So I have been wanting to add some fine lines,squad marks, and weathering on my ships, but I have NO artistic talent and don't want to ruin my lovely little ships. Any idea on how to get started?

Fine lines can be done with graphic pens, squad marking with wargaming decals, and weathering.. try pigments, just brush them on, if you don't like them wipe them clean off ! : )

Once you're happy with the weathering, just spray the model with varnish to lock it down.

(Tamiya do little weathering kits that look like makeup kits, inc little brushes to apply it... great way to start out.)

Wargaming decals eh? Sounds hard to mess up. I like it.

I'd love to get a Death Star kill mark or 2 for Luke and Wedge and get a Blue Squadron together.

Pigments come in powder form, you just use a dry paint brush and wipe the stuff on your model.. you can also use make-up brushes as well..

You can do a range of effects with them (they come in quite a wide range of colours), from dirtying up the model, adding grime or soot like effects or even adding glow effects (with florescent pigments).

The more you apply and rub into the model, the stronger the effect will be.

Because there's nothing adhering the pigment to the model, you can just use a wet cloth or tissue to wipe the pigment away.. makes it very easy to tidy up and adjust where the pigment is on the model.

There are a few ways to stick the pigment to your model, you can use a spray or airbrush varnish, which if applied lightly, will keep the pigment mostly in place. Alternatively, you can manually apply varnish with a brush, or get some pigment fixer, which will turn it into more of a paint effect.. play around on some test models first to get a feel for it and see which suits you best.

Also, put some paper down, the pigment makes a hell of a mess and gets everywhere..

Google wargaming decals, 15mm / 28mm and that should bring back quite a few WW2 style decals, and then apply those to your ships.. basically water slide transfers, just cut to shape, soak in a little water and then carefully move onto the model with a brush..

It's worth getting decal solvent (microarts sell it) which helps the decal stick to the model and soften it to allow it to sit flat against uneven surfaces.

If you wanted to do stripes on your models, modelling tape (think tamiya do that as well, in various thicknesses) is well worth it... essentially masking tape.. apply to pieces of it where you want a stripe, then run a paint brush down the middle, let it dry and there's your stripe!

Youtube is always worth a look for hints and tips...

I think there's also an article on here somewhere about using pencils to add effects to models as well... normal lead pencil for scrapes on the armour... black or brown coloured pencils for dirt and grime ; )

Thanks so much!

Great tips Vindicare101!

Hello BlueMusketeer,

A while a go i did a thread on using Pencils to add extra detail and weather the Xwing miniatures.

It might sound odd using pencils......but its an old Armour modelling trick.

And works well on the X wing models.

I did it for those that are not comfortable painting there models, But wanted to add a little extra something !

Here is a link.....

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/190091-weathering-with-pencilsdirt-streaks-grime-rust-blaster-burns/

Hope it helps you out.

All the best,

Barry.

Here's a trick I've use to cut very thin strips of masking tape with good repeatability.

Take two new exacto blades and CAREFULLY break off the part that goes into a handle on one of them. Decide how narrow of a stripe you want and super glue a plastic shim between the blades making sure the blades are aligned with each other. You can cut very thin strips for masking.

If you're right handed I suggest you put the handle on the right hand blade and the opposite for south paws. It's a little easier to see what you're doing.

Because of the offset you do need to be careful when cutting but it's not a big deal since the offset is relatively small.

There's also a balsa stripper available. A screw allows yo to move a blade in/out from a base line. Supposedly adjustable by 1/32". I haven't tried this one yet.

Thanks for all of the tips. I am going to try some of these techniques and I will let you see what I manage to produce.

but I have NO artistic talent and don't want to ruin my lovely little ships. Any idea on how to get started?

Ruin your lovely little ships.

Seriously, nobody is born with it, just dive in. But! let me calm my t!ts and apologize for my attempted adolescent shock post.

In the eastern U.S. Dollar Tree carries a product called "L.A.'s Totally Awesome (as seen on TV)".

It's an obnoxiously caustic degreaser in a spray bottle, meant to be used diluted. However, if you plop an X-Wing ship straight into it for 12 hours, (maybe less), it will handily dissolve any acrylic paint and will not harm the plastic or original finish beneath... oddly enough.

So... paint your ships, get experience, earn your battle scars, and if you dislike the results, be at peace with the knowledge that there is a way to safely reload a previous save point.

But if you want to do this, the only way is to do it. If that still seems too scary get some lesser models to practice on. Repaint some Hot Wheels or Black Series Titanium ships. Snag some actual gaming miniatures. Reaper's Bones line is quite good for cheap, (if not on the level of the metals they're purportedly taking the place of).

Personally I've found that owning a well painted miniature isss... "okay", but owning the actual knowledge and experience of being able to create and express yourself in such a fashion is immensely satisfying.