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Hey, just wondering, i have herd conflicting answers to this question, so therefore i think ill just make a thread to get more answers.

Some people have said to me, that thinning down your regular paint doesn't work as a wash for reasons i forget.

The other side has said yes this is common, but you need to do alot of layers for it to work. I don't know get why you would want to use multiple layers of "paint wash" when your main goal is for just the recess's to get filled, like i dont understand why you would need to do another layer.

Any way appreciate every ones help and thank you.

I have been experimenting with this and found this formula so far is good:

1 part Paint
3 parts Matte Medium ( http://www.liquitex.com/mattemedium/ )
3 parts water
1 drop soap

Mix into another container with a lid and shake.

 Draco765 wrote:
I have been experimenting with this and found this formula so far is good:

1 part Paint
3 parts Matte Medium ( http://www.liquitex.com/mattemedium/ )
3 parts water
1 drop soap

Mix into another container with a lid and shake.

Thank you. I dont know why i even bought a "wash".

The GW washes are good, sometimes you just need a different color.

I am very much an amateur at painting, and just now learning how to use them myself.

And yes, if you want to fill a spot, you will have to use a wash multiple times as it is very thin and flows out of those spots you want to fill.

 Draco765 wrote:
The GW washes are good, sometimes you just need a different color.

I am very much an amateur at painting, and just now learning how to use them myself.

And yes, if you want to fill a spot, you will have to use a wash multiple times as it is very thin and flows out of those spots you want to fill.

Do you mean the homemade wash flows out of the spots or the regular gw wash?, Because with the regular GW wash i find it stays in the recess after one go.

Thanks man

Washes will stay the recesses. I think they meant if you were trying to colour a flat panel, on a tank for example.

I’ve never added dish soap, but I use 4 parts water, 3 parts Medium (Lahmian Medium) and one part paint. In particular, I use this with my elf flesh paint, and then add a couple drops of Reikland Fleshshade to that. So I wind up with a mixture of 4 parts base colour wash to 1 part Reikland, so that the Reikland wash is less powerful, and blends very naturally onto the skin of my models.

Also for other custom colours, like an Icy Blue wash to put over white, on my WMH elf armour. I then drybrush white over top and I like the wintery result.

 greatbigtree wrote:
Washes will stay the recesses. I think they meant if you were trying to colour a flat panel, on a tank for example.

I’ve never added dish soap, but I use 4 parts water, 3 parts Medium (Lahmian Medium) and one part paint. In particular, I use this with my elf flesh paint, and then add a couple drops of Reikland Fleshshade to that. So I wind up with a mixture of 4 parts base colour wash to 1 part Reikland, so that the Reikland wash is less powerful, and blends very naturally onto the skin of my models.

Also for other custom colours, like an Icy Blue wash to put over white, on my WMH elf armour. I then drybrush white over top and I like the wintery result.

Thank you. So are you saying you do this method so you can make your regular wash less powerful?, and you wouldn't wash just with the 4 parts water 3 parts medium and 1 part paint,because you only do this so you can make your regular washes less powerful?

And why would they think im trying to do color a flat panel, why would i use multiple very thin coats when i could just do 3 regular coats or some thing for a flat panel.


Man im so confused, i find it so hard to understand., therefore i am sorry if it seems i am not reading what you say.

The only time I've done this is with black, on my Tau cloth and mechanicals. I basecoat in Dawnstone then use a 50/50 mix of water and Abaddon Black. And it works like a strong wash, though I generally drybrush with Dawnstone afterwards, and sometimes a bit of edge highlighting.

 John Prins wrote:
The only time I've done this is with black, on my Tau cloth and mechanicals. I basecoat in Dawnstone then use a 50/50 mix of water and Abaddon Black. And it works like a strong wash, though I generally drybrush with Dawnstone afterwards, and sometimes a bit of edge highlighting.

Cool they look awesome. Thanks

 Stormatious wrote:

 greatbigtree wrote:
Washes will stay the recesses. I think they meant if you were trying to colour a flat panel, on a tank for example.

I’ve never added dish soap, but I use 4 parts water, 3 parts Medium (Lahmian Medium) and one part paint. In particular, I use this with my elf flesh paint, and then add a couple drops of Reikland Fleshshade to that. So I wind up with a mixture of 4 parts base colour wash to 1 part Reikland, so that the Reikland wash is less powerful, and blends very naturally onto the skin of my models.

Also for other custom colours, like an Icy Blue wash to put over white, on my WMH elf armour. I then drybrush white over top and I like the wintery result.

Thank you. So are you saying you do this method so you can make your regular wash less powerful?, and you wouldn't wash just with the 4 parts water 3 parts medium and 1 part paint,because you only do this so you can make your regular washes less powerful?

And why would they think im trying to do color a flat panel, why would i use multiple very thin coats when i could just do 3 regular coats or some thing for a flat panel.


