Well, at least in my opinion. This is great for beginners who don't want to spend a fortune on airbrushes, powders, chalks, etc. I am relatively new to weathering (a few weeks) and this is my best work.
Anyway, I use basic spray that can be found in any craft / hardware store. I start with a light coat of flat white, then if need be, a second. Once that dries (always let it dry, it looks quite different from when it's wet) I take whatever color matches what I'm trying to replicate (i.e. rust, coal, oil, dirt, grime, etc.) and spray one VERY light coat. If it's too heavy, I take paper towels and wipe off the entire paint attempt (not the white, it's dried so it won't come off) and restart. If it's too light, a second will be neccesary. It's especially hard on anything smaller than HO. I have O and N, N takes more fine-tuning.
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So you're weathering with spray paints it sounds like? Can you post some pics? I'm kind of curious. It seems to me like the paint dropplets coming out of the nozzle would be too large and not look like the paint fade you seem to be trying to achieve. In my opinion if you are serious about weathering invest in the equipment . Cheap techniques most likely result in cheap results. Just my opinion, of course.
Chris
Of course! Maybe tomorrow once some new stuff dries. I'll show you the O scale N.Y.C. 40' boxcar that I overdid with brown (oops!), the O scale N.Y.C. flat car that is in the works, a couple N scale cars, and maybe a building or two. Actually, if you take your time to plan out what you want the car to look like, it's pretty darn good! Sure, maybe an airbrush would be more precise. But if you just want to be an occasional weatherer, spray paint works well. The trick is to move the can over the car very fast. Also, unscrew/snap all accesories on the car before painting. Paint each item individually. Then reassemble the car. Use masking tape to block off areas you want special color on.
Hope this helps!
~Scott
Yes, the only spraypaints I have ever used are notiorious spatters.....
Some pics would be nice.
I know that the cheapest, quickest and most effective weathering I have ever seen (considering the effort involved) was the Video of Malcolm Furlow where he had a bowl of garden dirt/sand/what have ya´, and took a box car and plowed it into the dirt, shook it around a bit, rubbed dirt to it with his fingers. Took it out, blew the worst crud off it with his mouth and sealed it with Dullcote!
It took a whole 20 seconds!! That´s cheap!
I wish I still could watch that video, but it is so bad now unfortunately, over 20 years is a bit long for a VHS to last....
Anyhow, I think a weathering should be both subtle AND distinct (tricky indeed...)
I made these a short while ago:
Mostly Airbrush and brushwork, some pastels and wash. (the propane cars are a commision)
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Looking good! I use some pricey-er spray paints, $7.00 a can. They're very fine. Anyway, I have actually tried the real dirt method, with sand instead. It worked, but wore off in about a month. The stake car is on hold. I need to get some small stickers to put over the road number while I repaint the deck (it's all green. I plan on painting it a timber color). I'm too lazy to go out tonight to buy the stickers, but tomorrow evening pictures should be up. We'll se how that goes...
Years ago there was an MR article where a teenager developed what he called the bounce method for weathering. Instead of spraying directly on the car he held a piece of cardborad against the bottom and sprayed it. Some of the paint and overspray was then directed on to the car. never tried it but the results were pretty good from the pictures.
For anyone that is new... DO NOT USE SPRAY CANS!
That is a great method to ruin your freight cars.
Get some chalks. AIM products are good. You can wash off the results, or very lightly, seal them with a matte finish. A spray can ok for this finish step only.
The paint droplets from spray are too large for scale models. That is why airbrushes look good. Even an airbrush takes practice. Double action airbrushes get the fine weathering results.
Here is a subtle weathering, chalks and sealed with matte finish.
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I have to agree that I would never use a spray can. Its well worth the money to buy an airbrush, and you will be amazed at what you can do. When I first started in this hobby I bought only cars / locos painted the schemes I wanted as I never thought I'd be able to paint one myself and be happy with it. I now find myself doing everything, locos with pinstriping and details, realistic weathering etc. You will be amazed at what an airbrush can do!!!! I highly recomend a 2 stage as you have TONS of control and can really "put ot where you want it". Okay, I'm not gonna lie, I've used cans in the past many many years ago, and what I thought was good then.....looks like garbage now! To each their own, and I'm sure yours look good, but do yourself a favor and get an airbrush...... you will wonder how you ever got along without one!!!
I want your Snowplows!!!!!
I beg to differ.
It depends on the scale you are modeling. For me, I'm in O and N. N always comes out a bit darker because the dropplets are bigger in relation to the car. O scale I have no problem using spray paints. I've even used spray paints to graffiti cars. It's great! I'll post some pics later tonight once my latest graffiti dries.
trainlover35 I beg to differ. It depends on the scale you are modeling. For me, I'm in O and N. N always comes out a bit darker because the dropplets are bigger in relation to the car. O scale I have no problem using spray paints. I've even used spray paints to graffiti cars. It's great! I'll post some pics later tonight once my latest graffiti dries. ~Scott
I like your cheap weather method Scott. I too use what I have available that is inexpensive since money is tight in my country. Some may not agree but I use crayons to weather my loco's and boxcars. Try to use only colors like browns and blacks, maybe greys to match weather color. Also make sure to use xacto knife to cut crayon end to make it more sharp to get in corners.
Others who criticize are not being nice. .
I have some pictures of before and after of my locomotive and boxcar. I am still learning so I hope you like so far.
Before
After
Remember to use xacto knife to sharpen end of crayon like these
Hector
Glad to meet another economist. Although I prefer spray paint to crayons, whatever works for you is great! Kudos for thinking outside the box.
