I want to weather my rolling stock but don’t have a clue as to which to purchase,I think chalks need to be affixed with a spray after being applied,powders you apply and leave alone,and solutions I haven’t a clue either way.also where can I purchase the different types,I tried a local craft store but could only find a hard type chalk and not really in earth tones.ebay looks good for powders and maybe solutions .However I don’t know what type to get.
Look for Bragdon Weathering Powders at a hobby shop. Bar Mills Models also has a line. Rub them on a model and a built in fixative is activated and fixes the weathering on the model. No need for spray covering afterward.
In my personal openion you should consider purchasing a book, by Kalmbach, Practical Guide to HO Model Railroading, Pg 76 Quick weathering with chalks.
I use Prang…Pastello colord chalk (24 colors) these are far more durable then other chalks, found mine at Staples Office Stores, I do not apply anything over the chalk, it doesnt wipe off, if gentley handled and whats neat is that unlike airbrushing, if ya dont like it you can wash it off and start over.
So for $7, that is some cheap weathering that looks great.
I weather one side lighter then the other as its not so boring seening the same car
Also as Bob stated above, Bragdon Int has a great weathering kits, its applied with a rub on method and is very realistic. Is a bit harder to get off if over applied.
Just my 2 cents…John
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I just recently began using powdered chalks to weather my structures and I love the results. I’m anxious to try it on my rolling stock. So far I have used artists chalks and used a rasp to grind them into a powder. One thing I’ve done is to lightly mist the side of the structure before applying the chalk. This will get the chalk to adhere to the side. Sometimes, too much adheres and I’m left with a big smear but all I do is spray it again and it will run down the sides much like rain water does with real grime. I was amazed at the results.
Have found at my local Michael’s arts and craft store a set of 24 chalks. Many of the colors are earth toned or near to colors of cars. I scrape these with a hobby knife to get a fine powder that is used for the weathering. I lightly spray the side of the car with dullcote and then using a stiff bristled bursh dip into the powdeer and working from top to bottom use light strokes to apply the powder. You can create rust streakes and dust areas and even black grease or oil smudges or cars.
Colors can be mixed to create desired effect. Use a seperate brush for each color so as to not end up with a color that is all the same. Ends of car can be streaked to look like wheel spray. Roofs may be heavily weathered. If you ever get a chance to look down on a train from a bridge or building you will see that the roofs are more rusty than the sides. Also a lot of grime is on the top of cars.
With practice and working quickly you can finish a whole side before the dullcote dries. If you over spray this again the colors fade. Takes me about 10 minutes to complete one car. I have weathered about 150 cars this way and everyone says that I did it with an airbrush. I’ll never tell…
Clean the brushes in mineral sperits when done and let dry completly for the next time.
I use powdered paint which I buy at the local art shop. It is easy and cheap, and can be applied dry with cheap stiff artist brushes and is just scrubbed on. Great results with no artistic talent. The colours I use are black, white, burnt siena, yellow, red and purple. I have only weathered buildings so far but dont expect any problems on my rolling stock. If you get any finger marks just brush on some more powder. It can easily be sealed by using a can of spray, but unless you handle the items carelessly you dont need to.
As Bob mentions, the Bragdon chalks really work well. Most of the factory finishes don’t redily accept the powders w/o first applying a coat of Dullcoat or other flat finish. A seal coat is usually not needed, however excessive handling can wear if off.
When I weather a piece, I’ll drybrush light rust, streaks etc, first, then airbrush thinned coats on trucks, frame and pilots for road grime/ dirt appropriate for your local, and then add the powders. Once satisfied, a flat finish keeps it that way. The uniform finish can be doctored w/ added chalks around exhaust stacks, fans and radiators. Any fuel spills or grease which have a semi gloss need to be placed last. Heavy rust may also have to be touched up due to the airbrushing tending to hide the initial work.
There’s really no one way to weather or use the chalks. Experimentation to develop a style suited to you is best.
Wow,I got some Great feedback from all who replied to My question.Thank’s to You all !!!
You said that, GWRf. I will have to spned some time checking out the modeltrainsweathered.com forums. I can use some tips and it looks like a friendly place.[:)]
I use plain pastel chalks I purchased at an art store. I found a great set that was just earth tones like rust and dust.
The most obvious pro for chalks and powders is that until you spray them with a fixative, they’re nearly 100% reversible. Washes and airbrushes are not. To tell the truth I use all 3 techniques. I just posted this photo to another thread on weathered hoppers, but I’ll show it here. Most of these hoppers were weathered with chalks, washes, and airbrush, but if you look at the three GLa hoppers (the short PRR and the Berwind) as well as the CNJ hopper, they’re chalks only. Subtle and understated, but still dirty.
