Weathering With Watercolors?

Adam rediscovers the versatility of weathering with watercolor paint, and demonstrates how quickly and easily you can age a hand prop like Weta Workshop's Key to Erebor with a few passes of earthtone watercolors. Take a close look at the process and result examined under Adam's digital microscope!
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Key to Erebor: www.wetanz.com...
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Shot by Adam Savage and edited by Norman Chan
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!
#adamsavage #watercolor #weathering

[@tested]

Watercolor set: amzn.to/45ngLuW Key to Erebor: www.wetanz.com/us/the-key-to-erebor Disclaimer: Tested may earn a commission from items purchased at the link above

[@the.beardedham_art]

As a watercolor artist I know there are many techniques that can be used to create textures, such as crumbling plastic wrap and placing on the watercolor and allowed to dry naturally. You can also sprinkle table salt onto the wet paint and let air dry. Some of these techniques might give some interesting effects.

[@tested]

Table salt! Thanks for sharing your tips.

[@Zogtee]

Also, using watercolor straight from the tube will probably give better results and stronger colors.

[@wobblysauce]

Try different salts… not just the fine table salt

[@Jasmine-gw1uw]

Mmm tasty! :P

[@Lemu_with_a_shirt]

And the importance of different types of watercolour. You've got high quality transparent paints, and the more opaque ones too. Then there's more mid quality paints, but when you get to craft paints and kid's paint it gets so much different. I don't think transparent or the cleanest paints would work the best for this, craft paints tho...

[@swalker4655]

Really appreciate that he kept half the key untouched to allow for a clear before/after comparison. Very effective demonstration of how this looks/works.

[@Merlinherk]

of course half weathered makes it look like a it was discovered half buried or submerged

[@jividenjr1]

Ran into Adam on a Terminal Train at the DFW airport last month on my to meet my wife for a mini vacation in Philadelphia. He was incredibly nice. Lol, I was in shock at first. Having never meet anyone famous before. It was nice meeting someone that I’ve been watching for over 20+ years. Thanks for being so nice and a highlight on my trip to Philadelphia

[@Ravenkiwi]

Norm as well. Met Norm when they came to Wellington a few years ago at Wellington airport, when I was flying home from Canada, and Norm was right behind me in line on our way out of the terminal. He was super kind, even after a 13hr flight.

[@tested]

Watercolor set: amzn.to/45ngLuW Key to Erebor: www.wetanz.com/us/the-key-to-erebor Disclaimer: Tested may earn a commission from items purchased at the link above

[@roryoutdoors5431]

"Two thin coats" - Duncan Rhodes :p Pry my nuln oil and agrax earthshade from my cold dead hands!

[@davidbooker11]

That is so awesome LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL, no seriously, I didn't understand that at all. I'm sorry

[@colsonayars1895]

The way I know exactly what you said 😭 reminds me of my teens

[@andrewrjw]

I’ve just tried this technique but using designer’s gouache rather than block watercolour. Gouache has more pigment than watercolour and comes in a tube so you can apply it as you would oils. Works like a charm.

[@SarahKchannel]

I use quiet often cornstarch and talcum powder, dabbed with a brush, or in a sock to touch the surfaces. Gives it more texture and can be pushed into corners to create grime build-up. Works well when the cornstarch is greened to make it look like oxidation.

[@SteveWFitch]

Briliant! I know what I'm doing to my own Key to Erebor! Great tutorial!

[@theminiatureunderground]

You might also be interested in water solvable colored pencils for streaking or just the control they allow. Modelers use water colors. I have a nice set of the pencils from AK Interactuve

[@BrailleScale]

Yes! Came here to say this. Rick Lawler does some great demonstrations of these tools in conjunction with oil paints on his "Propaganda" channel 🎉

[@briantakeuchi386]

Do you guys know a good alternative to the ak Weathering pencils? I’m looking for a large set to add to my paint collection that won’t break the bank.

