I do not own an airbrush. I’m getting good at weathering my rolling stock using acrylic paints and a dry brush. Can the same be done for weathering my steamer fleet? I’ve not seen any examples. Most of what I’ve seen is either air brushed or chalk. So can anyone post some pictures and a How-to for a newbie? Jay
These images show items dry-brushed, sometimes in combination with subsequent washes…acrylic paints in every case.
Very cool Crandell. Thanks for posting. It really looks good.
Jay:
Though I use Bragdon powders to weather my steamers, I have acquired a couple of consignment brass locos that have been weathered by the dry-brush technique, and it’s certainly a viable option, IMO. Here’s one of them, a Westside Rio Grande Challenger that I bought a couple of years ago:
One of our posters, Aggrojones uses a dry-brush technique, I believe. You might search him up on this website. It seems that several years ago he had a tutorial on his weathering. And Crandell’s results are certainly noteworthy, IMO. Perhaps we can talk him into doing a tutorial, also.
How about it, Crandell? I’d be very interested, myself.
Tom [:D]
Sparky, the dry brushing technique, using acrylic paints, can rarely be applied effectively for the purpose of the overall weathering of locomotives. In most cases, actual weathering (other than that resulting from localized leaks, drips and spills) tends to have rather diffuse and vague boundaries, which are difficult to replicate simply using dry brushing. Dry brushing is more for the highlighting of raised details on a model than for rendering the appearance of broad areas of grime.
Multiple highly diluted washes of paint, built up one very thin layer at a time, can be useful in locomotive weathering but I don’t think even that approach can do what can be done far more quickly with a basic air brush, or weathering powders, and a little practice. Given that weathering is generally rather subtle (too many fellas these days get carried away with it), these latter techniques allow a better control in representing the results of deposited dust, dirt and grime than I feel does dry brushing.
CNJ831
Selector: Nice work, nice photos, the main key to weathering is "moderation’’ don’t fall in the trap of “more is better” it isn’t. that beauty water tank needs some stains and plenty of leaks, unless it was just built 2 days ago, nice job.
Thanks, tatans. Yes, it was my first ‘craftsman’ kit completed in October last year. I placed it on the layout as soon as it was dry and haven’t done a thing since. I agree it needs some dirtying and some shiny and dark wet streaks. [:D]
Gosh, Tom, I don’t know that I could do the process justice. A video would be a better instrument and I am not equipped for that. [:(]
-Crandell
yes, you can drybrush… i solely work with artist oil paint though, so i couldn’t elaborate on the use of acrylics…i faded this car by dry brushing titanium white over the factory GT color…
washes are overrated and hard to control and tend to look like you used a wash…
good luck,
jeremy
Jeremy: That car is unbelievable, the ONLY thing that says it may be a model is the size of the white ballast , I thought it was a real car, wonderful job.
thanks tatans, the ballast is kinda huge isn’t it? i recently stripped it off and replaced it with something a little more believable… i can weather a car but i have yet to get a handle on decent ballasting…
thanks again,
jeremy
Spectacular job Jeremy. Was this all done with oils only?
Tom
yes, dingy, except for some chalk on the trucks and underframe… oh and the powder blue patch was airbrushed… thanks for the kind words…
jeremy
For those interested, here is the link to Arrgojones’ post: http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/35186/447246.aspx#447246
CNJ:
Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with you. Artists use the dry-brush technique to diffuse, blend and ‘feather’, not to ‘highlight’. I have this on good authority from my Fine Arts Department Chair where I teach, David Bischoff, who is also one of the more highly sought-after Curators here on the West Coast. If the techique works well on canvas, I see no reason why it cannot work on metal or plastic.
Tom [:)]
However, Tom, I would hasten to point out that the term “dry-brushing” as it has been applied to use in our hobby for decades (see any book, or article, on model RR weathering), specifically refers to the application of a very
[quote user=“CNJ831”]
However, Tom, I would hasten to point out that the term “dry-brushing” as it has been applied to use in our hobby for decades (see any book, or article, on model RR weathering), specifically refers t
i always thought dry brushing was the opposite of wet brushing… lol… when i weather my cars, i use fluid to help move the paint and blend different colors of paint… when i don’t use this fluid, i am basically dry brushing… at least this is how i see it… the outcomes are different… different effects are desired and usually attained… dry brushing to me is a great way to change the base color of a car… but as i said, in regards to the original post of this thread, i use oil paint which i would figure is probably easier to dry brush than acrylic paint because oil paint takes quite a while to dry and is a bit easier to use…
i would assume that the term dry brushing as CNJ is referring is the method in which paint is applied, rather than the effect that is desired… e.g. “i dry brushed titanium white along the bottom of the trucks in order to highlight them.” you would not say something like, “i applied titanium white to the bottom of the trucks in order to dry brush them.”
jeremy
POI - For those in doubt, or confused by the terminology in this situation, here is what the term “dry brushing” means and has always meant (along with the intended purpose of the practice) as universally recognized throughout the scale modeling field:
http://www.totalmodels.co.uk/workshop/pages/workshop_259.shtml
CNJ831
Hey Crandall wanna come over to my house and weather my fleet FANTASTIC work and your modeling aint too shabby either an artist amongst us… nvery nice work.
“Principle: dry brushing is used to apply a lighter tint of paint to the raised areas on a model to produce a highlight. The sample swatch illustrates the result, and common ‘problems’. The left side of the swatch is dry-brushed correctly, taking 2 or 3 gentle passes to ‘lift’ the texture of the plasticard. With dry brushing don’t try to force the result, let the paint and the texture of the model achieve the highlight.”
how is that any different from what i previously stated?
dry brush=method
highlight=desired effect
we can have semantic arguments all day long but the original poster wanted to know if he could dry brush acrylics in order to fade his loco… simple answer is yes… he has no airbrush so why should he have to go out and buy one just to fade something… you can highlight by dry brushing paint on a surface but you can also fade by dry brushing paint on a surface… i’ve already shown an example…
and btw, the date of that article is 2003 so it falls short of being applied for ‘decades’
and it must not be ‘universal’ because we are not all in agreement with you…
jeremy