My First Crack at Weathering

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Ok I know I did bad on the first two, you dont have to tell me that. I think I did OK on the last one though. Be honest on how I did please.

Thanks

Heres one of the Bad ones…

The other Bad one…

The Ok one ( Sorry Not the best picture)…

Thanks

Colin

2

Hello there. I wouldnt say that any of the cars are a lost cause, they just need another step. When i weather a car, i perform the following steps, almost always in the following order:

  1. Paint trucks, couplers, and underframe with “grimy black” to kill the plastic sheen

  2. Drybrush trucks and couplers with “rust” or “roof brown” to make em look rusted and used.

  3. Blackwash ladders, rivet lines, door frames, roofs, etc to add depth (a wash is a thin paint, i use acrylics, so i use 5-6 parts of water to 1 part of wash, and just paint the wash on the model). On cars with lots of surface detail, like wooden cars, i will wash the whole model.

  4. Drybrushing! This is the number 1 tool in your weathering arsenal. I usually use a nice grime color, like grimy black or dirt (polly scale paints) and drybrush streaks down the sides of the cars, the trucks and couplers perhaps? Streaks under the brake wheel, maybe some streaks of rust here and there? I will lightly drybrush a rusty color on the corner steps, or sometimes on larger areas, depending on how nasty the car is.

These 4 steps do not require an airbrush, are easy, and will achieve some fantastic results! Take some grimy black or perhaps some dirty dingy brown and drybrush down the sides of the cars where you have applied the weathering paint, to blend the paint and dull the effect some.

If you want, some more advanced steps are;

Paint rust on some roof panels.

Paint some rust and crud on the hopper doors and hinges of the hopper car.

Do you have an airbrush? Lightly misting a dusty color or pale grey (lightly!) along the lower edge of the car to simulate road grime!

Streaks on the sides of the boxcars, where the door rubs the paint off and allows rust when it is opened.

Weathering cars is a lot of fun, primarily because you can add as much, or as little as you like! I would start with just some light washing and drybrushes at first, and get into more extensive g

3

Thanks!

4

[^]ditto 2-8-8-0

Also, I sometimes use a little metallic paint and highlight areas where paint chipping occurs. Bearing boxes, roof walks, ladders, hatch and door handles…those kind of things that take lots of scratching and impact. Only a little, though![;)]

-Crewman

5

Another method I didn’t see mentioned is to use pastel chalks. Tans, browns, rust, etc. Take the chalk and make vertical lines, then rub the lines with your fingers in the same vertical pattern. If all else fails a wet paper towel will take it off. Once you have your weathering of choice then some dull coat will seal it up. Some of my best pieces happened almost by accident.

6

Just a thought–

Bragdon Enterprises makes a terrific selection of adhesive weathering chalks in just about any ‘weathering’ color you could imagine. Once they’re on, they’re ON, though you can shade them pretty well. I haven’t used them on any freight cars–yet (mainly because I’m a little leery of weathering cars), but I use them on my locos, and also use them to help bring out highlights on my rock scenery. If you’re a little leery of ‘painting on’ your weathering, I think this product might be just what you’re looking for. It goes on really well just using a Q-Tip.

Tom [:D]