I recently made a post in the layout disscussion forums about building a layout in the closet of my dorm room here in college. The comment was made that i should think about starting small, that is detailing cars, etc… and that leads into my question. Does anyone know where i can obtain weather materials and what would be the best for weathering rolling stock. Personally i have only ever seen chalks used.
I guess the other part of this would be, are there any guides on this forum about how to weather using chalks or other various forms of materials?
I did not go the route of chalks. I went a-weathering using acrylic paints and dry brushing. The following is a link to what I did on my very first attempt. With a little help from my wife, the artist!
The easiest thing to do is to use the “search” function on this forum and type in “weathering” and you will get a bucket full of information about materials and their use. Sadly, there is a lot of fluff you will have to sort through to get to the useful information, BUT lucky for you a google search for “model railroading weathering” will bring up very useful, to the point information tutorials.
I am very old fashioned, I read books. Like the ones you can get at any public library, and of course our host, Model Railroader Magazine of which I have a wife annoying amount. Lots of tips and techniques inscribed on the hallowed pages of real paper and ink.
I would also suggest subscribing to the Railroad Line Forums, they are very active and attract a lot of modelers interested in craftsman type building kits. There are very extensive discussions of various weathering techniques by very talented people on that list.
I am a fan of chalks for weathering cars and locos.
Very early on I bought a set of artists chalks. It has all colors in it. I have a set of three or four dedicated brushes that I use, and a pair of disposable cotton gloves to handle the models with while I am working. I spray the piece with clear flat and let dry first because the chalk sticks better. You can weather quite heavily, almost to the point of over doing it, then hit it with a shot of dull-coat and it tones it down considerably. A black wash after that will get some soot in the cracks and crevices.
I weather buildings with dark paint washes. 10 to 1 or so, maybe a little thinner. It also makes the details pop and hides the different color paint line change over points as long as they occur in the inside corners.
I’ve been using the AIM weathering powders for a few weeks now. WAY better than chalk. Also I would like to add that if your serious about weathering you really need to log into modeltrainsweathered. I’ve been lurking over there for almost a year and the techniques some of them guys have is great. Look around on the front page and it tells you how to get into the forum without a special username. Lonnie
Oh well thanks anyhow 
