons why planes were just not in service for too long. I think it's a bit different for some modern planes, like F/A-18s can be quite weathered on a longer carrier deployment or some Soviet era planes that were not that well maintained.

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes i think so too. The variety is huge, everything was possible these days. And yes not all nations where having the same quality level of maintenance Thanks for the feedback!

[@MachinaRexModels_Clay]

Re: " I don't think WWII planes actually survived that long to be heavily weathered." Fans of under-weathering constantly repeat this hackneyed myth. Constant repetition does not make it any less incorrect.

[@bartoszg.6314]

Just because you are not able to do it, doesn't mean weathering isn't realistic..

[@chrisveya7556]

Yes, you are correct and as i said in the beginning of the video, if you have the time, skills and patience and are part of the weathering league, dont watch the video, its not for you. All good, you do you

[@ysteineker7001]

Aircraft parked outside will fade and get dirty. Even modern airliners. Of course aircraft are well maintained, but polishing and deep cleaning takes days, with too much manpower during s war. Find pictures of Sunderland, check top wing. WWI aircraft operating in rain and mud, oil is not pumped back, but running overboard, and burned in exhaust. The Revell dr1 is bad example of how dirt will accumulate. Does not feel right. But underside of WWI fighter can hardly be overdone in dirt weathering. But make sure to get dirt where it will accumulate. Exhaust. Wheel well - a few examples. Heavy dirt on wing tip make no sense. Paint will fade to brighter color and be matt. Matt will attract dirt . Paint will peel of at leading edges, and walk areas - panels often removed for inspection . Paint peeled off at aft section of propeller blades make no sense, and ruin the immersion for me. Final: Photos are your best friend. Not necessary a specific model you make, but a general idea of sun fading to lighter color, where oil accumulate from engine cowlings. Exhaust paths over surfaces, mud thrown from wheels. And where paints are peeled off. And of course you cannot use photos of renovated planes flying today. Owner have plenty of time to polish and clean every detail.

[@chrisveya7556]

Great thoughts, you are exactly telling what many people, including myself are struggling with: where to apply which type of effects and why. Its impossible to know without having knowledge about aircraft and how they operate and in which conditions. Thanks for the feedback!

[@MichaelSwan-p4z]

Thank you for echoing my exact thoughts about excessive weathering and wear. I observed many such instances at this weekend's Model Expo in Melbourne. One Tamiya P-38J looked like mechanics had shovelled muck onto its upper surfaces.

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@angelohernandez6060]

I don't think he's talking about making them "pristine". He's talking about OVER Weathering. I especially find it distracting when modern aircraft are so undershaded that it looks ridiculously dirty. Then they weather it on top of that. To myself that makes a model kit look like a model kit. I was brought up a Navy brat and lived on a few airbases. At that time I was used to seeing navel aircraft in the air and parked. They NEVER looked as dirty and worn out as some of these models have depicted. Yeah, they get dingy but not FILTHY. The crew always are quick to do maintenance on the aircraft. WW2 aircraft did get dirty especially since they would use alot of natural turf runways. But modern ones not so much.

[@chrisveya7556]

Thanks a lot for the insider informations, very usefull!

[@collintatusko4155]

Research your subject, weather accordingly. This video pokes directly at the “art Vs reality”….which is always a can of worms.

[@chrisveya7556]

I have a habbit of poking cans of worms, cant help it😄 Thanks for the feedback!

[@michaelcagle5938]

Finally! Someone who is noticing that enough is enough. Subtlety is key. They also go too hard on panel lines. The panel lines that come on a new model are big enough for a pilot to stick their fingers into if you had a pilot to the scale of the model. In actuality panel lines are either butt fitted or overlapping which is more like a fingernails thickness...maybe.

[@chrisveya7556]

Absolutely, lots of people mention the panel lines. I havent really thought about these. But you really explain it correctly

[@ScrubbersGhost]

Those that can weather/paint do, those that can’t….well look at the comments section here.

[@chrisveya7556]

Some comments do show more who is hateful and whos not.

[@SundborgModelRailway]

Well said! I think we have the same issue in model railroading, where some people have a tendency to overdue weathering to a degree where rolling stock looks like something out of a Mad Max movie.

[@chrisveya7556]

I mean nothing wrong with mad Max movie vehicles but maybe not necessarely every time😄

[@nycj3ahudson341]

EXCELLENT!!! I have long been an avid proponent of "KEEPING IT REAL". The trend for the last 15-20 years or so has been to make one's models look like something that's been rotting away in a JUNK YARD, or has been RUN THROUGH A FLOUR MILL, or has been parked at the BOTTOM OF AN OCEAN for the last 50 YEARS. I AM HEARTILY SICK TO DEATH of this "LOOK". The late, GREAT modeler extraordinaire Shepard Paine summed it up best I think, when he said, (and I quote) "LESS IS MORE"...

[@chrisveya7556]

I feel a lot of energy in your words...and i like it!😄 Thanks for the feedback!

[@WAYNEMODELBUILDER]

I have to agree with you, I've fallen into this trap on tanks. Just enough to give interest is more than enough

[@chrisveya7556]

I think its maybe like a process i had to go through to get to this conclusion