As an aircraft modeler, I’ve been acquainted with drybrushing for a good long time. It’s one of those techniques that I employ on almost every build, particularly as a way to add detail to cockpits, or subtle paint chipping to propellers, the leading edges of wings, and other bits where aircraft usually exhibit wear.

But my drybrushing has always been very targeted, so when I first read about the concept of drybrushing armor kits, I was kind of thrown back on my heels. I mean, I can recall way too many examples of drybrushing gone wild, and it’s not a pretty sight.

Still, I’m building Tamiya’s M4 Sherman Early Production very much as a testbed for techniques I’ve never tried, so what the hell, right? I picked up a bottle of the recommended Model Master Dunkelgrau, a gray/tan sort of color, and went to town.

And you know…I rather like it! Prior to the drybrushing, I was kind of down on the poor Sherman. I didn’t think there was any way I’d be able to weather it up the way I envisioned in my head. But just check out the results.

Here’s the Sherman clean:

and drybrushed:

The technique worked so well that it’s got me wondering how I can turn around and apply it back to aircraft! I already stole the filter idea from armor weathering and applied it back to my P-47, so I’m thinking there has to be a place for general drybrushing somewhere in there.