Fading painted boxcars, etc.

[Doughless]

doctorwayne

I'm a little curious, but when you mention fading, is that similar to weathering?  I usually weather most of my rolling stock, but some more recent ones (made to look like fairly close to "new") usually don't get much weathering at all.  And, of course, there are always a bunch of older models overly weathered...in those cases, I often strip all of the paint & lettering, and then redo paint, lettering and usually some lighter weathering, too.
I'd toss in some pictures, but have forgotten how to do so (semi-brain-dead, I guess).
Cheers, Wayne

 

I take it as being similar to oxidation. Sun bleaching.  An as-built shiny medium blue boxcar might oxidize to a light blue without actually being dirty or having much rust.  It happens to equipment that spends a lot of time in the desert SW.

The best way to represent it, IMO, is to just strip and repaint the boxcar satin/flat light blue.  OP is talking about how to apply a coating of paint or material to make the medium blue look like light blue.  Not real easy to do without it looking like there is one layer of paint covering another, JMO. 

Fading the lettering can be about the paint wearing off and revealing the base coat of the car.

Edit:  If you repaint the boxcar to represent fading, then you'll be decaling it with brand new as-built decals, since decal makers don't make faded lettering, IMO.  And that might look weird. 

[doctorwayne]

I'm a little curious, but when you mention fading, is that similar to weathering?  I usually weather most of my rolling stock, but some more recent ones (made to look like fairly close to "new") usually don't get much weathering at all.  And, of course, there are always a bunch of older models overly weathered...in those cases, I often strip all of the paint & lettering, and then redo paint, lettering and usually some lighter weathering, too.
I'd toss in some pictures, but have forgotten how to do so (semi-brain-dead, I guess).
Cheers, Wayne

[Doughless]

Ezrails

What is the best way to fade a painted boxcar with acyrlic paint?  THere was a Model RailroaderDisplay Layout several year age that Provided a good formula/mix, but I can't remeber it.

RicZ

 

I assume that you mean a factory painted car....with painted lettering.

I like to see the lettering faded too, so that some of the base paint shows through.  Very fine sandpaper.

I also use 90% alcohol on a que tip to grab some of the base paint and then dab it over the lettering to mimic the base paint showing through.

And as others have mentioned, you can apply a thin coat of light gray or even a lighter version of the base paint over the entire car.  

IMO, the key is to keep the paint very thin, since the eye tends to see when paint is applied over other paint.....when fading is just the opposite of that....its basically the removal of paint over time.

Which is why I use very fine sandpaper to reduce/remove painted on lettering.

[zstripe]

OP canceled........

 

[HO-Velo]

Mark R.

some great reading for you plus lots of examples

Some months ago I enjoyed some success with Gary Hinshaw's 'Fading Fast' technique applied to a black tank car.  As he suggested; ultra-light coats and having a witness piece for comparison was helpful in making the gradual fading more perceptible while getting a feel for when enough was enough (I still went a little overboard).  Looking forward to adding the suggested colors, like orange and yellow to the recipe for some 'transition fades', but too bad Pollyscale paint is out of production; maybe someone could suggest an alternative to Pollyscale Dust?

Thanks and regards, Peter   

[kasskaboose]

I too use DullCote and weathering powders (in this order).

Found a thread on this same topic earlier: https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/285828.aspx (sorry, but stupid link won't work).

 

[Mark R.]

Here's some great reading for you plus lots of examples ....

https://therailwire.net/forum/index.php/topic,16573.0.html

Mark.

[hbgatsf]

"Best" is arbitrary.  There are pros and cons to every method.

Here is another way that produces good results depending on the look you are going for.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU7XhQdr0XU

[dknelson]

A DullCoat alone will somewhat fade the color.  I have also used an application of isopropyl alcohol mixed with a little india ink.  The india ink darkens the details and the alcohol tends to lighten the paint color.  However if so much alcohol is applied that it puddles on the surface of the plastic it can leave a rather nasty white "frosting."  Which itself can be toned down by another application of DullCoat.  

What I find is that a sprayed application of gray or white looks quite effective as faded paint in  person, but in close up photographs not so effective or plausible.  

Dave Nelson

[G Paine]

MisterBeasley

Do you have an airbrush?  Sometimes a thin coat of white or light gray paint will serve to lighten and fade the colors.

I agree with MrB, a light coat of flat light grey will make the colors appear to be faded by sunlight.

[MisterBeasley]

Do you have an airbrush?  Sometimes a thin coat of white or light gray paint will serve to lighten and fade the colors.

I use weathering powders.  They are easy to apply and can be done in steps so you can back off and remove a previous layer if you overdo it.

[MidlandPacific]

Paint it in the base color (preferably gloss), decal it, dullcoat it, then dry brush it to taste with a flat acrylic white.

[Ezrails]

What is the best way to fade a painted boxcar with acyrlic paint?  THere was a Model RailroaderDisplay Layout several year age that Provided a good formula/mix, but I can't remeber it.

RicZ