[@BrailleScale]

@@briantakeuchi386 they're essentially just water color pencils as far as I know. So any entry level set by no-name brands could work. Or I'd recommend grabbing just a few individual colors that you want to try out first to see if you like the technique. Whichever colors you'd think you'd be likely to use most often. Two or three browns, maybe some greens or greys, just depends on your desired application. I find full sets are only valuable if I use all the colors, otherwise just buying the few colors you really need can save a lot of money.

[@theminiatureunderground]

@@briantakeuchi386 water color pencils from any art store or online. avoid anything that is wax or oil based

[@BuildDanielBuild]

This is actually amazing, didn't think about using watercolor on my props! I'm going to definitely try this

[@davidbooker11]

Yes, please do!!!!! It is wonderful!!!!!

[@gaboaaa23]

are the colors fading out or stying like it is?@@davidbooker11

[@pileofshamehobbies]

Perfect timing of this video. I've just started using water colour pencils to weather miniatures. Trying them out in a 'blanchitsu' style. It's been very effective.

[@RuthlessMojo]

I purchased a digital microscope to aid me in my miniature painting. It’s really been a game changer as recently I’ve had issues with blurriness and double vision. It only cost me $50 Australian, and it has a 4 inch screen. It does however have a HDMI out and it can record to an SD card. I use mica powders or pastels for weathering. Pastels in particular are great because they’re cheap and highly pigmented. You just need to grind it down with a coffee grinder or use a file to make it into a fine powder. You can mix it with other medium’s depending on your needs.

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

If you want to keep the weathering in place for longer, a really tough lacquer varnish with a lovely matt finish can be got from Creos Corp., Mr. Hobby Super-Clear, and it also comes in a UV-cut version. You really can't tell it's there, but it's very tough.

[@imaginaryguide1895]

Adam-thanks for this video. I enjoyed watching it when the video initially came out, and I came back to this when I needed to weather a costume prop.

[@r3v3n63]

I've been wondering about this; I work with miniatures and I've been curiouse if watercolors could be used effectivly in weathering so thank you for showing the technique!

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Thanks, editor, for not blasting our speakers and headphones with the sound of the dryer. It is appreciated by me and my neighbors.

[@mugheb]

My eternal gratitude for this teaching Adam. I've tried all kinds, for me gouache is the perfect choice for weathering.

[@metatechhd]

I must say, the decision to leave half of the key untouched was a brilliant move. It truly allows for a clear before/after comparison, making the demonstration highly effective. It's fascinating to see how this technique transforms the artwork. Great job! 👏🎨✨

[@AB-Prince]

I've seen watercolor be used for a good rust effect, as some cheap watercolor paints are a pressed powder that get chunky when you paint with it.

[@OhHeyTrevorFlowers]

The color grading difference is vast between the main camera and the microscope.

[@Benham_Design]

Perfect use for the microscope, I loved the close up of what was going on!

[@sinaptic]

This is great, thank you! I mainly weather wargaming models, and I'm always on the lookout for techniques that don't involve oils or enamels and the required thinners; I find as I get older I can't tolerate the toxic fumes for more than a few minutes anymore. This is a fantastc water-based addition to the toolbox!

[@ThatGuyKal]

Question for Adam, if the watercolor beads up when it's thin, then could you perhaps add a little dish soap to the water to break the surface tension?

[@Merennulli]

KZbin being KZbin, I knew there would be something where someone had tried it and sure enough, someone did (albeit on paper). The soap makes textures in it when mixed into the water color. That MIGHT be good for a weathering pass, but it could also be bad. Definitely worth a try. Hope Adam sees your comment and tries it.

