So the saddle brown building is a neat detail inspired by this pic (which is rather washed out)
Question is what technique might be able to reproduce that kind of rusting?
Shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Shane, I have seen maginificent results for that kind of rust made by applying small blobs of artist oil paints, then brushing downward with a brush soaked in turpetine.
Now the bad part... I have tried to do this a couple of times myself, and never had it come out looking like I wanted.
So, I know how to do it, but have not mastered the technique. This is also a "one-shot" method. If you mess it up, then try to fix it, it will just get worse.
If you try this, please practice on scrap pieces first.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
My "go to" method worked very well - in my eyes of course...........
Get a bottle of Testor's flat black, rust, and thinner. Dip your brush in the thinner, then "touch" it to the rust and then to the black, and brush it on the structure.
Repeat as needed, and each run will give you a slightly different mix of the two colors. Using more thinner gives you a lighter impression, and if too light, you can always do a second or third brushing. Like so many other endeavors, its easier to add than to take away (paraphrasing Emeril).
Also, always brush downward, following gravity so to speak. And with practice, you should be able to get your desired effect.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I've used dry weathering powders from A.I.M. with good results. They offer both light and dark rust powders. For heavily rusted areas I'll also mix in some brown and grimy black. As with paints, brush down to simulate rain water carrying the rust stains downward. Start light and keep adding until it looks right. Try to avoid a uniform look. Make the rust darker in spots and lighter or non-existent in others. When it looks right, I'll give it a quick spray of dull coat.
Kevin, yes I have a full intention of using scrap pieces to test first. I wonder if thinning it first then useing an eye dropper and dropping it in pools would work or what effect that would make.
What does everybody think would work or a starting point for that blueish tone to some of the rusted areas? I have to repaint the base color anyway. it is toofar off. need a more oxidebrown.
I am not that talented and my attempts at weathering with paint were not up to par, to say the least. I have had much better results with powders, I also have A.I.M. powders.
For me at least, using powders allows me to be able to correct things I am not happy with either by wiping them off or adding different colours to tone things down.
I watched some British weathering techniques on Youtube done by some military modelers and was amazed by what they achieved by mixing the powders with water and then applying them.
As far as the blue colour that you want to start out with goes, try determining what colour it was when new and do that. Then age it until you are happy.
If you really study the brick work you will notice a plethora of colours. Do that by applying a tiny speck of a different colour (powder) and dry brushing it.
For water staining, it can be obvious where that would occur, however I have in the past taken a spray bottle and sprayed down over the model and let the wash run like rain would. You need to think about this though because depending on the structure it could turnout an ugly mess.
I did this TT using only powders. There are some spots I am not happy with and will touch them up once all the ground cover is done.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I've done rust effects with a brush, using fairly little paint, and with a very "wet" brush, and with an airbrush, and also with oil-based pastels. The latter are rubbed over coarse sandpaper, and the resultant "dust" is then dumped into a suitable container, for application with a not-to-good brush.
If you wish to do fairly over-all weathering, whether with rust-coloured material or something representing the dirt and grime of age, use water-based paints, well-thinned, and with a couple drops of dish detergent added. The detergent negates the water's surface tension, which allows the colour to flow very freely. Use a paper towel to soak-up the excess, and repeat as many times as are necessary to get the effect you desire.I'd offer some photos (as usual) but can't remember specifically what technique or material was used in each of the photos.
Wayne
Several days ago I posted a question a home made substitute for Rust All, a commercial product that has 4 bottles for rusting, blackening, deglossing, dirtying almost anything. I bought a set a good many years ago. I never had a use for the deglossing stuff because Testors Dullcoat spray is easier to work with. The other three are great.
It's available on line either directly from them or through a dealer for comparable price. Google Rust All model and it will pop up in the first few matches.
My experience with washes and poweders has been ok, but it's always a guessing game. This stuff may not give you exactly what you're looking for, but because the Rust and the Blackening are already in a liquid suspension they can be adjusted easily until you get the desired results.
Mike
mreagant Several days ago I posted a question a home made substitute for Rust All, a commercial product that has 4 bottles for rusting, blackening, deglossing, dirtying almost anything. I bought a set a good many years ago. I never had a use for the deglossing stuff because Testors Dullcoat spray is easier to work with. The other three are great. It's available on line either directly from them or through a dealer for comparable price. Google Rust All model and it will pop up in the first few matches. My experience with washes and poweders has been ok, but it's always a guessing game. This stuff may not give you exactly what you're looking for, but because the Rust and the Blackening are already in a liquid suspension they can be adjusted easily until you get the desired results. Mike
Sometimes not getting what you are looking for is a good thing with scenery. Sometimes what you get is better than what you had in mind. I remember something Mike Tylick wrote in one of his earliest articles for MR. He said one of the keys to good scenery is learning to keep the lucky accidents. I've had that proven to me many times over the last 3 or 4 decades since I first read that.
John-NYBW He said one of the keys to good scenery is learning to keep the lucky accidents. I've had that proven to me many times over the last 3 or 4 decades since I first read that.
I had a lucky accident that turned out great twenty years ago.
I was pouring Envirotex for a small pond. A moth got in the "water" before it was hard and messed up the surface. I added a small pipe above the accident, and it looked like water was rushing from the pipe into the pond.
I kept it.
I totally agree. Sometime not getting what you expect can be a good thing. Yesterday I was trying to bring out details and color variations on a piece of Chooch random blast rock wall and went through half a dozen combos some good, some not so. I finally realized that doing scenery is an art form and like beauty what is good is in the eye of the beholder.
Maybe starting without any specific idea of what you want works the best.
I think when it comes to scenery, we might all be our own worst critics.
It seems there are a continuous flow of pictures that have text that says "I finished this scene a few months ago, but there are still some things I need to fix", but I (as the viewer) think the scene looks wonderful.
If we don't know what the intended scene was, we don't know what the "mistakes" are, but the builder does. No one else notices.
I was never happy with the rocks in this scene, but plenty of people asked me how I made them.
Kevin you're spot on. At the risk of annoying some people, when I see discussions like this, which by the way are very helpful, I can't help but mumble 'rivet counter.' With no disrespect for those who strive for historical accuracy, sometime doing a soft focus that incorporates details as part of a bigger picture view is more satisfying.
I am going for a general match for the rust on that odd steel building. that base rust has that bluish tint I thought would interesting to capture in some form. So that is the target. The rust streaks I can test what looks reasonable. My steel building copy isn't a direct copy. Just the flavor of it to go with the rest of that unnamed abondonded building. going for a generalized look more than a copy. I asked for rust method ideas to see what some do that might help with that blueing effect
shane
Hi there. For something like that, i would use pastels, the chalk type. I would scrape the pastel into a powder, dip a brush in water, dip in in the powered pastel, and apply in on the structure. Less is more IMHO. A black wash would also add a nice effect. After you're satisfied with it, seal it with dullcoat. But my preferred method, with a different effect, is to paint the entire piece burnt sienna, and then using an airbrush, paint the piece in light coats of grimy black, until you get a rusty black effect. Light black washes can be added to give an added weathering effect.
Simon
20200102_173118b on Flickr