1:35 Airbrush Stencil: Wood grain

Wood grain by spraying

Timber is recognized on a model by the pattern of its grain, not by its shade. Painting with a brush tends to come out regular on a small area and quickly slips into a row of identical lines. A spraying stencil deals with exactly that: you apply the pattern through a cut-out, so the grain comes out soft and irregular even on parts the size of a fingernail. The pattern is general and is therefore not tied to one kit.

Field of use

In 1:35 scale these are mainly crates and boxes, the beds and floors of vehicles, the planks of hay racks, the decking of boats, the wooden parts of buildings, fences, barrels and the equipment of interior views. It can be used on plastic and on otherwise made parts that are meant to represent timber, and equally on the surface of a base or on a set piece behind a model, if that is to have a wooden surface.

How to proceed

First spray the base light tone of the timber and let it dry. Only then lay the stencil onto the surface, but still before spraying the darker grain, and press it down so that no paint runs under it. Apply the paint sparingly, at right angles to the surface and in several light passes, or spatter will appear under the edges of the pattern. The stencil can be moved and the surface gone over again, so that the lines do not repeat. Finally tone the grain down with a glaze or matte varnish so that it does not stand out from the surface. The way of fixing the stencil and cleaning it are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Paints, thinner and an airbrush are not part of this item, unless stated otherwise.