Mike
I too am in the same boat, but have found india ink + alchohol, simply brushed on, to be great start in the learning process. Experiment with the mixture until you get the right color if you will and brush on, if its too light , dont worry, add some more. Perhaps after this step you can move to adding additional weathering such as roof streaks , rust etc. I practiced on an old structure so they anxiety was not there. The biggest step is just applying that first brush to your building.
Good Luck
Hey Mike
I have used India Ink & 50% Alcohol mixed at about 1 part ink to 4 parts Alcohol I always use the Isopropyl type, I Brush it on as I find the Alcohol lets the mix flow freely and dries without and brush streaks, I also use a Charcol Stick to weather my buildings as well, I get a good grade of sand paper (100) grit and run the charcol over it and let it sand it into powder,then on my dried building I put some on my finger tips and run it the same way over the bricks from top to bottom and really rub it in,it fills in all the small cracks in the bricks and tone's down the fresh paint and makes the bricks stand out, I will also do the lightly on the Loco hoods behind the exhaust area to darken it down and sometimes I do the whole Loco, it really makes the grills and fans stand out, I don't spray after with a dull coat to seal it as I find that the charcol stains the area and never comes off even with handeling it.
Just my 2 cents.... good luck
A true friend will not bail you out of jail...he will be sitting next to you saying "that was friggin awesome dude!" Tim...Modeling the NYC...is there any other?
I am using the Bragdon powders and acrylic washes. I am finding that practice counts for more than advice. My only advice is "too little is better". You can add, but it is hard to take off. I also use dry brush some, but that is more for highlights than dirt. I am just starting a steam engine service facility with a six stall roundhouse. That ought to give me some practice.
Another piece of advice, I am not an artist, and what I do will never look as good as they get. Keep us posted as we are all learning this together.
Another happy Bragdon Powder user, its too simple. Just don't over do it, hard to undo. Apply in light coats. I work in N Scale and the big box (12 powders in a click lid tray) will last me years - many years. Does not dry out like paints, I like that. Bought a small bottle of Micro crystal to do windows in my cabooses, bought it this fall, by the time I openned it for the first time this past week, it had hardened into a sold white glob. With powders they have a long shelf life.
You didn't mention what type of material your structures are made of. Plastic ones should always be painted, preferably with flat or low gloss paint. Then weathered with alcohol/india ink washes and/or weathering powders.
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
No questions are dumb, right? Well I have one: What exactly is "India Ink"? I've seen it mentioned in several different weathering threads and have always wondered. Is it really the ink that's used in writing instruments or does it refer to some specific brand/color of paint? Where do you get it?
Thanks.
It really is India ink. Try artists supply stores.It is used in calligraphy.
Dave
Sorry I forgot to say India ink is black. Be careful you dont get it on your hands, it stains you a nice black colour too.
Mike:
I have used both paint washes and ink washes with pretty good success and my standard overall finishing has become the ink, most often the last weathering I do. All though I haven't used weathering chalks (I do want to get some of the Bragdon powders and give them a try) I would think they would be the last step!
But getting back to the ink washes: It is a quick and easy way to bring out surface textures on structures and rolling stock? I have both a solution of India ink and rubbing alcohol and one of ink and distilled water. Alcohol doesn't always agree with some finishes, especially over a lacquer (Dull Cote).
The biggest lesson I've learned (the hard way) is to first make sure your model is totally prepared. Decals and acrylic washes must be sealed or over sprayed with a coat of clear finish. No parts of your model can be water soluble.
For a VERY light dulling / blending / weathering, simply add two to six drops of the ink to a pint of alcohol. More applications will darken and bring out more detail on the finished product, but for a heavier weathering from the get go, mix in more ink. I don't have any standard mixes, usually just adding some ink as I go. But, I did read somewhere; somebody keeps on hand various strengths of ink wash pre-mixed. From the ratio, I have to assume that these are for a heavy weathering, as I remember them being mixed 1 t. / pt, 1-1/2 t. / pt. and 2 t. / pt.
I most often apply these washes with a brush, but have also used a spray bottle for a large over-all effect. I have never tried using the airbrush, so I can't make a comment regarding that question.