[@cwpinti]

Great technique video Mr Savage 🎉

[@SysexOfficial]

Hi Adam, I mull my own paints and pigments at home, and I know some secrets: Most 'earth pigment' paints and ones described as earth tones are in-fact made from real earth colors, including all of the ochres and siennas. If you so-desired to make a place aged from a certain locale, you can sift and mull together any kind of earth (including fuller's earth and alcohol inks) and gum arabic to make your own in-house aging mediums. The greater viscosity and ability to adhere without beading is in-part due to the presence of gum arabic, and one may use gum arabic to both stabilize thinned watercolors, as well as add a higher degree of water resistance to pieces, allowing you to age pieces with a fair amount of durability, that can then later be touched up or have its pigments moved around.A good application of highly thinned watercolor paint would be doing things like adding calcium deposits on surfaces and appearance of ulrafine settled dust by allowing the pigment granules to naturally settle into crevices (this requires liberal saturation, of course). When you pointed out the sorta variances in color once dried that add dimension, what you're looking at is granulation, or the visible grains of pigment. A great way to tell how well a paint is going to granulate (and whether it'll stain), can be deduced in the color coding system for watercolor artists to assess the qualities of a particular paint at a glance on the paint label. www.watercoloraffair.com/how-to-read-watercolor-labels-a-beginners-tutorial/ I'm glad you've stumbled into watercolor paints! It's far and away my favorite medium for both its versatility, and the fact that almost anything that can be pulverized can be turned into paint!

[@Balyrion]

I really like using super thin oil paints for the same purpose. I am curious how durable the watercolor is over time, the oil paints once fully cured are quite stable I would be worried about the watercolor wearing away over time, especially in humid environments.

[@brandongaines1731]

Thank you so much for making this video for other makers! I can see how such a technique could be easily used by miniature wargamers and model railroaders to enhance the look of their models. This video has earned a "like" from me :-)

[@davidmarden4789]

I remember a PBS show I used to watch where they restored furniture the also showed ways to make it look old. They did a lot of things like espresso washes, beating furniture with chains and such. I think they were based in Philadelphia.

[@undefined40]

I was on a tabletop event last weekend, saw one guy wearing a T-shirt with the print: "I am not old, this is just weathering!"

[@karenblanck7726]

Great technique….thanks for sharing. You can also get some amazing results by using alcohol inks and they are relatively inexpensive . Tim Holtz, the king of crafting grunge, has a great collection of colors.

[@L3ttuc3]

The first thing I ever 'weathered' was a steel nut and bolt with watercolor actually. I was just messing with a friend for some reason who was disassembling something with a ton of rusted and seized bolts, but one had been recently replaced with a brand new one. I don't know what possessed me, I had no real idea about the concept or process of weathering, and hadn't really ever considered it was a thing people do or how it was done for film etc. I just thought it would be funny, so I painted it to look like the others a bit. I recall it coming out really well for what it was. It fooled him and he almost injured himself when it broke free instantly. I would say it's a solid/viable technique if I could make a halfway convincing bolt like that without having the slightest idea what I was doing. That or I need smarter friends.

[@BrailleScale]

Very cool! I've never seen artists watercolors used like that right out of the palette for this. But for an alternative you can look into watercolor pencils! Especially for styrene kits and scratch builds with flat surfaces. They can be used wet in a similar manner to how Adam's shown- or dry. It's really cool to see them put on dry to quickly replicate small scuffs and scratches and then they can be blended with a slightly damp brush and softened or completely erased with water. The extra feature this brings to the table is if you're already using oil paints to weather, the two can be used simultaneously to layer a lot of effects on at once as they don't interact with each other. I learned all this from Rick Lawler, he's got a KZbin channel if you search his name under his "Propaganda" branding. Seeing him use watercolor pencils and oil paints in real time to get really layered finishes is great, especially with the speed this technique affords him.

[@DiosChotil]

"that says watherting, i know, terrible handwriting", the sign in question being INEAJAEMNG

[@nerdingforfunprops4487]

Water colours for weathering? This gets me excited. Also, thanks for introducing us to the mini heat gun. I purchased one a few weeks back and it's frickin amazing....

[@bgrant1512]

Do you do anything to seal it after the water color weathering is finished?

[@briantakeuchi386]

Yeah use a layer of varnish when you’re happy with the results.

