What medium should I use for washes?

For enamel washes, use white spirit or odourless thinner. For acrylics, use water or acrylic medium. For oil washes, use odourless turpentine. Commercial wash products (like AK Interactive or Ammo by Mig) come pre-mixed and ready to use.

How thin should a panel line wash be?

A panel line wash should be very thin — about 1 part paint to 8-10 parts medium. It should flow into recessed detail by capillary action when touched to a panel line with a fine brush. If it does not flow, add more medium.

Should I apply wash over gloss or matt paint?

Always apply washes over a gloss or satin varnish coat. Gloss surfaces allow the wash to flow into recesses and excess wipes off cleanly. Matt surfaces cause washes to stain unevenly, creating a messy result. Apply matt varnish after the wash has dried.

What is the difference between a wash and a filter?

A wash is applied to recesses to create shadows and define details. A filter is applied thinly over the entire surface to shift the overall tone — for example, a very thin blue filter over a grey ship model adds depth. Filters are even thinner than washes (1:10 to 1:15 ratio).

ModelCalcs

Wash Mix Calculator — Panel Line & Pin Wash Ratios

Calculate the paint-to-medium ratio for panel line washes, pin washes and overall washes.

Total Volume Needed

Total wash volume to mix (1-2ml for small models, 3-5ml for larger)

Wash TypeThinner washes flow better into fine recesses

Model ScaleScale affects detail size and recommended wash thickness

Paint TypePaint type determines the correct medium/thinner

Surface FinishGloss surfaces give the best wash results

How We Calculate This

Washes are heavily thinned paint that flows into recessed detail by capillary action. The thinner the wash, the more subtle the effect.

Standard ratios

Panel line: 1:10 (paint:medium) — very thin, flows by capillary action
Pin wash: 1:8 — slightly thicker for targeted recesses
Overall wash: 1:5 — medium, applied to entire surface
Heavy wash: 1:3 — strong shadow definition

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Paint Mix Calculator

Mix two or more paint colours by ratio to get the exact shade you need.

Thinning Ratio Calculator

Calculate the correct paint-to-thinner ratio for brush, airbrush or spray can.

Airbrush Pressure Calculator

Find the recommended PSI setting for your paint type, nozzle size and technique.

Spray Coverage Calculator

Estimate how much spray paint or primer you need for your model surface area.

Dry Brush Calculator

Work out paint quantity and recommended brush sizes for dry brushing techniques.

Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.