Recommended for adding shadows to highlight seams and details on neutral grey and very dark surfaces. Can also be used to create smoke and exhaust effects.

Washes are a quick means of adding subtle fake shadows and tonal variations. These effects will help to highlight details such as rivets, seams and textures. Washes also add more tones to a finish. Applying washes is usually the first weathering step after a base coat if no filters are needed.

Even today some armor modelers prefer washes as the only weathering step needed to finish a model. The percentages of a mix can differ depending on where and why the wash is being applied.