Just wondering what you all do for fading rolling stock, without using an airbrush. Since I’ve stepped up my game in terms of weathering, I just wanted to know what you do to make the paint fade really well, as it seems to be the hardest thing to get right.
Personally I prefer to mix a very thin white (sometimes light grey) wash and apply it in around 3-5 coats, til I get the desired fading effect. I’ve also tried drybrushing on some light colored cars, but I tend to stick with a wash.
Another method I have heard about, and am anxious to try on some of my too-dark-green BN cars is to mix up the color you want the car to be, then apply it in a wash similar to the first method.
But what do you all do? Post below, I’d love to hear!
I use diluted acrylic craft paints, often called ‘washes’. It usually takes two or three applications until you get the right look. Depends on how diluted the wash is, of course.
A method many years ago in MR was called a bounce method. You used a spray can but aimed it below the car onto a sheet of paper. Just the outer edge of the spray pattern hit the bottom half of the car. It did pretty good job
This all sounds very interesting, but also very challenging. As a novice, you better have a lot of crappy rolling stock to practice on, instead of risking your more valuable rolling stock.
I remain interested in weathering both structures and rolling stock and even motive power, but I just don’t know if I can ever bring myself to actually do it. [:(]
Just an application of DullCoat alone can produce a certain amount of fading
Pastels or chalks on top of that DullCoat produce more - the instinct to use white or light gray however looks less good than an application of the same basic color but a lighter shade, so a ligher red or brown on a plain boxcar, a gray on a black hopper, a lighter green on a Penn Central or NYC boxcar, that sort of thing.
Isopropyl alcohol in a spray also causes fading but it is unpredictable and not controllable - you take what you get. Even if some india ink is mixed in it produces some fading
Study prototype photos - in my “patterns of weathering” clinic I show photos that indicate where on the side of a freight car the fading seems most pronounced.
Thank you for the help. I’m considering using powders as a different fading medium as an experiment, primarily on dark colored cars with some white/grey chalks. Dullcote I already know about, and I have seen some examples of isopropyl alcohol being used but others where it works quite poorly.
I don’t know whether you own an airbrush but I would call buying an airbrushing outfit “stepping up my game.” Harbor Freight Tools offers both single action ($10) and dual action ($20) airbrushes and inexpensive pancake or hot dog air compressors ($55). Yes, you can achieve acceptable results using washes and weathering powders but I don’t think either will duplicate the results you can achieve with an airbrush alone (although I usually supplement my airbrushed weathering with Pan Pastels). Yes, I will likely be flamed for recommending the HFT airbrushes but I own and use both models with such good results that I find no need to spend more for a name brand airbrush. The pancake and hot dog air compressors can do a lot more than just power an airbrush, too. Either will power a brad nailer you can use to construct benchwork, fill auto tires, blow dust off/out of whatever, and lots of other jobs. The air tanks also mean you won’t get pulsing air flow through your airbrush for a more consistent finish.
kasskaboose, don’t worry I’ve got all that under control here. Plenty of old cars and I have the driveway to use the Dullcote on (although I might use the garage instead since here in Minnesota the weather gods gave us another white Christmas this year)
Hornblower, that’s an interesting thought. I’ve looked at Motion RC’s Benchcraft airbrushes while searching for an RC tank (but this is a model train forum so I’m not getting into that) and they seem well-priced. Those “pancake” air compressor look nice, since the only ones I have seen close to my price range are around $90.
I originally weathered my rolling stock using a spray can of grey primer from the local Canadian Tire outlet. It was easy to control, including the output. Simply place the car on a hard surface and roll it back-and-forth while spraying from a low angle…
I later learned about washes, and the car below shows that combination with an airbrush…
As mentioned, pastels are also useful for weathering, but learning to use an airbrush isn’t overly difficult and can be a very useful too.
Depending on the particular item, I may use any or all of those options.
I have been using dull cote and acrylic paint washes, but recently discovered pastels and weatering powders and am really happy with how it dulls the car or locomotive without going overbord
I faded the paint more on the GP30 using Tamyia weathering powders
Both the MP15 and WC boxcar are faded using the same method. It is very light on the MP15 as the prototypes are usally still shiney and new looking…where I like the rustbucket look
With the powders, you can find them cheap and easy, and weather to your discretion. as light or as heavy you want to go. I’ve only been using them for a month now so theyre might be others to add information about this method.
I won’t flame you. When I got back into MR after 20 years, I was hot to paint something and my Badger wouldn’t work, a teflon washer was missing and maybe I didn’t do a good job cleaning it the final time.
While Badger fixed it up, for the cost of parts, I bought a HF and used it with my little Badger compressor. I would not recommend the Badger compressor, but it and HF airbrush did the job. I like my Badger better. I like my 5 gal pancake even better.
I think the OP maybe one of our younger members and young or not, if you don’t have the money, you don’t have the money. I have that t-shirt too. Like 40" curves, 20 amp boosters and 2800 sq ft of railroad, it is something to aspire to.