[@petermopar]

Picard's (90s) ship has cleaning nanites so no weathering prop interstices there. Interesting philosophy of steampunk versus utopian in weathering artistry.

[@kryptonianbat]

Very interesting technique for a weathering look!!!

[@Armando_DA]

I enjoyed this demonstration on ineasaemng w/ watercolors a lot, thank you! :)

[@MyAvitech]

One brand to look into is Daniel Smith. They're not cheap, but the color assortment is amazing, and most colors are in tube form which might be better a suited form to do weathering like Adam does. I use them to paint watercolors, but also use in my acrylic paintings to get effects that are hard to achieve with acrylic paint. I mix the colors with a clear medium so it will stick to the paint, and use them to create highlights or shadows with colors I can't get with acrylic alone. I love their PrimaTek, Luminescent, and Granulating Watercolors.

[@RambozoClown]

For brass and bronze Liver of Sulfur gives it a real patina of age. At one time I did repairs on some antique Brass casings imported from India. They had been broken in transit. I TIG brazed them back together then used Liver of Sulfur to match the patina. The customer was amazed.

[@SuperFartass]

A very good way to weather Bandai's Star Wars kits since the plastic doesn't respond well to even mild solvents.

[@joyopd]

Hello. Amazing video. It is nice to see this before/after comparison even during painting. It is easier for me as a non-artist appreciate your work.

[@monsvillerailways5736]

Thanks Adam. Used on plastic buildings you obviously can't use the hairdryer but this technique should still work. I'll give it a try on some of my goods sheds. Thanks. Mon

[@mbncd]

It's interesting how differently the cameras pick up colour. One saw the brown as like a milk chocolate sort of colour while the other saw it as a mossy green.

[@yobgodababua1862]

The dirt and grime look does work really well, and fits the JW crucifix (which was, I believe, left in a book for several years), but I just don't feel like it fits a piece of jewelry that was loved by it's owner and worn constantly close to the skin (which I've noticed tends to produce a high surface polish over time).

[@HelenMcLean]

Mind blown! Thank you. But, even though it's not coming off by touch, I assume it can be scratched off? What sealer would/ could you add?

[@stevenblakeakahashburns]

"The patina of use and abuse" 😂 love that phrase

[@snallygaster5]

I am always amazed by Mr Savage. He gets a reproduction of the Codex Forster, I run of only 499 pieces, and his first thought is "I need to filthy it up a little." I'd kept it under glass, not that I could ever afford one.

[@nathkrupa3463]

Nice video sir

[@nathantron]

Wow the color difference between these two cameras is insane. How hard would it be to color correct Adams normal camera video?

[@elerhino]

Ineasaemng w/ watercolors!

[@lrnook]

Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the keyhole

[@gaboaaa23]

hello, Ive weathered the walls of my mansion with watercolors. You think this color will stay like it is now or will it fade with time? I also painted the roof with them and i LOVe how easy it is to make the weathering lighter or even completely removable if you puted to much of weathering. It so reversable!

[@_baert]

Weathering starts at 8:31

[@jmr2008jan]

Tamiya makes weathering kits that are essentially watercolor. Would be interesting to test if there's a difference.

[@tuphdc8779]

well done

[@kaitlyn__L]

I know it’s just a demo of the technique, but I couldn’t help but be a bit bothered by how you weathered it the heaviest in the places fingers are less likely to touch it, and especially in the part of the key that would interact with the mechanisms and get scratched and look brighter than the rest! I don’t usually tend to grab the shafts of keys, after all I definitely want to try this, but inspired by real patina mostly do it in the places an item gets handled often. Since you can usually tell exactly where someone habitually holds a steel or brass item! And maybe mask off a couple thin strips where I expect it to engage with the teeth of the lock (or scratch it in), for prop keys. Of course I’m sure you know all this, and when an item is important in a film you probably do take these things into account rather than just applying it randomly as a demonstration!

[@ShinnyMetal]

While, like you said, it's a demonstration first and not looking to be accurate, there wouldn't be normal use wear on this particular key at all. It was made because of the fall of Erabor to open a secret door and isn't used for about a hundred years.

