Weathering Plastic Buildings

[Anonymous]

Can anyone share their techniques for weathereing plastic buildings ? I have a number of buildings that I'd like to work on and make them look more realistic. Thanks

[babefluff]

I use india ink mixed with rubbing alcohol. I brush it all over the building and add more to areas where weathering is most likely to happen, under windows, around doorways,walkways, chimneys, etc. You can also add ballast or something similar to a flat roof to simulate a gravel roof. I paint it a flat black first, sprinkle on the ballast add diluted white glue. Let it dry and touch up any missed spots. Don't be afraid to try anything, you can always fix it if doesn't work out. Good luck!

Scott
Everyday may not be a great day, but everyday is a good day.

[Anonymous]

What ratio do you mix the ink and alcohol ?

[Jetrock]

About 40-50 parts alcohol to 1 part ink--normally I fill a film can with alcohol and add ten or so drops of ink.

[Cox 47]

I like to use pastel chalk I got a tray of 8 or 10 for about a buck at walmart scrape the calk withe a knife blade then with a brush put it on the building if you don't like your first try wipe it off and try again some seal it with dull coat but i don't You will mostly want to use the brown black and white they can be blended together for all kinds of looks Cox 47

[Anonymous]

Weathering powders or chalk also work well. I use a stiff bru***o cover the whole model with a light coating and then add several layers into the corners or any other area you want heavier weathering. Different colors also help with the effects - black around sources of soot, dirt colored around the base, rust colored around and under metal objects (like stairs), etc. Often, I tone the whole thing down with ink and alcohol (either before or after). After, a light coat of dullcoat locks it all in place.

Steve

[Anonymous]

for brick buildings, I like to start with a wash of white,usualy a drop of white to an ounce of water.I use inexpensive craft store acrylics,then if it's to heay, you can always wipe it off. the white fills in the cracks and give a somewhat mortar look, the moe water to paint ratio is prefered,as you can always give it a second wash. after thats good and dry, I use the ink/alcohol mix, then chalks.

[csxjohn1948]

i had good luck with 1/2 teaspoon of gray latex wall paint dilluted in 1 oz. water, put on with dry bru***echnique. gave a good brick mortar line and general dulling of brick surface. also the gray was used to paint the foundation.

[Anonymous]

I usually stomp on the building 2 or three times. It seems to give it a nice smashed look. Afterwaeds a nice thick coat of dullcoat holds it all in place.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm...edbaldhead. radical technique you have there...personally I find paint works pretty well...

As for alcohol, try drinking it instead...

steve [:D]

[Anonymous]

A few suggestions:

1. Kill the shine. Dullcoat or flat paints

2. Repaint details. A little time painting smoke stacks, railings, window frames will add to the detail and interest.

3. As mentioned earlier roofing material. Fine sand paper for tarpaper, fine gravel etc.

4. Color correct for the lighting.

5. Try weathering darker colors lighter and lighter colors a little darker.

6. Plant the building on the layout with no visible line at the ground. A lot of buildings I see have a seam at the foundation where they haven't been seated correctly. Looks like they are floating....

Techniques include:

-- Alcohol/India ink washes (a little is better than too much)

--Paint washes. Try wet on wet to blend thin washes of color together

--Rustall: works on metal tanks etc. try underpainting another color

--Bragdon chalks. These are very good for dry dusty look. Try underpainting surfaces almost the color of the powder and apply a heavy powder coat when paint is dry, looks like old cruddy paint

--Scratchback. Good for use on plastic surfaces to simulated peeling paint. paint grey under coat, paint on desired overcoat, scratch over coat back with a wire brush, eraser or stiff plastic brush when paint is dry, but still fresh.. You can also use rubber cement to mask the second coat and then rub it off.

--Dry brush white. Rub brush full of white paint until almost no paint left in brush apply to details to high light. A little goes a long way

India ink and alcohol can run and bead up, so be careful. I try to use the lighting that the object will be seen in on the layout and then attempt to get the overall degree of of lightness of color to look right with whatever technique I am using. India Ink and other techniques can make stuff look too dark in the end so watch the hues and saturation. Most of these techniques take practice. The secret to good weathering is to not give up. You may have a few objects turn out not so good (see previous post for those situations), I know several MMRs who have marginal weathering jobs hidden in the back of their layouts...

