In the first part of building this Wave 1/72 Macross Tomahawk, I’d examined the initial assembly, paInting, and decaling. This video looks at the start of the weathering process. It details the panel lining, chipping, and streaking methods used on this cool mecha design.
Regardless of the model, there are always some initial things to consider when deciding how the weathering will progress. I always like to start with a basic premise, such as “it’s operating in a desert environment and has seen heavy combat.” Defining the conditions helps drive the look.
I also make decisions about materials. For example, if I’m imagining the object to be made of ferrous material, then I’ll want to make sure that at least some of the chips and undertones reflect a rusty look. If it is a non-ferrous material, perhaps made up of composites or rust free metals, then often a dark or steely gray choice is appropriate.
And of course you can always cross the boundaries and do both!
Macross Tomahawk Weathering Strategy
For the Tomahawk, I didn’t need to worry too much about the operating environment, as I was sticking to the canon colors and overall usage. Thus I knew from the start it would be a well used but serviceable mecha.
When it came to the underlying materials, I decided to “have my cake and eat it too”. I thought a steel gray look to the chipping would be a nice contrast choice for the overall tan color. But I also decided to add some rust tones. Its perhaps a bit of a contradiction, but in the end, the rule of cool always wins!
Regardless of the underlying logic, this kit is really fun to build, paint, and weather. And while I thought it looked cool in its “clean” configuration, once I had the weathering started, I was super happy with it!
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