[@NorthOfEarthAlex]

INEASAEMNG

[@beansnrice321]

"Arise now, ye tarnished! Ye new objects who look yet old. "

[@zimmy1958]

Thanks

[@cienfuegos9583]

excellent

[@joeknowslittle79]

unrelated to this video. I'm sending you a suggestion for your lightsaber. You can light the crystal by adding an led to the aluminum crystal mount. use button cell for the LED's power and ... well you'll figure it out, you're Adam "expletive deleted" Savage melon farmer.

[@MugRuith]

Look at the coloring around the raised square on the shaft. There is a change between 11:25 and 12:09. Looks like another color pass was done despite the claim that it was not.

[@jonahunderhill]

Right before the cut he said "I'm going to get a little more in a couple places." He's just saying he only used 1 color, not that he only dipped his brush in it 1 time. The editor probably just cut it for time.

[@nickademuss42]

add some clear matt paint over it to make it permanant, or the first sweaty palm that holds it will make it come off. Like using chalks for mud on a model tank....

[@torpidblack8586]

My question is could you use the watercolor pencils to make more accurate and in depth coloration?

[@tuddrussell]

Where is this $20 large Orthodox rosary? I keep finding ones that are way overpriced and or the wrong size.

[@ramspencer5492]

Would a lacquer finish in attempt to "fix" the weathering disrupt and affect the work? (Like one uses with acrylics)

[@stephanegli3160]

Is there something you can do after painting to help it set in and not smudge after time

[@lordimpaler3899]

Can this be sealed over without compromising the dried watercolors?

[@googiegress]

Looks like the slate says "INEAJAEMNG" to me ;)

[@robertpresley6414]

What about using alcohol instead of water in the paint? Just curious what would be the results.

[@--Dan-]

Some things I personally notice from weathered props is the weathering tends to either look homogeneous all the way around, or just random. Of course actual age and use doesn't look like either of those things. How much thought or research do you tend to put into weathering from the perspective of realism, versus just what looks good on camera?

[@3liony]

As someone who hasn't done really any weathering and is speaking solely as a viewer of this stuff (telling you how much of a grain of salt to take this) it seems to me like the watercolor weathering develops much more of an aged patina look while the acrylic paint weathering he normally does looks a lot more like the kind of grime you'd get from daily use of an item as dirt gets caught in the seams and stuff, so two very different types of weathering that play well off each other

[@jamfjord]

Ooooh interesting... time for a little A/B testing, perhaps? On models too?

[@WIImotionmasher]

Would this fall off in like ... rain? Like fake rain on a film set. I wonder if this can be coated to protect it, or if it needs it at all.

[@50caliber29]

Quite amazing how cameras pick up colour. The difference in colour balance between the IPhone & the microscope is ridiculous. The iPhone video makes the brown paint applied to the key look green, the microscope video is a more accurate brown rendition. Literally look like two totally different props. You might want to play with the IPhone to get a more accurate colour balance, because in videos like this, accurate colour rendition is vital.

[@thomasvaughan294]

Always weather my off-road scale RC cars with water colours.

[@nicolevanderpool1252]

Find those places you can see but can’t reach first, hopefully there aren’t any but… if so use use medium (water) to create a path and then add thin paint layers to the area. Let dry between. Why? Doing it first you can wash the whole thing off and start again if you don’t like it. Thin washes is how I mess up less. Your mileage may vary of course. Good luck 🍀

[@winterlighthome]

What options have y'all used to seal watercolor weathered objects?

[@briantakeuchi386]

You can use a varnish

[@briantakeuchi386]

I’ve totally used watercolors to glaze over acrylic paint on Warhammer figures. Way easier than using acrylic and glazing medium .also watercolor is so thin you’re less likely to obscure details accidentally . And if you don’t like it you can dunk your mini in water and it’s gone! AK sells some weathering in pencils That I’m 99% sure are normal watercolor pencils. Can anyone confirm this? I picked up a set at the hobby store the other day and I’ve really enjoying using them. But they are a bit expensive

[@davidt1123]

My wonder is. If there is a good way to waterproof it after?