Man im so confused, i find it so hard to understand., therefore i am sorry if it seems i am not reading what you say.

The best solution to understanding is action.
Get some paint and water and make a wash. Stop trying to understand art through logic. It's a creative process that requires a process. Stop thinking and start doing. You'll make much more progress.

 Ghool wrote:

 Stormatious wrote:

 greatbigtree wrote:
Washes will stay the recesses. I think they meant if you were trying to colour a flat panel, on a tank for example.

I’ve never added dish soap, but I use 4 parts water, 3 parts Medium (Lahmian Medium) and one part paint. In particular, I use this with my elf flesh paint, and then add a couple drops of Reikland Fleshshade to that. So I wind up with a mixture of 4 parts base colour wash to 1 part Reikland, so that the Reikland wash is less powerful, and blends very naturally onto the skin of my models.

Also for other custom colours, like an Icy Blue wash to put over white, on my WMH elf armour. I then drybrush white over top and I like the wintery result.

Thank you. So are you saying you do this method so you can make your regular wash less powerful?, and you wouldn't wash just with the 4 parts water 3 parts medium and 1 part paint,because you only do this so you can make your regular washes less powerful?

And why would they think im trying to do color a flat panel, why would i use multiple very thin coats when i could just do 3 regular coats or some thing for a flat panel.


Man im so confused, i find it so hard to understand., therefore i am sorry if it seems i am not reading what you say.

The best solution to understanding is action.
Get some paint and water and make a wash. Stop trying to understand art through logic. It's a creative process that requires a process. Stop thinking and start doing. You'll make much more progress.

Ok good point. Thank you.

In my case, Reikland Fleshshade would make my elf flesh too dark if I used it right out of the pot. So I mix up a wash of mostly flesh, then add a bit of darkening agent (Reikland) to the standard wash.

That's what I meant by weakening the Reikland Fleshshade wash. By using a mostly "original" colour, and adding a bit of darker wash to it, I get a subtler shade.

You can use glazes, that are like washes, on curved panels like SM shoulder pads. You start with the whole panel, then leave a bit off of the highlight, then a bit of a wider circle, and then a wider circle left without colour. Assuming you start with a white undercoat.

 greatbigtree wrote:
In my case, Reikland Fleshshade would make my elf flesh too dark if I used it right out of the pot. So I mix up a wash of mostly flesh, then add a bit of darkening agent (Reikland) to the standard wash.

That's what I meant by weakening the Reikland Fleshshade wash. By using a mostly "original" colour, and adding a bit of darker wash to it, I get a subtler shade.

You can use glazes, that are like washes, on curved panels like SM shoulder pads. You start with the whole panel, then leave a bit off of the highlight, then a bit of a wider circle, and then a wider circle left without colour. Assuming you start with a white undercoat.

Oh i get it. I don't really get glazes though but ill figure it out.

Thank you.

The short answer is, no.

You can shade a model effectively with just paint, but it's not really going to be a wash as we generally think of them.

Paint is made up of two things: pigment and medium. The medium for acryclics is what makes it thick. You can thin it with water, but that also dilutes the pigment. Paints are also usually made with particle pigments.

Washes, OTOH, are usually made with inks (liquid pigment), medium, and a flow improver. Soap works in a pinch, flow aid from any art store will work. Basically, anything that will break the surface tension of the water will cause the wash to naturally flow into crevices more than the surface. The reason you use inks instead of paints is because inks have a higher pigment load, and so retain their ability to shade even when thinned down to a wash consistency.

A "wash" made with paint, water, and soap will do the job, but generally won't be as strong as one made with ink. You'll also have the acrylic medium, which will add some bulk you might not like.

A glaze, btw, is a broad term for thinned paints with a relatively low pigment load that does not use flow aid. This will cause them to stay on the surface, and so "glaze" the full area, rather than pool in the depths.

 greatbigtree wrote:
In my case, Reikland Fleshshade would make my elf flesh too dark if I used it right out of the pot. So I mix up a wash of mostly flesh, then add a bit of darkening agent (Reikland) to the standard wash.

That's what I meant by weakening the Reikland Fleshshade wash. By using a mostly "original" colour, and adding a bit of darker wash to it, I get a subtler shade.

You can use glazes, that are like washes, on curved panels like SM shoulder pads. You start with the whole panel, then leave a bit off of the highlight, then a bit of a wider circle, and then a wider circle left without colour. Assuming you start with a white undercoat.

this is basically how I do stuff. It really works for doing gradients and blending colors. There are times when working with 2 similar washes at the same time can really achieve a subtle shift and create lowlights.

dont be afraid to try something out. Just take some sprue after you're done building a kit, then try painting on it and once you're confident try it on a mini.

Worst thing that could happen is that you learn something.