Modelling Glossary W - Z

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MerlinJones

Modelling Glossary W - Z

Post by MerlinJones »

W

Wash
See Colour Wash.

Weathering
The process of simulating wear and tear on a model. Pastel chalks and colour washes are favourite mediums.

Wet and Dry
A common type of sanding paper - generally black - that comes in a range of grades from the more coarse, down to very fine for precision sanding. Best used wet and very effective. Often graded in P numbers, with the larger the number equating to finer and finer grades of paper. So P240 is quite coarse, whereas P1000 is not.

Wet on Wet
A painting method where the previous coat of paint has not dried before an overcoat is applied. Used where subtle shading and/or highlighting is required. Used mainly by figure modelers to help definition of the model e.g. to define a nose or cheek bones.
This method can also be used on other models in place of pre-shading and some modellers use this technique to produce soft demarkation lines with a paint brush. (Usually using a Stipple Brush)
Wet on Wet is usually an oil painting technique* but can be used with enamels (qv), but you have to be quick, or acrylics (qv) when a drying retarder(qv) is used.

*It is also used extensively in watercolours.

What-if/Whatiffery
A What-if subject is simply that...it follows the question "What if?", as in "What if the TSR2 hadn't been cancelled?" or "What if WWII had extended well into 1946-47?" What if combines imagination and history, to produce alternate histories and the vehicles that exist there. From the fantastic designs to Luft '46, to applying USN decals to Tornado GR4's, from applying current schemes to the TSR2, to sticking a load of miniguns in a Jetstream, or kitbashing a Harrier to create a BAe/SAAB hybrid.
Whatiffery can also encompass AFV's and ships and include vehicles from the movies, in 'real' decal schemes. (X-Wing in RAE Raspberry Ripple scheme anyone?) An increasingly popular genre, as it counters quite nicely the unpleasantness of the JMN.

White metal
An alloy containing varying amounts of tin, lead, copper, antimony and other elements. These have a low melting temperature and are useful for low volume, fine detail, casting. Such parts tend to be stronger than their plastic or resin counterparts and, as such, tend to be used when extra strength is required. For example, white metal undercarriage parts are common and are often supplied with larger resin kits, which can be quite heavy.
As white metal may contain lead, care should be taken not to ingest quantities of the stuff. Lead Poisoning is a Bad Thing and can cause all sorts of physical, mental and developmental problems. The famed "Mad Hatter" of Alice in Wonderland, was a reflection of the madness known to exist in the hat makers of the time, who used large quantities of lead in their processes and, as a consequence, were prone to mental instabilities. It is because of the toxic qualities of lead, that it has been removed from paints and childrens toys and prevents kits containing white metal parts to being sold as toys or in toy shops.

White Spirit
A commonly used solvent in enamel paints.

Windsplatt
Sounds like a good word for an airbrush to me!

Y

Yellowing
An inherent effect, most commonly associated with solvent-based paints, that occurs with age and is due to the presence of alkyd resins, a key component. The paint film goes yellow over time, caused by a chemical reaction within the alkyd. UV light from the sun's rays will slow the reaction down, but not stop it (hence why for example on a window sill painted in white gloss the areas underneath ornaments can appear yellower than the exposed areas). Using a varnish can reduce this problem but not necessarily prevent it completely.Yellowing can also be seen in older decals. Placing the affected decals in a poly bag and leaving them in a sunny window for a few days, will reduce or even remove any yellowing. (The UV rays from the sun will bleach out the yellow colour. Keeping the decals in the poly bag prevents them from drying out too much).
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