Chipping is storytelling at its core, which is why we start our modeling journey developing these skills to foster a broad range of looks … Michael Rinaldi

TG/01 Chipping is the first book in a new series of technical guides by Michael Rinaldi in partnership with AMMO by MiG. The book is packed with excellent photos illustrating the weathering process of reductive chipping on scale models. Step by step photos illustrate the chipping process, and diagrams clearly describe the layering of paints.

Rinaldi Studio Press has announced a subsequent book in the series, TG/02 on Oil Paint Rendering (OPR).

This Chipping technical guide by Rinaldi goes into great detail on reductive chipping, which is the process of removing the top layers of paint to reveal other colors below. This process can create chips in finish paint showing rust or primer below, add areas of wear, battle damage, weather, and other environmental effects on vehicles.

Reductive chipping uses acrylic paints, layered with hairspray or chipping fluids. By contrast, additive chipping, creates effects by adding paint on top of the layers below to create chips, wear, etc.

The book includes a QR Code link to online video tutorials showing how the example models are chipped. These videos are very valuable to visibly show how the various effects in the book are applied to the different chipping examples.

Contents

The Joy of Chipping

Reductive Chipping 101

This section includes a glossary of terms used in the book and describes the reductive chipping process and how it works. Examples are given of some sample color paint chipping, using step-by-step descriptions of the painting process.

Tools for Reductive Chipping

Specific tools for reductive chipping are described in basic types of paint, paint brands, and tools for chipping. The book illustrates and describes various chipping, fluids, hairspray, paint, and air brushing tools used for the examples in the book in both photos and text.

Variations of Reductive Chipping

The book describes how chemical chipping processes using thinner rather than water can be used to create different effects. Rinaldi describes different types of paint chips and how they can be achieved with the qualities of each of the paint brands used. This section is particularly useful in producing various chipping and wear based on reference photos.

Test Group

This section describes practice and testing methods that illustrate the variables in chipping processes, and how the different products perform to achieve intended results. The following kits are used to illustrate how Rinaldi’s tested various products in a step-by-step method. Photos used to describe each of the processes are very sharp and clear. Each test subject is covered in approximately 10 pages of the book with clear explanations of how the paint and chipping fluids are ordered in layers.

• 1/48 J2M3 Raiden
  • Chipping paint over unprimed aluminum.
• 1/72 F6F-3 Test Wings
  • Using mixed layered chipping to represent an aircraft that has been repainted
• 1/43 Zil-130
  • Multicolor paint chipping on a civilian vehicle.
• 1/48 Panzer 38t
  • Using multicolor paint chipping to represent whitewash finish on a vehicle.
• 1/48 UH-34D Choctaw
  • Testing a helicopter with extensive service history and many different liveries.

Chipping Examples

The following groups show how the reductive chipping processes are used to create different effects due to damage and environmental conditions on completed, finished models.

Armor Group

• 1/48 SdKfz 232 (DAK)
  • This model illustrates a three-phase weathering process. First, the 232 is finished and chipped in the factory panzer gray camo. The next phase was to create a worn-off sand camo that has been exposed to the harsh desert environment. The final phase is to create a bleached look due to the intense desert sun.
• 1/48 Crusader MkII (desert)
  • Creating a factory paint scheme layered with field applied desert colors.
• 1/48 KV-2 (winter)
  • Russian heavy tank with a whitewash winter scheme.
• 1/48 T-55A (abandoned/Angola)
  • Painting and chipping a Russian tank abandoned in the deserts of Africa. Underlying color of faded Russian green, followed by layers of worn yellow camo.

Aircraft Group

• 1/72 F6F-5 Hellcat (target drone)
  • Hellcat drone painted bright colors over natural aluminum, then abandoned in the desert.
• 1/72 F4U-1D Corsair IV (FAA)
  • Metal color, primer coat, and top camo color chipped to represent wear and heavy combat use.
• 1/72 A6M3 Zero (Hamp)
  • More battle damage and wear than the previous Corsair example
• 1/48 A6M5 Zero
  • Uses a new kit to demonstrate the most advanced chipping processes.

Civilian Group

• 1/43 K-701 Tractor
  • Using multicolor paint combinations on a civilian tractor that has been repainted.
• 1/43 CM-59 Road Roller
  • Construction equipment, using multicolor paint chipping to represent wear and reuse of the vehicle.
• 1/43 Maz-205 Dump Truck
  • Creating a rusted and heavily worn construction vehicle.
• 1/87 RR Rolling Stock
  • Multicolor paint scheme to finish a railroad hopper car first in light blue and then also in light blue green.

Mecha Group

Rinaldi‘s use of chipping for Mecca subjects is much more restrained and subtle than the previous armor and aircraft examples.

• 1/35 Nacchin (cyberpunk)
  • This example uses a traditional Tamiya paint and hairspray method. Chemical chipping with XF – 20A is also used.
• 1/72 The Lair
  • This figure is chipped to show age. MMP paints with hairspray and chemical thinner create the aged appearance.
• 1/144 Psycho Zaku II (Gunpla)
  • Reductive chipping using ATOM paints and odorless thinner over MMP chrome
• 1/20 Tank Roku (Ma.K)
  • This example uses both airbrushing and brush painting for a broad range of chipping techniques.
• 1/20 SAFS & Fireball (Ma.K)
  • This figure is brush painted with MMP to produce a weathered, hand painted technique without using hairspray or chipping fluid.

Bonus Gallery

More photos of finished models.

At 6 in. x 6 in. the book is small, so it won’t take up much room on the workbench. There are 304 pages in the book. The book has Perfect Binding, so it will need to be carefully folded open to lay flat on the workbench. This is a photo book with every page packed with high-quality photos of the reductive chipping process and example models. Rinaldi circles areas of interest in the photos to draw attention. The type size used in the book is small, so good lighting and an optical visor may be helpful for the text. Some of the text colors blend in with the background which makes them difficult to read. Overall, the graphic design and printing of the book is very high quality.

Summary

There is an awesome reference book on how to use reductive chipping to create weathered and worn effects on scale models. The book clearly illustrates the layering of paints and chipping fluids to achieve specific types of chipping and weathering. Many different types of chipping and weathering are shown for reference, and the book describes how to replicate these effects.

Highly recommended for intermediate & advanced scale modelers

My thanks to Michael Rinaldi and AMMO for the opportunity to review this great reference.