Dr. Cranky

Let there be more WW3/Post-Apocalyptic vehicles . . . more, more, more . . . starting with you, Chuck. Do one this weekend. There you go, you've been challenged!

Putting me in the same company with Ken Hamilton is an honor, buddy. Thanks, but Ken (like Chuck Doan) is in a galaxy all his own. David, seeing your REAVER makes me want to build another WW3 vehicle. Too little time too man models! Thanks for the comments everyone.

Thanks, chaps. Thanks for the kind words. A crushed hubcap, now there's an idea . . .I would imagine it could be done using aluminum foil . . . hum . . . Ryan, I don't think the hairspray technique would work as well (or if at all) with rattlecans because the rattlecan puts out way too much paint volume. Also, for the hairspray technique to work the final color coat has to be acrylic, not enamly or lacquer . . . acrylic softens up with the water which cuts down to the hairspray coat and then softens THAT and then the paint can be chipped. But in this hobby you never say never . . . I wouls say give it a try . . . and report back.

Yes, Jeff, exaclty. The hairspray works as a layer that softens back up when you apply the water and it makes for the chipping of the paint easier . . .

Okay, folks, this one is moving on to final touches, etc . . . so I am going to move it to "underglass." Hope you all give these techniques and try and show your own results. Yours truly, D. Cranky, Doctor of GUNK and Styrene-ology

Here's a close up of the crackle . . .

Wow, that's how clueless I am, Harry. I had not even noticed. Cool. I thought it fit under "car" because of the poor victim at the bottom of the heap pile.

There are lots of pictures now in the Fotki archive (click on the link below my signature) and tomorrow I am going to photograph the model outside. Here are a couple of more pics to whet the appetite. Enjoy.

And Tom, I would love to see a beater emerge from your bench. Long live rust!

Get it at Amazon. Cheaper and faster.

Michael's work is mind-blowing and his imagination appears to have no boundaries.

Ha! That would have made it extra gunky!

D. Cranky received this beautiful model from his buddy Michael Ficthenmayer (FichtenFoo) and there will be lots of eye candy coming right up, starting with these pics . . . It's not a model car, but it's a subject dear to my heart: vehicles from a post-apocalyptic/futuristic world of gunk and junk! Enjoy! There will be more pics here: http://public.fotki.com/vsuarez666/voodoo-customs-chop-shop/misc/fichtenfoos-diorama/

Hey, Terry, good question. Chrome is easy to weather by simply dusting (from at least 18 inches away) a few spritz of black, ruddy brown, and gray primer or paint, then follow it up with a dusting of dull coat. With this grill on the 38 Ford I am going to apply a dark wash into the ribs of the grill and that will help . . .stay tuned in.

Here's a bit more progress . . . I am layering in more details as I continue to weather this mildly-rusted beauty:

WOW, I am blinded by the bright, shiny yellow. It's looking great.

Here's more information from the original source of Crackle Paint, Mr. Tim Holtz, who is well known in crafting circles. Come to find out the paint can also be used as a resist product . . . http://www.rangerink.com/videos/videos_timcrackleresist.htm

Thanks everyone. Not at all, buddy. Reference away. Speaking of reference, here's a handy site for the Crackle Paint information and colors available: http://www.rangerink.com/products/prod_paint_distresscrackle.htm

Here are the planks in place . . . they help transform the bed of the vehicle . . . You can combine several techniques, including salt and other weathering elements like washes and pastels to add even more touches to the vehicle. I am looking forward to continuing to add to this one and see where it goes . . . For me the difference between using the "salt" technique versus the "hairspray" technique has to do with speed and accuracy. If you want to finish a model faster, than masking with salt is pretty good, but the hairspray technique allows for surgical precision and accuracy to where you want to place your rust spots and scratches . . . you can be as subtle as you want and still get good results . . . The possibilities are endless and I think the results are extremely realistic depending on the look you are after . . . Give it a try . . . and post your results . . .

For the last few years I have been in a constant search to find a paint that would do crackle effects, and I wanted to do something different and special on the bed of this truck, so I finally struck gold . . . while browsing the isles at Michael's Craft Stores . . . I came across a paint product from RANGER INDUSTRIES called "Distressed Crackle Paint," and I decided to give it a try . . .I used a sponge to apply the paint to the real wood planks I cut to size . . . The paint can be thinned with water and the thinner you apply it the smaller the crackling . . . but the results are amazing . . .you be the judge . . .

I wanted to add variety to the model, so I painted a replaced door on one side and then some previous color change on the other . . . Just for more interest . .. The chipping of the paint over the hairspray is a slow, tideous process, but watching the easy and wonderful results will help keep you inspired . . .

There's nothing difficult about assembling and painting this 38 Ford kit (Revell) but you have to get used to fitting the parts before you primer and paint, otherwise, you will end up chipping the paint in the tight spots, but it's okay, again you can go back and fix it with more paint . . . Here are some basic results using the technique . . .

Thanks, Mike, and it's always great to hear that folks like you lurk the Fotki Archives!

You can see in this picture that I used a bit of color modulation technique which is just a fancy term for using paint to highlight and shadow individual panels . . . for example, you spray a lighter color toward the center of a door panel, over the tops of the hoods and fenders, etc . . . You can also use different colors to add interest to the paint. I used dirty linen whit, sand, yellow ochre, and a little bit of brown/black . . . You see better results here:

Here are some preliminary results with the painting process . . . Oh, I used liquid mask on the grill and bumbers.