Wash Mix Calculator — Panel Line & Pin Wash Ratios

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.

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.

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.

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: a panel-line wash is roughly 1:10 (about 10% paint), whereas a filter is around 1:15 to 1:20 (only about 5% paint), so it tints without pooling in recesses.