Reading my fine scale model magazines, I ran across a great article on painting and weathering armor. I summarized the steps below for you all. The technique gives a subtle 'splotched' look to the paint, as if it has been out in the real world. Easy to do with great results. Suddenly I'm not so scared to paint armor. :-)
1. Paint model base color. This was an Israeli tank, so he used Humbrol Olive Drab and Khaki Drill in 3:1 ratio.
2. Brushed on thin coat of Future to seal.
3. Apply wash to entire model. He used black and burnt umber mix with Khaki Drill in thinner.
4. Simulate shadows with pin wash in the crevices using black with thinner. Do in small areas.
5. Load brush with thinner and blend pin wash into base color.
6. After wash is totally dry, lightly dry-brush model with slightly lighter color than base color. Used Khaki Drill for tank.
7. Wait days to dry.
8. Apply thinner to small area of model.
9. To the small area, while thinner is still wet, apply wash using lightened version of base color. Repeat for whole model. Thinner helps wash flow.
10. Lightly spray same lightened wash over whole model to blend.
11. Wait days to dry and then dulcoat.