As opposed to an over-all dirtying (BTW, I like the idea of the charcoal on the engines) what I find is that the solution will creep into the crevices and appear to create slight shadows that add visual texture to surfaces.
Let the model air dry before handling. Then...If you feel you want more texture, add another application or as many as you need to achieve the desired effect, letting it dry in between.
I would use a dark gray wash or a brown wash on a white building, depending on the area you are modeling.
I usually make a wash that is a shade or 2 darker than my original paint. The exception being black. I use enamels or lacquers for this. India inks come in various colors also.
I brush the wash on and let gravity take its course.
There good dvds out there about weathering, Darryl Huffman, http://www.darrylhuffman.50megs.com &Scott Mason. http://scottymason.com/
practice practice practice
Phil
Washes and dry brushing are your friends
these are $10 kits
Wood siding weathering is both an additive and a reductive effect. Additive weathering such as dirt, soot, sand tains can be added after the structure is painted. Reductive weathering is more of a challenge after the structure has been brightly painted, because it is harder to duplicate the fading, chipping, and peeling that occurs over years of age. Rather than painting with full strength paint, I start with a very thin wash of my color; usually no more than 25% paint to thinner (water in my case as I prefer acrylics). If you're painting wood, this is how it will look after many years of age and neglect. I then dry brush the structure to bring it up to the age I'm trying to achieve. This may take several sessions, because after the first few strokes, you're just pushing the paint around. If the structure is plastic, I start with a rattle can primer of flat white, gray, or tan, depending on my final color.
I find powdered charcoal applied liberally over the whole building, then removed with a paper towel wrapped around a finger in downstrokes, works well. Just enough charcoal stays on the building to provide a nice patina and tones down the colors. You can seal it in with a spray of flat finish once it's just the way you like it - but if you do, be sure you spray it before installing any window glazing!!
Oil-based chalks (like the ones available at the LHS in little square clear plastic boxes) work well too. Unlike rolling stock and engines, you're not going to be handling the building a lot so you don't need to worry about sealing in the weathering - unfortunately if you try to spray flat finish on chalk weathering, it pretty much disappears.
An advantage both of these have is that as "dry" weathering methods they're reversible...if it doesn't look right, you can wash it off with a paper towel dampened with water and start over. With paint or India Ink, once it's on the building or car etc. you only get one shot to do it right.
The best way to model weathering is look at the real thing. Try http://maps.msn.com. Type in a city that you are interested in modeling and select "Birds Eye View" (If available) Put a photo next to your model you wish to weather.
Next, the easiest "goof proof" way to start is really using weathering powders (Bragdon, or Doc O'Brians) Doc O'Brians includes weathering tips inside the package. The great thing about weathering powders is if you mess up, you can wash it off with water. And when done, you can seal them in with dull coat. Dull coat will dull down the effect of the powders. So you might want to over do it a bit.
If you want to save money: Weathering powders are pretty much "artist pastels" You can go online to places like "Dick-Blick" and pick up medium/hard pastel sticks on the cheap. And there is so much more color variety. You can apply the sticks directly like a pencil. But they work best in a powder form. To get the powder form take the back of a #11 blade, and scrape the sticks to produce the powder. I have a total of 32 different earth and rust tones at my disposal now for about the same cost of 12 weathering powders.
http://www.dickblick.com/categories/pastels/#mediumandhardpastels
Important note: Never ever spray dull coat over "glass". Finish your building, weather it, dull coat it, then apply the glass in the last step.
Tips for various different types of structures:
Buildings:
Pipes and running spouts have a tendency to rust in streaks along seams. Hard water deposits from rain often leaves white streaks on roofs. Vents in roofs also have a tendency to leave rust streaks. Rust shows up great on concrete!
The tops of chimneys are typically black with smoke/soot. Weathering powders work GREAT here. Adjascent structures could also be stained by said smoke/soot. Just dip a stiff brush in the powder and go upwards, and slowly outwards. (Smoke is most intense near the chimney, so it's most dense/darkest there.)
Older buildings with concrete are a bit more "yellow". New concrete is gray. I rarely use straight gray. Sometimes I make a mix aged concrete and regular concrete together.
