Tom Mann recently published a book on weathering. One of the methods was to paint a car rust color, add sea salt, paint and decal normally, then pop off the sea salt to expose the rust below. This will give a pock-marked area where the rust is showing through the paint. (That was a brief description; I hope it was close.) I want to create this type of weathering on my cars that I have already painted. I have started and I am not satisfied with the result, but it is a beginning. I have some more techniques to add, but this is the beginning. Again, this is a Tom Mann inspired this technique and the credit goes to him. I look at this website and I don't know if I can ever get these results. Anyway, here is what I did. This is a basic H0 scale covered hopper. Next I painted areas where I wanted the rust. I used artist acrylics.
Then I wet the side of the car and applied sea salt. What a mess! I had to use a scraper and move the sea salt over the rust-painted areas. Then I let it dry. I was concerned that it was too thick or piled too high. tried to remove all the salt not over rusted areas. This proved to be impossible. Next, I air brush painted the sea salt with rust color.
Then I carefully popped the sea salt off of the car using a tooth brush and a small knife or chisel. Better than I thought. I think it can be improved by: Paint a darker rust. The sprayed rust color needs to be lighter than the painted rust color. Contrast will help. Only wet the part of the car where you want the sea salt, not the whole car. I am not sure you can do more than one part of the car at a time. I haven't done anything to the other side of the car. When the sea salt is dry, it adheres to the car better than I thought. I will add Rustall and/or other rust colors and chalks. The texture is as good as the color. Close up of the rust area: More on this as I get a chance.
Finally finished. This side has two colors of rust airbrushed on the salt. This side has only one color of rust airbrushed on the salt. I like the "rust" texture this creates. This is H0 scale; I think it would be harder to do in N scale. The salt ruined a pair of Kadee metal couplers...of course.
Flash, Too bad about the couplers. On the other hand I think the results are great. Makes you wonder how Tom even thought about this method??? Cheers, Jim CCRR
FLASH! Where is there HO track on your layout!!!??? arghh: EDIT - Nevermind, I see it's just on top....
I would only point out that the car probably should have been fully weathered prior to the sea salt technique being applied. As it stands now, the general appearance seems rather odd to me, with heavily rusted areas highly apparent while the car's general coloration and lettering still seemingly in nearly like new condition. NYW&B
