Earth

Alclad Wash Earth, an earth wash 30 ml

A weathering product from the wash line of the Alclad brand. It is not a covering paint but a heavily thinned solvent-based liquid with a very low pigment content. It is applied over a finished coat, it flows by capillary action into riveting, panel lines and corners, and once it is wiped off the smooth surfaces it stays in them, which pulls out in relief the detail that would be lost on a single-color model. The Earth shade is an earthy brown, that is the typical dirt, dust and mud on undersides and running gear.

Use

• Use it on a dry and ideally smooth, glossy or semi-glossy surface, because on a matte surface a wash spreads and is harder to wipe off.
• Shake it thoroughly before use, because the pigment settles at the bottom.
• Apply it with a brush into the recesses and wipe the excess off with a cloth or a brush moistened with thinner, with strokes in the direction of the airflow and of running water.
• Over an enamel coat lay a barrier coat first, because the solvent in the wash could attack the paint beneath. Over an acrylic coat that problem does not arise.
• A wash dries slowly, so it stays correctable for a long time; let it mature properly before you fix the result with a matte varnish.

Who it is for

For modelers who want to weather without mixing their own washes from oils and thinner. It suits military vehicles, railway vehicles, dioramas and aircraft landing gear bays, anywhere settled earthy dirt is wanted. The difference against a filter is fundamental: a filter shifts the tone of a whole surface, while a wash works on the detail in a targeted way.

The product holds organic solvents: it is flammable, so work in a ventilated space, out of the reach of children and away from open flame.