The Jankiest Rust Tutorial Ever

Late Night Rust Tutorial

I’m telling myself this is the last late night video. Got a request on how to do rust, and in 2025 there’s really just one way—spend 20 bucks on a bottle that does it for you.

The Products

• Dirty Down Rust - The main attraction
• AK Interactive Rust Streaks - More versatile enamel option
• Secret Weapon Rust Orange (RIP) - Matte, heavily pigmented orange

Base Coat

Using Warc Colors silver and Vallejo Air Steel. The steel is an air paint but very opaque—quick one coat, not overly metallic. I don’t like when you can see metallic specs. Five minutes to base coat all the spears.

Dirty Down Rust Method

Critical: You HAVE to shake this. There’s a ball inside—get it off the bottom and shake for at least two minutes. Use a vortex mixer if you have one.

This stuff will destroy your brushes. Smells terrible—like pennies and cat piss. Stipple it on thick, focus on flat areas. Let it dry (it’ll look dark and terrible at first).

The Magic: Get a brush wet with water (not dripping). Reactivate the rust by edge highlighting off sharp points. This creates texture AND restores the silver edge underneath.

Pro tip: Use the same water you washed metal paint with—the silver flakes add realism.

Dirty Down benefits hugely from Typhus Corrosion underneath for texture.

AK Interactive Rust Streaks

Functions like streaking grime. Because it’s enamel, you can:

• Let it dry on palette for different effects
• Remove with mineral spirits
• Use as filter or wash

More versatile than Dirty Down, traditionally used for streaking rust down from rivets on tanks.

The Sponge Method

Rip up black foam. Dip in rust streaks, stipple it on, then use clean foam to stipple down hard edges. Way faster for batch painting.

Final Step

Light dry brush with original silver on edge highlights. This is what transforms everything and makes it come together.

The Results

The optimal Dirty Down rust looks SO good—like a little cartoon guy with a real metal spear tip. Almost looks bad because it looks so good.

But doing that 90 times? The sponge method is close enough for army painting.

Tomorrow: painting all the skin and getting closer to finishing Goblin Town.