Submarine Weathering Masterclass by Alan Taylor

Time to put away the airbrush and get on with the small details. Partly to help hide the airbrush job that has preceded it!
On this series of pictures are various little painting effects, starting with the missing tile effect. I considered milling out a 0.75mm deep square out of the model at various random points around the model, however, sanity prevailed. I masked small squares off on the surface of the model. Then in the best Thunderbirds tradition, dry brushed Humbrol 62 Leather up to the edges of the tape, feathering to less in the centres of the squares. Also stippling thicker rust effects around the edges of the tape. Once peeled off, they started to look like exposed steel sub hull.
Next, small amounts of slightly thinned satin varnish ( thinned so it would be easier to hand paint into scribed detail ) are applied. I highlighted details on the hull surface, such as the decoy launcher tubes, retracted bollards and small access hatches.
A Clear Orange colour was used to streak down the hull in places, simulating running rust. Not too much though, this is a new boat, not an old WWII tub.
I then used rust red and silver oil pastel pencils, roughly streaked down the hull from strategic points. This was then blended in with my finger. This provided subtle satin streaks of a slightly different colour. So far this has proved water resistant without the need for a protective top coat. Top coats are great for protecting your weathering effects, however, if you also have changes of surface finish, from matt through satin to metallic, a uniform top coat will kill this off in one pass. So, don’t top coat!

These pictures show the model in daylight for the first time. Some of the more subtle detail can be seen on the conning tower in the form of panels, while the hull is showing the brush painted effects such as water run off. Also the missing rubber tile effects have been enhanced with a thin shadow line painted along the upper and one vertical edge of each ‘hole’.
Depending on the angle of the photograph, the model shows the matt effects, or a silvery reflection, or the streaks. Rather like trying to pin down the colours on a full size boat, these keep changing as your viewing angle changes.

Next job, the sonar array. I wanted these to stand out. Therefore, I opted for a flat matt finish, with no flourishes.
Humbrol 31 Slate Grey is a great green/grey colour for this and was airbrushed on the various masked off arrays.

These pictures show the model finished. The sonar arrays have received a bit of subtle airbrushing around their edges and two vertical stripes in the centre, slightly darker but still flat matt. Also I used a soft pencil, 2B or similar, to pencil in some of the remaining panel stencilling. Kept sharp between passes, these marks are then blended in with a blunt finger. The generally vertical nature of the streaking is obvious from these pictures, also in some images the almost invisible waterline disappears, while in other shots it is more obvious.

And then it was finished, so I played around with one of the images in the computer! From model to patrolling hostile waters in a thousand easy steps.

I need a smoke and a coffee - don't even smoke. That was good! Thank you so much for sharing!
I also like what you did with the sub in, I am guessing, Photoshop.
Peace,
Tom

Fantasic just fantastic words fail me thanks for sharing

Very impressive indeed.

The point seems to be very detailed observation.You see what is there on the photograph of the full size and then reproduce it - if only that was easy!

Gravity seems to be important too. Water flows downhill and leaves its mark.

David