BROWN EARTH DEPOSIT

Brown Earth Deposit, a build-up of brown earth on the lower areas

A weathering product from AK interactive made for a single task: to create on a model the deposit of brown earth that stays on a vehicle after driving through soaked ground. It is not a covering paint or a wash for picking out engraving. The effect is applied unevenly, in irregular clusters, because dried mud never forms a uniform layer.

Which surfaces it belongs on

The natural place for this effect is the lower hull, the inner face of the fenders, the running gear, the wheels and tracks, the area around the wheel arches, the steps and the lower edges of the side plates. On wheeled vehicles it also suits the area behind the rear axle, where the wheels throw up the most material. It belongs on the upper surfaces, the turret roof or the engine deck only exceptionally and far more faintly: dry dust settles there instead.

At what stage of the build it goes on

The effect comes at a late stage. The model should have its base coat finished, the decals applied and dry and the paint chipping and the washes in the recesses sorted out, because a deposit of earth is a layer that lies over everything else. Work in small amounts, let them dry and only then add more: taking excess off is always more work than adding. A dry dusting of pigments comes only after it, as the very last step.

Who it is for

• Modelers of military vehicles who build a vehicle in the field, not a showpiece for a display case.
• Builders of dioramas where the vehicle should match the surface of the base in color.
• Anyone who wants to set the underside of a model apart from a cleanly sprayed hull.
• Modelers starting out with weathering who are looking for an effect with a clearly defined role.

Work in a ventilated room, protect your eyes and skin and close the container carefully after use. Keep out of the reach of children. The composition, the volume and the recommended thinner are given on the packaging; try the procedure and the compatibility with other products on a scrap part first.