N Scale Weathering Question

[Anonymous]

How do you get that sandy/grayish "up-spray" weathering to look realistic? Can it be done without an airbrush? I wish I could figure out how to post a picture to more clearly show what I'm talking about.

Also, is their a pre-mixed rustish/grayi***anish color for wheels and trucks or will I need to mix them on the model?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[MAbruce]

I think I know what you are trying to describe. I have not attempted something that specific yet. I have tried some different "non-airbrush" methods for general weathering. This first car was first sprayed with Testors "Dull Coate" and then some Isopropyl Alcohol was brushed on. The alcohol reacts with the Dull Coate to create a bleaching effect for that well worn look:



The second is a more subtitle approach using slightly wetted watercolor paints lightly brushed on (then sealed with Dull Coate). You will notice that the trucks have not yet been weathered. I plan to attmept to dry brush some light colored chaulks (or watercolor paints) soon. I'll also keep an eye on this thread to see if other have had sucess without an airbrush.


If you like the results, then I'd say you can do weathering without an airbrush. [swg]

[FJ and G]

MA Bruce,

Those are incredible photos. Did you build that module and take it outside to photograph w/ the mountain background?

dave

[DonaldAgne]

Thom,

On these, I brushed on light gray pastel chalk with a soft bristled brush. Didn't spend too much time on them, but it gave them a little character.

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

MA Bruce,

Those are incredible photos. Did you build that module and take it outside to photograph w/ the mountain background?

dave

Thanks Dave.

Everything in the foreground in the first photo was taken on my layout. The background was added digitally. My layout actually has sky blue backdrops, so it doesn’t look near as good as my “doctored” photo.

Not much was done to the second photo except to digitally add a few clouds

Don – looks like you hit the nail on the head. Nice job! [tup]

[Roadtrp]

MAbruce,

Great photos! How long have you been in MR? Please say a long time, because your work makes my current attempts look pretty pathetic.

[:)]

[AggroJones]

Also, without an airbrush, you can add the "kicked up dust" over your other weathering by hitting it with dullcote, and earth-tone chalking the bottom 1/3 of the car. The chalk powder should be heaviest at the bottom rim and fade upward.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Also, without an airbrush, you can add the "kicked up dust" over your other weathering by hitting it with dullcote, and earth-tone chalking the bottom 1/3 of the car. The chalk powder should be heaviest at the bottom rim and fade upward.

You CAN add weathering this way to replicate "kicked up dust", but I wouldn't recommend it. Not because the weathering technique doesn't work, nor because it doesn't look pleasing, but because the effect isn't realistic. In short, this doesn't usually happen in real life.

I attended Mike Rose's weathering clinic at the Naperville Prorotype Modeler's Meet last year, and specifically addressed this issue. Out of 100 or so photos of groups of freight cars, he was able to find one or two with this weathering effect. Modern cars, period cars, black & white or color; it didn't matter. I later tested this by viewing as many freight car photos as I could off the Fallen Flags website, and Mike's right: "road dust" might LOOK accurate on our models, but it's NOT right (sort of like all-black trucks or grossly oversized ballast).

Peeling or rusting roof panels are almost universal on all metal roofs on freight cars, but they're rarely modeled. I'd spend my time getting an overall grimy appearance on the sides of the cars, and work on the roofs instead of the road dust (we spend more time looking down on our models anyway).

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp

MAbruce,

Great photos! How long have you been in MR? Please say a long time, because your work makes my current attempts look pretty pathetic.

[:)]

Thanks. I've been back in the hobby for a little over two years (after taking a 15 year break). Don't let my photo's fool you, there are several on this forum that could out model me with one hand tied behind their back!

Back to the topic at hand.

I think that orsonroy made some really interesting points. I'll start weathering my boxcar roofs to death. [:D]

[Anonymous]

I agree I don't see it much on cars, but I do see it regularly on engines - at least those that travel through Acworth Georgia.

[AggroJones]

Well.....I've seen good examples of it and have done it well. You're probably imagining somthing more stark than what I'm talking about. Since chalk is weak , 2 dullcote/chalk layers comes out looking subtle dust. When I get access to a digital cambra I'll post pictures to demonstrate.

[Wdlgln005]

You can paint Nscale cars with a wash of rust & dirt. this helps get into specific areas & add some detail to trucks & couplers. The Dullcote & airbrush may be used to cut down the shiny clean new car look.

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Wdlgln005

You can paint Nscale cars with a wash of rust & dirt. this helps get into specific areas & add some detail to trucks & couplers. The Dullcote & airbrush may be used to cut down the shiny clean new car look.

10-4 on that! I've experimented with washes and have gotten amazing results in just a few minutes.

[:D][;)]

[Bikerdad]

We're used to seeing the "kicked up grime" on our CARS, as well as everybody else's CARS, especially after it rains. Trains don't kick up nearly as much gunka, probably because they're "kicking" the grime off the railhead rather than the road. After the lead loco, how much grime is left to kick? A few blasts of released air from the braking system may kick a little more, but again, given the nature of the roadbed, there's not a lot of dirt, dust and grime around for most locos to kick up. The upshot is the "heavier gunk closer to the ground" just isn't as valid for trains as it is for cars, trucks, and especially fun critters like tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery, humvees, etc...