[Anonymous]

I'v used earth tone chalks (available at art stores, Ben Franklin, etc.) with good results. Some I also spray with Dullcote, others not. The ones with dullcote have a very old appearance and I sprayed a couple with the window glass installed and they turned out really looking great. You can see some photos of "dirty windows" on a couple of my control towers at the site in my signature.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dentrainman

Can anyone share their techniques for weathereing plastic buildings ? I have a number of buildings that I'd like to work on and make them look more realistic. Thanks

Well, Trainnut and others have weathering covered well , but here's a couple more tips:
Before applying any washes, pastels, or other, spray entire building with Dullcoat or other flat clear. This gives a good surface for weathering and drybrushing to adhere to, and really minimizes the amount of pastels needed.
Also, try Floquil 'Dust' (lacquer) for some really great effects over other weathering. Thin about 50% and airbrush very lightly at first allowing it to set for 20-30 minutes to see the full effect. The dust effect will be dramatic over darker colors, more subdued over light surfaces.
Good Luck!! [:p]

[Anonymous]

Errm... while I'm not against the drinking bit, rubbing alcohol tends to make you blind, which rather defeats the intention, surely. Watered-down acrylic paint washes as mentioned elsewhere are a good start.
Heef.

[Anonymous]

Do you apply the weathering BEFORE the building is assembled??

[Anonymous]

sometimes I paint the sides first but the last step is the weathering. also you should wash it first to rid oils and the like.

[Anonymous]

What is "dullcoat" and where do I buy it?

[SpaceMouse]

Smitty 22,

Am I reading this right. You joined the forum on October 1, 2002 and today was your first post?

Welcome.

[TomDiehl]

Dullcote is the brand name of Testors paints. It's a clear flat finish, available as a spray, great for killing the shine if the color of the plastic is to your liking. It's also used after decalling to help disguise the decal film.

As with any paints, alcohol, or other hazardous chemicals, use the appropriate protective gear. I airbrush with Floquil paints, basically a lacquer that contains VOC's (volitile organic chemicals). I have a vented spray booth and wear a purifying respirator (with activated charcoal cartridges). These fumes can be extremely dangerous and many of them are flammable, so the need for caution with them cannot be over emphasized.

BTW Volitile=evaporates quickly Organic Chemical=attacks the internal organs

Yes, I'm a HAZCOM trainer. but not necessarily a good speller.

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edbaldhead

I usually stomp on the building 2 or three times. It seems to give it a nice smashed look. Afterwaeds a nice thick coat of dullcoat holds it all in place.

````````
I don't care for that technique. A cat (aka "mouse catching appliance") tried that for me on one of my buildings on the old layout.

I don't have that cat anymore! [censored][|(][:-,][tdn][dinner][angel][:O][:-^]

[JimValle]

In the past I've used both an airbrush and chalks. With the airbrush I pick three colors, white grime, rust and grimy black. White grime goes first and you fog the building with it. Next rust color is added for anything metal like ladders or sheet metal and then you streak with soot using the black. I don't bother to clean the airbrush between colors since the idea is to make things look dirty anyway. This technique works best for really heavy industrial buildings like powerplants or steel mills. For chalks I grind a chalk stick onto sandpaper to make a powder and then rub it into the structure's walls and roofs with a small paintbrush of the 50 cent use-it-once and discard variety. Hard rubbing and blending with progressively darker colors gives me a good effect. I don't usually dullcoat unless I want a subtle effect because dullcoat makes most of the chalk weathering vanish.

[norbs]

I use a variety of water based colors staying mostly in earth tone colors to represent the area I am trying to model. If I'm looking for a rusty look on something I'm more likey to use the color "Georgia Clay" as I am the color "rust" in my opinion it gives it a softer look. I use the dry brush system with the attitude that tomorrow is a new day so I can always add more if I don't like the initial look. When I'm done I spray it with Dullcoat.