Step 2:
Wash and stain.
For this step you only need to be mostly awake and sober... its EASY. Super easy. Dont let washing intimidate you; if you can reliably make a mess: then you can successfully wash a mini!! :thumbsup:
For this grey, which I intend to remain a "cold" color, I used GW Nuln Oil; a great reliable black-based wash. It has a bit of a green tint which works well for machinery.
If I wanted to "warm" the grey, I would use a very dark brown wash. Or add a medium red-brown to the Nuln Oil. This would add a warmer effect with a hint of dirtiness or even rust to the recesses of the model, which blends well with warm colors like reds, browns, earthy greens etc. Keeping it "cold" means the grey will not look dirty next to the crisp white and Jade Green I plan to trim the model with.
Applying the wash is as easy as using watercolors when you were little. Get a good thick round brush, load it with the wash, and then test it on a piece of paper! ;D you might need to thin your wash. If the wash spreads across the paper and absorbs quickly, with the white paper lightening the wash, then you are ready to go! If the wash stains the paper completely without lightening the tone at all, then you want to cut the wash with about 25% water (at first, keep testing and adding water until the paper test looks right).
For this, I used 100% strength Nuln Oil. I want it darker, so the highlight stands out later.
Just use the brush to "pull" the wash into all the books and crannies and etched details. If you want a stained effect like I did, make sure to evenly paint all the surfaces with the wash. Use a dry brush to soak up any big standing pools of wash on the flat surfaces of the mini or you will get "waterstains" from the puddles where it dries. I'm going to do a pretty heavy dry brush with medium grey next, so I'm not so worried about that on this guy!