Is weathering with chalks all it's "Cracked up to be"?
Anything on weathering with chalks I shoud know about? I know the basic steps, and the basic colors (black, brown, orange, white and possibly red) . Any info or tips are welcome.
I know that one of the first suggestions will be to do a trial on a shell or cheap car, of which I have plenty.
Thank you!
Acela
The timbers beneath the rails are not the only ties that bind on the railroad. --Robert S. McGonigal
Try entering "weathering powders" into the "Search our Community" box on the lower right hand side of the page.
This is just my opnion, but I've left the chalks behind once I learned about gouache paint. This stuff is absolutely amazing once you get the hang of it. You can control it much better and apply it from darn near fully opaque to extrememly transparent thin washes. Chalks are good for doing broad areas, but I find I can't get the kind of control I can with paints. I think if you want to get a very generic general dusty or dirty look then chalks are fine. Also, most people who are just starting out in weathering like chalks because they can be washed away easily. I find that to be true and also not true. If you are using weathering powders or something like Tamiya weathering colors that are waxy or designed to stick, then the washing off may be a lot harder. Your choice, tho.
Good luck,
Chris
Chalks are great for weathering and can be very effective, with everything from a broad area to the smallest streaks, and can be very subtle. The downside to them though is that they are not very permanent and you have to watch how you handle your car or locomotive if you apply chalks
Modeling the C&NW in northcentral Wisconsin, late summer 1976
I like using chalks a bunch, its mostly what i use. I like to use more than the colors you listed , To get a slightly weathered look i will use chalks of the same color as the car. If i have a green box car , i use a green chalk that is close to the cars color , then add the others for mud rust etc. I have a pretty stiff brush and rub the brush directly on the chalks to get the powder.. If i want to use a softer brush , i just rub the stiffer brush on the chalk and pick it up with the other brush. Also i have never used dull coat after weathering , i found it changes the weathering a lot , been doing it this way for 20 some years and all the chalk seems to still be there..
I agree with mokenarr. When modelers first started using chalks, you had to buy a set of all colors that artists used for drawing. They didn't come any other way. I have a set I have been working on/with for 25 years. I also have some thin disposable gloves for handling the models while I am applying the chalks. That way my finger oils don't leave an impression on the model or chalk.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
my golden rule for weathering with chaulks:
Less is more.
Start out lightly and build up the colors you want - many modelers make the mistake of over- applying and it ends up looking like a model freight car with a lot of chaulk on it instead of a prototype car that is weathered.
Less is More.
HeritageFleet1
I have used chalks and now am using the AIM weathering powder (a bit "stickier"). I posted a couple of coal hoppers I weathered this way in the Columbus Day weekend WPF thread. I'm not sure how to link there but we will try this... http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/180831.aspx?PageIndex=3
I like 'em, but I'm just gong for an overall grimy/dusty effect on most things.
Sean
HO Scale CSX Modeler