How to Use AK Interactive Weathering Pencils
by James Wooldridge
What Are they?
AK Interactive Weathering Pencils are 37 Special non-toxic water pencil colors. Weathering Pencils can be described as a type of grease paint in a pencil, specifically designed for creating modeling effects.
The specialized composition is formulated from a water-soluble, non-acrylic, semi-grease-based wax composite formed into highly pigmented color and metallic cores encased in wood.
Weathering Pencils are easy to use, clean and ideal for those who want to introduce themself to modeling, and for more advanced modelers who can discover the unique properties creating different effects.
The Weathering Pencil 37 Colors represent the most common hues including metallics used in modeling.
How-To Use Weathering Pencils
Dry Applications:
- Deep Chipping
- Surface Chipping
- Rubs/Scratches
- Highlight Edges
- Brushed Metal
- Panelling/Wooden Boards
AK Weathering Pencils work similarly to Artist Color Pencils to add scratches and chips to model surfaces. Dry pencil can be modified using a paintbrush or cotton swab etc to soften and blend marks.
Unlike permanent artistic pencils, AK Weathering Pencils are additive and subtractive. The Weathering Pencil marks can be removed using a normal eraser.
💡 When using an eraser, best results are achieved using a white, non-abrasive technical drawing Staedtler Mars Plastic 526 50 or Mars Plastic 528 Eraser with Holder.
💡 ProTips
- Apply over a matte surface to obtain the best results.
- For greater color intensity, gently heat the pencil tip with a hairdryer.
- Oil paint and enamel washes using mineral spirits/white spirits or odorless thinner can be applied directly over dry Weathering Pencil effects.
💡 ProTip: To increase dry pencil color intensity on the workpiece, gently warm the tip with a hairdryer.
Wet Applications
- Streaking EffectsRust Effects
- Smoke & Grease Effects
- Lighting & Shading Surfaces
- Dust and Mud Accumulation
- Color Transitions
AK Weathering Pencils are water-soluble, dissolving in water for immediate use. The pencil lead dipped in water can be applied to create different effects. A paintbrush can also be used to manipulate the wet weathering pencil medium to create sophisticated effects.
Don’t like the results, remove the wet medium, use a damp paintbrush or wipe off using a damp paper towel. Once dry, the pencil lead can be removed using an eraser.
Change your mind and want to modify the effect? The dry weathering pencil reactivates with water providing it has not been sealed with a Varnish.
💡 ProTips
- For optimal water solubility and performance, use Distilled Water.
- Oil paint and enamel washes using mineral spirits/white spirits or odorless thinner can be applied directly over dry Weathering Pencil effects.
- ⚠️ Remember, before applying water-soluble acrylics over Weathering Pencil effects, seal with a non-acrylic Varnish.
- ? Important: Soaking the weathering pencil in water renders the pencil unusable because the wood swells. Wet the lead tip only by dipping it into the water briefly.
Advanced Weathering Pencil Use
Paint Palette
Weathering Pencil lead readily dissolves in a paint dish for paintbrush use. It is easily applied like paint and maintains all of the highly workable additive and subtractive benefits of this suburb modeling medium.
Wet Palette
Using the wet pencil lead tip, gently apply medium to the wet palette membrane for continued use with a paintbrush. The weathering pencil performs like acrylic paint but with added advantages.
Create unique color combinations with different weathering pencil dab pools. Perfect for creating blends and shadows.
The weathering pencil medium remains workable on a wet palette for extended periods, for days, and maybe weeks.
Check out our large selection of paint and wet palettes here.
How to Sharpen
Slowly rotate the weathering pencil while gently sharpening to avoid breaking the lead. A single-hole wedge sharpener for colored pencils is recommended.
Always use a sharp blade and replace the sharpener or blade when dull. Depending on the sharpener brand, replacement blades are available.
💡 ProTip
Separate lead from wood shavings for use in your paint palette or wet palette. Perfect for brushwork.
Getting Started with AK Weathering Pencils for Modeling
Familiarize yourself with the Weathering Pencils using test pieces to learn how to utilize its amazing properties.
Weathering pencils work best on a matte finish due to surface texture. Remember, Weathering Pencils is a water-soluble product that performs best using Distilled Water.
Synthetic and Sable Paintbrushes work well with weathering pencils. Weathering Pencil is perfect for Kolinski Sable fine detail brushes.
Whether you are new to this amazing hobby of modeling or figure painting, Weathering Pencils are indispensable for creating effects, dry or wet.
An exciting new world of possibilities awaits for weathering and detail effects.
Order yours from our selection of Weathering Pencil Sets, Single Weathering Pencils, or Deluxe Sets.
Real-World Examples
White Winter Camouflage on Armour
White Weathering Pencil is used from a wet palette to create a white blend of unevenly applied winter camouflage by the crew of an SMK Soviet Heavy Dual Turret Tank.
Armor Markings and Unit Identification
Cyrillic Numerals were painted on this KV-8 Flame Thrower Tank (KB-8 M1942 огнеметный танк – Ognemetniy Tank) using dissolved White Weathering Pencil lead in a paint dish. An Abteilung 502 Marta Kolinsky № 2 is used. REAL COLORS 4BO is the base color on the tank.
Creating Different Rust Effects Using a Brush or Pencil Directly: 1/35 200L Fuel Drums
Examples (left to right)
- Rust Colors wet blended using a brush with distilled water.
- Rust Colors wet blended using pencils dipped in distilled water.
- Mineral Spirits/White Spirits and Odorless Thinner applied directly over Weathering Pencils. Enamel/Oil Wash resistant.
