First weathering attempt, suggestions appreciated

NScaleKen Oct 5, 2018

  1. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    Here are my first attempts at weathering, I used a powder method with chalk based pastels I had laying around in the art supplies.


    I feel they need a wash method application to get darkness into the edges of the finer details. Will be viewing whatever instructional videos I can find on wet methods. Would like suggestions on how to do this, which methods people prefer. I watched some videos and the powder methods seemed very simple, but it seems it's easier to get the powder on the details edges in HO versus N. My initial impression, having done bit of dark washes for chainmail armor etc. on miniature figurines for role playing games, is that I need a wash to get the details more exposed. In particular I want the boxcars door rails, especially the upper ones, to not be so bright and toylike. That yellow same material rail is bugging me, it needs to look like a seperate part in wood and metal, and old, not a plastic extension of a plastic surface.
     
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  2. Dave McDonald

    Dave McDonald TrainBoard Member

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    I think it is a good start. To be honest, I have seen very few weathering jobs that look realistic. I have bought a few of the MTL factory weathered cars as I think they look really nice. Don't let my comments dissuade you from continuing your process. It is just my opinion.

    Also, is your end goal the dirty look or the faded paint, rusty look?
     
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  3. brokemoto

    brokemoto TrainBoard Member

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    The refrigerator looks like it has a little bit of dust and dirt accumulated with some service. It is about what I would expect to see. The tank car dirt is good where it is, but, you might want to make the less dirty areas a bit more dirty. The white shines too much and looks too clean on the non-dirty parts of the tank car..

    Overall, it looks pretty good. The dirty parts of the tank car are nicely done dirty.
     
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  4. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    Looking good. Prototype photos are a great reference for weathering ideas.
     
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  5. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    Thanks for the comments and opinions, I am totally new to this and still establishing how I feel about detail etc.

    Brokemoto, I will make the brighter areas dirtier I see what you mean now that you mention it.

    Dave, I'm going for both dirty and old rusted. I think I can eventually use the boxcars in modern era if i take the roof walks off. My prototype is modern UP coastal sub in California, and the Santa Maria Valley Railroad which is a small local line serving the city of Santa Maria in Central California. Its very rural and there is a lot of agriculture industry, Pictsweet has a facility with rail service, there is a small energy company with a tank car loading or unloading siding (possibly both I think it's a small refinery). There is a propane distribution that receives tank cars and amazingly its on a curve in the track that works really well with my tiny space cramped layout. A few other industries as well, it's pretty ideal for modeling a small local and a mainline. There is a boxcar loading siding and dock on a curve that takes 1-2 boxcars every so often from the record of google earth historical satellite images. I haven't fully researched it but I think it's a likely candidate for old refrigerated boxcars.

    The cars I am weathering were cheap and are my least valued since they are out of era except as trackside deco, but the proto really doesn't have that feature so... I will try my hand at removing the roof walks on the boxcars, then they are usable as old but still in service refers I guess, otherwise its a big hmmmm what to do. They are some of my first rolling stock when I had no clue. They all have the same number and are out of era and just sort of mock my naivety lol.

    Do tank cars with frames get used at all anymore? All I know is what I have viewed on YouTube of the manifest cargo trains in the last few years on the UP coastal and the SMVR, and have not seen a tank car other than the modern kind where the tank is the frame. Could I use those single domes for anything in a modern setting? They work for being awkward enough to then overcome the fear of ruining them, and jump in and learn weathering and modding, so they have this weird negative canceling a negative and equaling a positive value thing going.
     
  6. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have had some success with oil pastel chalks...

    [​IMG]

    I found if I scraped some dust off the chalks with the edge of an xacto knife blade onto a piece of cardboard and used my finger dipped in the dust and rubbed it across the surface it left results I can live with...
    [​IMG]

    I sealed the weathering with a rattlecan clear matte so it doesnt rub off.

    *BTW...this locomotive was one of the first I ever bought and waethered. It sits on the deadline now as it doesnt run. I lost the handrails years ago...lol
     
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  7. NScaleKen

    NScaleKen Permanently dispatched

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    Nice very dirty weathering. Thanks for the tip on the rattle can matte clear coat mtntrainman, I will do that. I used matte clear coat in an airbrush to give the chalk pastels I used something to grip on, per a video on YT. I like the idea of rattle can for this since cleaning clear coat from an airbrush, at least my cheap airbrush, is a pita. I have lots of the chalk pastels, but the oil seem to give it a more 'oily' grit that I like. Will have to try some thank god they are cheap, this whole thing escalated rather quickly lol I spent way too much lately.
     
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  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Pretty good results, for a first attempt!

    Start with light weathering and go from there. You can always add more. Few cars look as though they are escapees from a junk yard. Think about how your automobile looks after a bit of time and weather, between washes. Flattened shine results first. There is a line between use, neglect and outright abuse. Also, eras can make a difference. What you see today and what some of us saw a few decades ago, varies substantially.
     
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  9. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    They look good Ken. I'm in the less is more camp on weathering and as someone suggested, prototype photos are your best resource for judging if a car has that just right feel to it. Keep up the great work! (y)
     
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  10. MP333

    MP333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I think they look great, Ken. I find that I often go back and touch up weathering as my techniques are expanded and practiced. As others said, always good to assemble a small photo gallery of real world examples. Weathering is one of those things that's so fun to do, that it gets overdone.
     
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  11. Nimo

    Nimo TrainBoard Member

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    Looking really good Ken! I use dry pastels (artist grade) and standard acrylic paints for my weathering, and so far, I am happy with the result. I think the most important thing, like anything in Model Railroading project is to look at real life stuff - live if possible, else photos. Also, I have used MR mag's free weathering guide eBook when I did weathering (attached). Yes, it is focused on airbrushing, but all you need to look at are the color selection and what type of weathering should happen on a particular rolling stock. This should help.

    Also, don't forget the trucks and wheels! I think in my case, weathering on trucks and wheels actually make it look more 'complete'.

    One important thing about weathering is color selection. For rust (I use acrylic paint) I use raw umber and burnt umber. For dust, I use yellow ochre, light grey and light yellow - I mix them in different proportions to get the right balance. Black and white are for very specific use, like coal or refrigerated car. For vents, smokestacks and grilles, I use black, grey and blue (to show heat effect).

    Hope this helps. :)
     
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  12. Nimo

    Nimo TrainBoard Member

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    Here is my old blog entry on weathering. No methods, but just the results. I will have to make a video for the techniques eventually!

    Another point I forgot to mention is that don't overdo it. Start very small areas and small items and work towards expanding. You would need the smallest brush you can find - one flat and one one round. Also for large areas, try dry-brushing for the rust effect.
     
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  13. thomas

    thomas TrainBoard Member

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    I use mainly an airbrush combined with a few powders in some areas but mainly an airbrush. If you really get into weathering you'll probably end up going with an airbrush also. :)


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