Testing Chipping Mediums

I wanted to try a new technique (for me), so I took a few Deadzone scenery pieces and tested some chipping mediums on them.

As this was my first time using chipping mediums, I took 3 walls from the Deadzone plastic scenery to see what results I could get with the 3 products I’m trying on a similar surface. For this test/review I’ll be using Heavy Chipping Fluid and Worn Effects Fluid from AK Interactive, as well as Run Off Effect from True Earth.

The way to use the three products is the same. You apply the chipping medium over a painted surface and once dry paint over it the final colour you’ll be chipping. You then moist an area, the medium reacts and you use whichever tools you want to scratch the top layer of paint. Easy!

I used cardboard and masking tape to fix the walls so I could handle them without touching. After priming them black, I airbrushed two metal tones and then did a quick rusty weathering on them. I went a little over the top with it, just to make sure that wherever I chip the paint some rust shows.

Next step is optional, but I did it just to make sure. Once the weathering was dry, I airbrushed one of the pieces with Crystal Lock from True Earth and the other 2 with Vallejo Matt Varnish to seal and protect the paintjob. I left it to dry until the next day and went to clean my airbrush.

When I came back the next day, I found that the Matt Varnish had changed somewhat the colours while the Crystal Lock had kept them truer. Once you do the chipping you won’t notice the difference.

Maybe it was because of the cold weather, but it’s another failed try at airbrushing varnish for me. Crystal Lock also works as a protective varnish, and it seems to work fine for me. It’s only that I’d rather find a product that works that I don’t need to mail order. Well, back to the project.

The first product I tried was the Run Off from True Earth. After aplying two thin coats I painted it white and began working on it.

And I kinda failed. I didn’t give enough time for the product or the paint to dry, or both. And it wasn’t easy to work with it. I let it dry for a little more and after that I was able to somehow save it. The end result is a little messy, but it blends well with the other two. Anyway, I fault myself and not the product for this small failure. Now that I know the proper way to do it I’d like to try it once more.

Having learned my lesson, it was time to try the AK Interactive Heavy Chipping Fluid. Again, I airbrushed a couple of light coats trying to avoid it pooling and gave it enough time to dry. Then I sprayed it white, and waited some more for the paint to dry. Good thing I was listening to Battle Beast while doing all this waiting.

It was time to attack the model once again! This time the results were more satisfactory. I went at it with hard bristle brushes, toothpicks and even a toothbrush to see how it reacted to them. You can get some good results being moderately harsh with it. Just don’t get too excited or you’ll scrub bigger chunks of paint (unless that’s what you’re after, of course).

Now it was time for the Worn Effects Fluid, again from AK Interactive. Once again, a couple of light coats, paint it white and wait a little.

The Worn Effects Fluid is very similar to the Heavy Chipping Fluid, as they’re both from AK Interactive. The difference being the amount of paint chipped. You can achieve subtler effects with the Worn Effects Fluid, and personally I enjoyed more working with it as you have a greater level of control over the look.

In the end, I went for the same look on all the pieces, but I had to be way harsher with the Worn Effects to achieve the same results. To be fair, I’m not 100% sure that I haven’t mixed the Worn Effects and Heavy Chipping picutres.

I really like the look of the trhee walls together, I love the contrast of the clean hi-tech white heavilly damaged. And it was really fun working on them. So next time I need a break from my current projects I might come back to paint more of that Deadzone terrain!