Weathering Pencils are great to work with, they’re easy to use and are both additive and subtractive mediums. An advanced modeler magic wand. Enamel Washes and Oils can be used directly over Weathering Pencils.
💡 ProTip
- ⚠️ Remember: Before applying water-soluble acrylics over Weathering Pencil effects, seal with a non-acrylic Varnish. REAL COLORS VARNISH (Lacquer) is perfect for this application.
- ❗Always test on an inconspicuous location to determine compatibility before application.
Hard Water vs Distilled Water | The Better Choice
Examples (left to right)
- Tap Water (L) vs Distilled Water (R). Distilled Water outperforms tap water.
- Distilled Water is a superior solvent. It’s the reason why it’s used in Labs.
- Weathering Pencils instantly dissolve in Distilled Water.
Does It Make A Difference?
The short answer is yes, distilled water makes a huge difference in the ease of use and outcome.
I use distilled water for my water-based acrylic paint and wondered if there is a difference between distilled compared to tap water when working with Weathering Pencils.
The test involves using normal tap water and distilled water, dipping the two separate pencils twice in their designated water sample, and then applying the pencils to the styrene.
Without question, distilled water outperformed tap water in every aspect from dissolving the pigment, to coverage and application.
Tap water, whether it is untreated, treated, softened or filtered, reverse osmosis or ozonated, does not compare to Distilled Water for many scientific reasons.
For the best results use distilled water with Weathering Pencils and water-based acrylic paints. Your sable brushes will rinse clean and remain soft, free of any mineral buildup.
💡ProTip
- Use Distilled Water for perfect wet performance.
- Tap water varies significantly from location to location.
- For scientific reasons, Distilled Water is the best solvent for use with weathering pencils and water-soluble acrylic paints.
Advanced Weathering Pencil Airbrush Techniques
Before commencing on the camouflage, AK 3rd Gen Primer, Base Colour was tested for durability against REAL COLORS Lacquer. Once cured, all is well, surviving the scratch test. Both have nice hard finishes. Weathering Pencils worked on the painted surface and those sprayed with 3red Gen Matt and AK Ultra Matte Varnish. The paints are up to the task.
The surface colors and varnish are tough enough to withstand any weathering process, removing and reapplying to get the desired look, even if they have dried. The Weathering Pencil color layers will reactivate with water until sealed with a varnish. There is no concern about affecting the substrate.
Use an airbrush with a minimum 0.35 needle size.
The Weathering Pencil airbrushes reasonably well. The white pencil produces a whitewash effect looking the part.
Once the Weathering Pencil layer is allowed to dry, using a soft eraser (white STAEDTLER Mars Plastic Eraser) creates gradual wear and scrape marks; season to taste. A pencil eraser of the same soft material provides greater control.
With a careful airbrush/brushwork/eraser approach, sophisticated advanced weathering, wear, scratches, scrub, and chipping techniques are possible.
💡 ProTip
Carefully inspect pencil sharpener shavings to remove any wood flakes. Examine dissolved pencil lead for any wooden particles floating on the surface and remove with tweezers etc. Complete solubility is achieved with distilled water. Airbrush cleans with distilled water.
Advanced WEATHERING PENCIL Applications
Examples (left to right)
- Weathering Pencil Streaking Test
- Weathering Pencil Airbrush Test
- Weathering Pencil Brush Reactivation Test
- White Eraser Abrasion
- Abrasion Test Macro View
WEATHERING PENCILS FULL SETS
AK Interactive Weathering Pencils Deluxe Edition Box AKI 10047
AK Interactive Weathering Pencil Full Range with Cloth Case 10048
WEATHERING PENCILS SPECIAL SETS
Basic Colors Shading and Demotion Pencil Set AKI 10045
This set contains the main basic colors to be able to mix them and almost get any shading effect and weathering effects. All colors can be used in many different base colors to get different effects. The set includes the Aluminum color, perfect for aircraft and soft-skinned vehicles. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Black and White Shading and Effects Pencil Set AKI 10039
With this set, you will be able to shade and highlight your models easily, giving them more contrast and volume. It has also been developed for winter camouflages and dark effects. A must-have. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Chipping and Aging Effects Set Pencil AKI 10042
With this set, you can achieve deep and surface chipping. Depending on your base color you can use a lighter color and then the chipping color. Perfect for wood chipping. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Dirt and Marks Pencil Set AKI 10044
With this set, you will be able to add effects like dust, grease, and combined many kinds of dirt. As well as painting marks on your model. The pencils are an ideal weapon to combine with other products to achieve many desired effects and techniques. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Green and Brown Shading and Effects Pencil Set AKI 10040
With this set, you can create moss streaking effects to mud effects or the treatment of most parts of vehicles in these tones creating chromatic variations and effects, depending on the base color you are working with. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Grey and Blue Shading and Effects Pencil Set AKI 10043
With this set, you can enhance your model with proper shading for a grey or blue base like planes, Sci-fi, etc. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Metallic Effects Pencil Set AKI 10046
With this special set of metallics, you can make incredible effects, imagine painting the machine guns, aluminum seen after chipping, and bronze or copper effects. For any figure and almost all metals. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
Rust and Streaking Effects Pencil Set AKI 10041
With this set, you can achieve any rust effect on any model. Mix the different tones to achieve more chromatic richness to produce more realism. Perfect to use wet, allowing the modeler infinite combinations. Remember to apply on matte surfaces for best results.
James Wooldridge is a local modeler.
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