Thanks, guys! First off, let me address the questions regarding my wood grain technique. It's nothing special, really. Pretty much what everybody else does.
I start off with Model Master Modern Desert Sand in a rattle can. Yeah, I know, it's sorta cheating and it's bad for me and the environment. Whatever.
Once that's good 'n dry, I spray a coat of clear gloss to enable me to work the oils more easily.
After the clear gloss has dried, I mix burnt sienna, raw sienna and burnt umber together, varying the proportions according to the finish I'm trying to achieve (for this application, about 50-50 burnt and raw sienna with just a touch of umber; for an Albatros, about 30% more raw sienna: for darker aircraft, like my Phoenix or Macchi, I used more burnt sienna and just a tad more burnt umber), and apply it with a very soft, medium sized brush, mixing in just a tiny bit of Fast Drying Medium. Oh, I forgot to mention, I pre-shaded the framework with brown pastels before spraying the clear gloss.
Once I've got the oils on, I work the various panels with larger or smaller brushes according to panel size and shape. While it's still a little damp, I smooth it out with increasingly larger soft brushes.
With the use of fast drying medium, it only takes about a day to dry and when it is, I spray clear flat and weather high wear areas with black and brown pastels. I finish it off with clear semi-gloss. That's about it. Of course, I vary it all depending on the subject, but basics are about the same.
Hope that was somewhat clear. I lost track.
Cheers,
Bud
