First I base coat with a brown primer. Then I spray with a lighter shade of brown. While the paint is still wet, I drag a ratty toothbrush through the paint, in the direction of the woodgrain. After it dries and cures I wash with a dark brown. By draggin the brush through the wet paint, it exposes some of the darker base coat. Also get the bonus effect of a wood texture in the paint, with grooves and such. Make sure the paint has cured before washing. I gave mine at least a week. If you don't wait until the paint is fully cured, you run the risk of removing the paint with the thinner in the "wash".

For easier painting, I am painting sub assemblies and larger parts (such as the base and side pieces)first, then assembling after. It makes adding the grain easier and more realistic but will make the final assembly more difficult. I will have to scrape the paint off anywhere that needs glued. I do have the victim assembled and primered.I haven't decided how I want to paint him yet. That will probably be the last thing I do on this model.I will post more as I get farther into this model