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Is dipping basically drenching your junk in a wash? If so, is it best for me to get this and see the benefits of washing vs dipping? Don't really feel like spending a fortune on quickshade or some junk from Home Depot.

There is a reason that 4 letter words are blocked on dakka, and it would be appreciated if you didn't try to circumvent those blocks.

As for dipping, yes it is basically covering your models in a single color shade that does all the work for you. A wash is just a hand brushed dip basically.

Audicide wrote:
Is dipping basically drenching your junk in a wash? If so, is it best for me to get this and see the benefits of washing vs dipping? Don't really feel like spending a fortune on quickshade or some junk from Home Depot.

You can try that stuff, I've never heard of it, and have no idea if it will work great, work horribly, or melt your miniatures some how.

Dipping is a specific method that can get really good results if done smartly (knowing which colors will work, which won't, and how much to use are all key elements)

If you choose not to buy the army painter dip (which while it works great is very expensive compared to Minwax or whatever is available in your area) that is your choice

I have dipped before, but since I tend to be stingy, I don't like the idea of wasting the dipping solution by spraying it all over the place when I am doing the shaking or spinning, so instead I brush on the solution, it's neater, and conserves more of the material (though you do get a ton in the minwax container anyway) It also works great on models that won't fit into the can of dip.

Anyway, there is a good article here on dakka that lays out the basics:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Dipping_Tyranids

Another way of getting almost the same result is to pick up a lot of Devlan Mud, Badab Black, or whatever color you want your dip to be, brush it on somewhat heavy and let dry, and you get 90% of what the dipping does for about 10x the cost

Norsehorse. THAT is a Valejo product, it should produce acceptable results much as many of their other products do.

Audicide. The advantage dipping holds over acrylic washes is that it produces a rock hard finish that can protect the model for years. Washes are superior in more complicated painting processes as a filtering effect like a candy coat in auto painting. A heavy wash may grant the same EFFECT as dipping but not the inherent protection a coloured varnish provides.

NM, already posted

AustonT wrote:Norsehorse. THAT is a Valejo product, it should produce acceptable results much as many of their other products do.

Audicide. The advantage dipping holds over acrylic washes is that it produces a rock hard finish that can protect the model for years. Washes are superior in more complicated painting processes as a filtering effect like a candy coat in auto painting. A heavy wash may grant the same EFFECT as dipping but not the inherent protection a coloured varnish provides.

I see.

If you don't like the gloss finish that "magic dip" gives, you just hit the model with spray matt varnish when it's completely dry (24 hours).

Kilkrazy wrote:If you don't like the gloss finish that "magic dip" gives, you just hit the model with spray matt varnish when it's completely dry (24 hours).

Thats what i do.

Heres my procedure for models Im going to dip:

1) primer
2) base color
3) details
4) dip...brushed on, not physically dunked into the jar.
5) testors dullcote

I use Minwax Polyshades Mission Oak. its a relatively dark brown color...Ive got it thinned down a good bit with paint thinner...about 70% shade & 30% thinner.

Something to get used to is the way it changes the colors. Being a relatively dark color, it obviously darkens the paint color. I have to think of what I want the final model to look like, and adjust the paints used sometimes. For instance, if I want a fairly light metal (like for GK) I will use Chainmail with the dip, where I would have used Boltgun Metal without the dip.