[@jonahunderhill]

A clear coat should work.

[@whittaker007]

I guess watercolour is really just moist fine pigment powder. That's a really cool technique.

[@dwindlebunny]

ineasaemng w/ watercolors!

[@theragingdolphinsmaniac4696]

Why not? Watercolor is acrylic paint pigment minus the resin binder. Once you get results you like you can lock it down with fixitive or dullcoat. I have even mixed clear watercolor with clear acrylic to mix my own acrylic paint color.

[@chahtanerf9676]

Can this work on leather and fabrics?

[@-vermin-]

What do you use to ge a patina on copper and brass?

[@GuildOfTheBlackCrow]

How would you seal it?

[@gabrielsilva-wq6sk]

Hello Adam. I would like to suggest an idea for your channel, it would be really cool if your channel was dubbed in different languages, like MrBeast's channel, he duplicates his videos in several nationalities and uses other accounts like: MrBeast Brasil ..... Your content is very good, more people need to know, especially here in Brazil. Sincerely, Gabriel from Brazil !!!

[@MisterEktos]

Adam: "Please don't take this as a How To. / Video Title: How To Weather Props With Watercolors!

[@guerrillanews]

i am a painter art not houses i keep trying new things when i paint. do to covid i have & had 2+ gallons of hand sanitizer so i stated to us it in my painting it make the paint drip and ooze. i also mix it in to the paint as well 1 to 1 2oz hand sanitizer 2oz tempera metallic paint in a misting spay bottle. give a metallic sheen and glitter to my artwork i wonder if it work as weathering medium.

[@robcairns98]

Add a little egg to your water color, and it becomes tempora. Which has a longer life.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Whole whisked egg? Or just egg white (as my instincts say)?

[@blackraven8805]

​@@kaitlyn__L Egg yolk only...

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@blackraven8805 ah, the third option! I was first thinking the fat would play odd with the water, but just remembered egg yolk has emulsifier properties too.

[@blackraven8805]

​@@kaitlyn__L It is the traditional recipe. Egg white gets rotten...

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@blackraven8805 I’m sure it is! I’m not familiar with egg in paints at all, except that I knew it was done historically.

[@reneebrill8322]

if you are using the watercolor this thick, why watercolor instead of gouache?

[@karatwilight]

My guess would be that it's less about "this instead of that" as opposed to, "hey, check out this method." Also, on further consideration I think that *lots* of people probably have a set of watercolor paints on hand (especially if they have kids) but very few are likely to have a full set of gouache paints just sitting around.

[@RustyRaygun]

Funnily enough my KZbin showed an add right after Siri said "I found something on the web".

[@spacepiratecaptainrush1237]

what I'm seeing is, unlike with some acrylics, you're not introducing much additional texture on the metal. which can be done with acrylics for sure, and sometimes you might even want that dimension of the paint. next time I see a good water colour set for a reasonable price I might snag one and keep an eye out for places this could be useful.

[@jeffreysulik3311]

I used cheap watercolors (borrowed from my kids) to weather my first Headpiece to the Staff of Ra from Acme Artifacts to tone down the bright gold finish.

[@googiegress]

10:27 I am constantly weathering my Keys To Erebor, but I soak ravens in watercolor ink and have them fly over. It helps if you speak their secret and antique tongue.

[@Dardrum]

In real life, water does a lot of weathering in the wild, yet, I would have never thought of it for prop weathering DOH lol

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Don't you just love when your voice-assist spyware (that you can't uninstall) interrupts the filming of your video?

[@skelingtonrick]

okay time to set up a sub-channel " The joy of weathering" set up same way as bob ross, black set, just adam, and some random prop he is weathering, start off with clean prop, half way through no one knows what you think you are going to accomplish, and then at the end everyone is scooping their jaw off the floor