Windows with concrete sills have a tendency to wash rain around the brick just beneath them. Therefore they appear a slightly different color. Sometimes it's white. Mostly it's slightly darker. Again weathering powders work great here.
"Wood" plank-siding buildings have a tendency to chip paint in long thin lines. A weathering "destressor" brush from Micromark is a huge help in this area. It tones down paint, and adds realism to "painted wood" buildings. I like to go in 3 layers. First, the base is a tan "wood color" spray painted on. (Wait 1 hour) Next apply a spray coat dark dark grey (wood exposed to rain). (Wait 4 HOURS) Third, apply your "painted" top coat. Wait 1 hour. At this point the top layer is still somewhat soft, and the bottom stained wood/new wood is somewhat harder (making it less prone to being scrapped off) Start scrapping the paint to taste. If done properly, it can make a plastic-wood building look like a wood-wood building.
I personally like to apply oily black to "tar roof" tops BEFORE and AFTER dull coat. The first coat before is painted over the entire surface. After dull coat, I go back with a stippling brush and apply another coat, patting it on with the tip. This gives the roof a slight variation of texture and some slight color variation. You can use the stippling technique on older roofs to show exposed white roofing stones. (Or a very light spray of dull white from a distance will acheive the same effect.) Using a brush gives it more texture however, as you can layer, and produce less uniform results.
Railroad structures:
Buildings close to railroad tracks often get cinder, and ballast dust on them. Buildings by the tracks will be slightly "ballast grey/white" on the lower half. In a yard or industry facility, these colorations are more likely to be dark from cinders, or cheaper ash ballast.
Don't forget obvious things like smoke rising up the side of structures where the train passes under.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Some weathering powders made especially for train and building weathering have built in/pre mixed adhesion agents . The more you rub the harder they stick . And of course a bottle of dulcote works great for car and engine details .... takes the plastic shine off . Check these links out ....
http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?q=O+SCALE+WEATHERING&docid=690730959317&mid=6AA8B22033E914224B656AA8B22033E914224B65&FORM=VIVR3#docid=551903429076
They helped me alot to start .....
I do the scenery work for a custom layout building company. There are multiple ways to weather any structure, as you can tell by the different posts. Before you use any type of weathering advice be sure to try it out on either scrap wood/styrene. The last thing you would want is to create more work for yourself or even ruin all the hard work you have done.
You also need to be realistic in your talents. Some modelers work better with paint, some with chalks, india ink and other mediums. With time and patience you can master all of these. I personally find that using more than one meduim achieves great results. When weathering look at real photos and try to make the model look like the picture.
When I paint/weather a building first I look at the picture on the front of the kit box. Then I think what can make it look more realistic, which can be hard, but that is what makes all models custom.
Just a thought, but depending on the color of white that you used, it might be best to repaint before weathering. I recently used polly scales reefer white on an HO city station and it was to bright as well. I found that using an antique white was a much better choice. It really toned down the brightness but still didn't change the color by too much. I belive that you can find this color at walmart or any major hobby store.
You can check out some of the layouts I worked on at popscustomlayouts.com . The antique white I am refering to can be seen on the 3x8 N scale freelance layout. Anything white was painted with this color.
Good luck.
If you use Isopropyl (Rubbing) Alcohol, be careful where you buy it. Drug stores are usually 70%-90% alcohol, but dollar stores can be only 50% (more water, that's why it's cheaper). The highest I've seen locally is 90% alcohol.
Terry
A few words of both advice and caution. Firstly, as either Bob or Art rightfully pointed out upstream, nothing beats practice. Fully expect you first few attempts at using A&I weathering to come out pretty crappy. But believe me, you do get better with time and practice!
Always start any A&I weathering with a very diluted solution (just a couple of teaspoons of ink added to a full pint of alcohol), such that you need to apply several layers to get the final appearance you wanted. You can always add more A&I weathering to structures but it sure is difficult to undo too much put on heavily in one application!
And...by all means don't get carried away with your weathering! Way too many hobbyist severely overweather their buildings to the point of caricature, making their scenes look more like a cartoon than any representation of reality. Less is always more in this instance.
CNJ831
don't forget buildings without gutters will show some splash or spatter for at least a couple of feed up from the base.
grizlump