What began as a tip about applying drybrushing and washes to add realism has developed into a sort of "mini-article" about applying an overall realistic finish. In this case, the subject is the 392 Hemi I'm working on for Riceman's Rapid Rickshaw dio dragster. Flyin' Phil, our Dio-Dictator wanted the engine to represent a block that was partially stripped, so that its owner could hone a scored cylinder.

After I assembled and cleaned up the seams and prepped the bare plastic block (this one came from Revell's Hemi Hydro kit because I think this one and that from the Miss Deal Stude, while somewhat fussy, are by far the nicest early Hemis in kit form), I bored one of the pistons from the block and inserted an aluminum tubing sleeve to create the cylinder wall as seen in photo 1(below). Subsequently, the cylinder was deburred, and a bit of fine steel wool was used to give it a "honed" appearance.
Next, because the heads would be missing from the block, it was necessary to drill holes in which to place the stud bolts. I created a template using a photo of the bottom of a 392 cylinder head as reference. I used quilt basting spray to mount the template to the head surfaces (it is just tacky enough to hold the paper in place, but not sticky enough to leave any residue on the block's head plane) and drilled the holes in their proper locations. The same template served as a pattern to cut out the head gasket. Photo 2 (below) shows the block, a set of Mark Brown's resin heads (they feature the water outlets), the printed templates and, in the upper left, the thin copper flashing that provided the head gasket material (For unexposed head gaskets, try the foil wrapper from a Rolo candy package!).
Photo 1
I began applying the finish to the block by first shooting it with an overall coat of Testor's Stainless Steel metalizer and followed that up with a coat of their sealer. Photo 3 (below left)displays the result of this step. Once that was dry, I taped off the areas that would be machined on an engine block. The head planes, the pan rails, and the bellhousing flange (mounting surface only) were all covered with masking tape. I white glued a crappy spare parts front cover in place, just to maintain a clean mounting surface for the good one to be installed later. Next, I shot the external surfaces of the block with spray can grey primer from a distance, so that the drying droplets would create some texture to represent the cast outer surfaces of the engine block. I followed the rough primer coats with a couple of light coats of Testor's Magnesium metalizer. The Magnesium is slightly darker than the stainless steel, enhancing the differences between machined and cast surfaces (Photo 4).
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
At this point, I sprayed the entire block with Testor's Model Master Semi-Gloss clear and let it cure for a couple of weeks before applying the washes--mineral spirits can be brutal on paint if it isn't thoroughly cured. In the meantime, I was able to cut out the head gaskets--the cylinder holes were punched out, and an awl was used to open the holes for the head studs. Also during this time, I cut out and fit the aluminum sheet valley cover, did some paint work on the heads, and installed the head studs.

I prefer using metal wherever I can for a couple of reasons. First, I don't have to paint it--what could look more like aluminum than aluminum? Second, in some assemblies, it adds strength. Finally, it simply adds more color and texture to my modeling projects. Photo 5 displays the way the engine looks at this point. Now, I can really begin to bring this engine to life using washes and drybrushing techniques.
I use oil paints for washes. I've tried all kinds of other media, and oils work best for me. As for applying washes, apply themafter the basecoat(s) and a well-cured coat of Testors Dullcote or semi-gloss clear. I use Testors because it is lacquer based and the mineral spirits used to thin the washes is a tad too hot for some color coats. I thin washes as thin as possible while retaining some color. The oil colors I most frequently use are:
Raw Umber (shadow)
Burnt Sienna (rust)
Black (shadow)
Titanium White (to lighten drybrushing colors)

Often, I add a tiny dab of some metallic model paint, just to add a little sheen to the finished product, especially if the wash is going over a solid color base. Note the darkened rings in the cylinders from the raw umber wash in photo 6.
Photo 5
I've had excellent results using old model paint for drybrushing, but get a pallet and DO NOT mix the paint! Use a flat toothpick, or strip of styrene and dig the goo from the bottom of the bottle. Wipe that onto the pallet, along with whatever thinner paint gets on there, then dab a bit on the brush, brush the bristles across the pallet until virually no paint is coming off. Then, and only then, apply the paint to the surface of the model using light pressure. The paint will come off on high spots and corners, enhancing their 3-D qualities, or, in the case of "metal" pieces, creating a more burnished look. Always use (mix it if you have to) a color that is a shade lighter than the basecoat.

The photos below are of the completely "finished" engine block. Note the level of realism here that is so frequently missing in car models. Race cars aren't clean. Of course, they aren't filthy, either (well, maybe a mud-bogger is), but all of them have some--dust, rubber dust, oil spills, bare cast iron is always going to show rust, or salt dust on Bonneville cars (don't forget to add that buildup on the rears of the wheelwells), and for our models to look like something besides toys, they have to have some, too.
Photo 6
These techniques take effort and time, but, I think the results are worth every bit of it. Oh, yeah, one last touch: Want to create a nice, wet-looking oil spill? Mix a little black and raw umber with a drop of linseed oil and thin it just a touch of mineral spirits--voila! Have fun, and don't forget, once everything is dry, to finish it off with a super light dusting of light grey-tan pastel powder! As always with any new technique, practice, practice, practice!...Dan Himmel
A final couple of notes regarding this engine. I punched out some discs of dull bare-metal and applied them to the tops of the pistons, and also applied small discs of aluminum duct tape to the indentations for the freeze plugs. I like the method Guy used on his Groundshaker Jr. better, but as this is a diorama model, it didn't seem necessary to go quite that far. Had this been a contest model, I'd have drilled them out and replaced them as he did.


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