Toothpaste ????

Ok heres a question from one of the newbies. what is toothpasting and how is it used for weathering. I'm starting a custom and it will have alot of battle damage so any help would be great.

thanks

basiclly you put a layer of toothpaste on top of your paint that you want to show through and then paint another layer on top after it (the paint) drys use a soft brush to remove the toothpaste and there is your paint damage


on a side note i use masking fluid that can be picked up at any michaels arts and crafts ( shameless plug for my work)

thanks kanol that helps alot. I must say that I've only been a member for a few days and am in awe as to how willing everyone is to help.

One more quick question.... should I cover my sintra with bondo before I paint it or not.

I wouldn't. Bondo makes sintra more brittle. Unless you're trying to replicate a more 3d curve to your armour, like the kind you would get with fibreglass, just make sure the sintra is clean, maybe give it a light sand with a very fine sandpaper, and you should be set to paint.

A little tip about toothpaste weathering...use something like a scrap of plastic or a toothpick to spread/scrape the toothpaste on. I've seen a couple of sets of armor where the toothpaste is just globbed on and you end up with big round circles for your weathering.

Try to "paint" the toothpaste on while looking at reference photos of chipped paint. Notice how they're very angular and there's rarely any round parts.

Also, make sure to weather areas that would actually get weathering. For instance, armor plates will most likely see the most damage all along the edges where they'll hit together or get dropped (not really...but in imagination). For a helmet, weather the raised portions more as they're more likely to get hit than sections inside the cheeks.

You're in luck, I happen to have pictures that will help explain the process.

First you start with your piece that has already been painted silver


Next step, place Toothpaste in a matter of where you want damage, for instance,


Next, apply the paint color you wish to be


After letting dry, take a paper towel and wipe off the toothpaste.


From there, take a wet papertowel and wipe off the toothpaste residue.


Congradulations, you now have a battle damaged piece that even smells minty fresh!

I suggest the masking fluid rather than toothpaste or mustard, though. Masking fluid looks much more realistic when removed, and doesn't have to go on nearly as thickly as toothpaste. I used the toothpaste on my first attempt, and some of it actually dried under the paint where I didn't apply it thick enough, and just made messy bubbles.

I love toothpaste weathering. It's quick cheap and effective for making paint chips