So I did some looking, missed any help. What;s a proven techinque for the grunge on top near the engine vents, especially on these: Link to Demo Sharks
And while I’m working on one of those, there’s another question for Free Lancers. I just put a lot of hard work inrto painting a custom scheme on an engine. How does one justify covering up one’s hard shiney work?
Flash,
I don’t know if it’s a proven method, but I usually airbrush a light coat of flat black into the exhaust grate or stack and then taper it towards the front and rear. A little goes a long way. If it’s a well used older unit, I blow a bit more of the black on with a little gloss black dry brushed around the stack to simulate oily unburned diesel that will collect.
Some RR’s keep their units pretty clean like the 2 units on the website you provided. Rule of thumb, especially for freelancers would be to weather according to age, usage and maintenance practices of your RR and it’s equipment. Some could easily be shiney and clean while others would be somewhat weathered and maybe a couple fairly dirty. Go easy on the fairly dirty. That’s my [2c].
Mike
Well, I’m starting with a demonstrator, hence the reference picture of the Baldwin Sharks. They apprear to be pretty clean except for the unburned. But I have some flat black I can practice with.
One of the keys to weathering models is to thin your weathering colours sufficiently. I use mostly Floquil paints, both for painting and weathering, applied with an airbrush. If you’re worried about “covering up” a new paint job, try mixing the weathering colours at about 90-95% thinner. A single pass with the airbrush will be almost unnoticeable. If you want more weathering, make more passes. You can, for instance, paint a boxcar Boxcar Red, letter it with white lettering, and clear coat it (always do the clear coat before weathering, especially if the clear finish is at all glossy - the exception would be if you’re weathering with chalks, which generally need to be sealed with a clear coat after application). A single pass with the same colour which you used to paint the car, but thinned with 90% thinner, will not be noticeable other than the fact that the white lettering will be not quite as stark. The car will still look “new”, but not “too new”. [;)] If you want more weathering, make more passes, and don’t be afraid to also use different colours.
Some time ago, I detailed and painted this loco for a friend. He wanted it to look well maintained but fairly heavily weathered, and was pleased with the results:
Recently, after seeing some of my locos, which aren’t as heavily weathered, he decided that he would rather have it looking as if it had been recently shopped. I repainted it (I use 4 or 5 different “blacks” for steamers, and about as many various clear coats, ranging from a fairly high gloss to almost dead flat), then very lightly weathered it with just a bit of soot and a little road dust on the running gear:
This one, the most recent, was done with a “just out of the shop” look, and better shows the various clear finishes.
Even heavily weathered steamers started ou
One other thing. I dispise that “A” word. (Airbrush) I;ve had two different ones on me backfire, so anything and everything I can do with a can is prefferred. This is not to say I won’t ever try again, but everytime I venture back to the brush, I end up with a jar of paint on me, the jar, the brush, the newspaper, the porch, and anything else that ISN’T the car or practice surface. I’m still taking notes though.
Those are good looking engines, By the way. [tup]
Flashwave–
One alternative to using paint as weathering is to use the Bragdon self-adhesive chalks. Personally, I’ve had better success with them instead of painting (like you, I’ve developed a REAL airbrush phobia). I use them VERY SPARINGLY rubbed on with a Q-tip. Only thing, use them AFTER you’ve used any kind of flat sealer on your locos (dullcote or whatever), since the flat sealer offers a good ‘grit’ for them to adhere to. It may not be the ultimate weathering answer, but it’s at least in my case, it’s turned out to be a very viable alternative.
Tom [:D]
What kind do you have? I love mine.
Thanks, Flashwave. The airbrush will give you much more control than a spray can, which means more paint where you want it and less waste, and less paint when that’s what the situation calls for. The spray is much finer, which, with a little practice, can give you very subtle results, especially with weathering. An often overlooked benefit is that you can mix any colour or degree of gloss that you need. If I’m painting a dozen boxcars that are all to be lettered for the same road, I start with a colour (usually some version of “Boxcar Red”, as I model the '30s) , use it to paint a few cars, then add a little red, or orange, or black to vary the colour slightly, and paint a few more cars. When the cars have all been lettered and weathered, there are very subtle variations that make them look like they’re different ages and have been in different service, yet still appear as if they all belong to the same class. I almost never use a colour without altering it by mixing with another colour or colours. Don’t give up on the airbush - once you master it, you’ll probably never waste money on spray cans again.
Wayne
I honestly don’t remember, they’re at dad’s with most of the train stuff. One was a cheaper little thing, not really known. The other one was one that the guys at the LHS said they reccomended. Slightly older make, but same name.
[quote user=“doctorwayne”]
Thanks, Flashwave. The airbrush will give you much more control than a spray can, which means more paint where you want it and less waste, and less paint when that’s what the situation calls for. The spray is much finer, which, with a little practice, can give you very subtle results, especially with weathering. An often overlooked benefit is that you can mix any colour or degree of gloss that you need. If I’m painting a dozen boxcars that are all to be lettered for the same road, I start with a colour (usually some version of “Boxcar Red”, as I model the '30s) , use it to paint a few cars, then add a little red, or orange, or black to vary the colour slightly, and paint a few more cars. When the cars have all been lettered and weathered, there are very subtle variations that make them look like they’re different ages and have been in different service, yet still appear as if they all belong to the same class. I almost never use a colour without altering it by mixing with anoth