I still have a little touch up work to do, so pictures will be up tomorrow.
I dont think anyone was critisizing..... I think we were just trying to convey that an airbrush will do amazing things with great detail that you will love and should try,....it wasnt that he needed to stop using a spray can. The title of his post is opinionated ("the best") as was my reply. Thats all.
If thats what you like than thats great. People can paint their cars with a 12 inch roller for all I care, I'm the last one to tell anyone how to do something. I was just stating what I have learned from experiance.
I will however ensure my daughter never gets near my cars with her crayons!!!
Why dont you try this. I use a cheap bottle of IPA and some india Ink. You can pick up the alcohol at your corner drugstore or Box store for under a $1.00. The India Ink will be maybe $2.00 dollars if that. I then add the about 20 drops of India ink to the bottle of Alcohol and shake it. Take a Fresh paint brush off of your bench and start weathering. I have done this for 20 some years and it works fine for me. Heck I would spray the car with your rattle can, then Starting on the roof of your subject applying the wash lletting it run over the side of the car. It should enhance the effect of it! Kevin
Ps lets see some pics!!!!!!!
If we are just talking dirt cheap.
Find a smoker, get that stinky ashtray, leave the ashes in there, add water, brush it on your boxcar.
Voila'.... Now that's cheeeeeeeeeep.
Am I the only person to finely powder real rust and brush it onto a model?
"We do not quit playing because we grow old; we grow old because we quit playing." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
wounder how good that would work , anyone ever try it ?
I'm a smoker, just may have to try it.
Ron
PlowGuy Its well worth the money to buy an airbrush, and you will be amazed at what you can do.
Yep, I was amazed at how many different places I could get paint to come out of an airbrush just by reading the destructions. I had more paint ON ME than I had coming out of the end of the nozzle, let alone on the model. No, the air wasn't set too high, and it was a previously unused airbrush, so there wasn't dried paint in it. No thank you, I'll stick to my cans and stripe decals, thank you very much. Wonder how I got along without it? Easy, I didn't need anti-depressents in the garage. :P
I WILL admit though, that I don't find rattlecansto be a good weatherer. I tried it for oil streaks, and those shells are now getting replaced and stripped down into new paint schemes. The results weren't all horrible, but the best was a C+ and the worst managed to remove the factory lettering as it dired... When rattlecanning, I find the easiest way to work them is to do a basecoat in an enamel (the most common kind) and then to get some acrylic paints (god luck with that, but they do make them) for the second an third colors.
That way, if you fudge up a color band, you can use the ISopropyl Alcohol to take up that color, but leave the basecolor and not require you to redo the ENTIRE car.
-Morgan
The OP was indicating spray cans are the best and cheapest method for weatherig cars. I wouldn't mind seeing his results and withold my judgement until then. I think rattle cans are perfectly acceptable for a base coat. Weathering? Probably not, but we shall see if he posts pics.
My method, HO scale: cheap children's water colors (the ones that come in a pallett, used for painting by number) it is best to use a little soapy water with this method in order to keep the paint from beading on the surface. I use this for the base weathering, using a color that comes close to the color of the car. Then rust colors using red, brown and some yellow combined can be used. If the rust needs to be more severe, acrylic washes can be used. Two nice things about using these inexpensive water colors: 1. You can use them full strength without overdoing it and, 2. if you don't like the effect you can take a damp cloth and wipe it clean, then start over.
Hoomi Am I the only person to finely powder real rust and brush it onto a model?
I have done that in the past with model cars (like the Revell cars you can get at Michaels arts and crafts stores) but I've never tried it with any of my trains. It sounds liek it would be good if you can keep the rust contained, but I've heard that it could cause problems if you let it get on the track or in the electric motor of a locomotive. I could be wrong, though.
What a coincidence. This month's MRR magazine has an article on weathering.
Springfield PA
the North East Rail Modeler Hoomi: Am I the only person to finely powder real rust and brush it onto a model? I have done that in the past with model cars (like the Revell cars you can get at Michaels arts and crafts stores) but I've never tried it with any of my trains. It sounds liek it would be good if you can keep the rust contained, but I've heard that it could cause problems if you let it get on the track or in the electric motor of a locomotive. I could be wrong, though.
Hoomi: Am I the only person to finely powder real rust and brush it onto a model?
Like chalks or watercolors, the rust gets applied to the surface of the car, and when the desired effect is achieved, it's sealed in place with a clearcoat.
At the time, I had this "duh" moment thought of, "I want something that looks like rust. Wait - what looks more like rust than RUST?" Since I noticed how easily it ends up rubbing off onto my hands, I figured a very fine powder of rust was easy to make and apply to a piece of rolling stock. I need to go dig up my old cars, and see if it still looks okay after all these years.
Sooooooooooo......... Any pics of these spray painted cars yet????
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
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When I get around to weathering, I think I will try this:
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/185641.aspx
sfb
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Give him a break! He's sharpening his crayons.
Joe
Although I have a spray gun and compressor, I'm happy with my acrylic paint washes and dry-brushing for weathering freight cars.
Jon
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Jon, those are great! Looks like they were 1:1 and shrunk down.
I use chalks and some come out better then others. The good ones get a a dull coat and the others can be washed off to be tried on again.
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hectorgonzales trainlover35: I beg to differ. It depends on the scale you are modeling. For me, I'm in O and N. N always comes out a bit darker because the dropplets are bigger in relation to the car. O scale I have no problem using spray paints. I've even used spray paints to graffiti cars. It's great! I'll post some pics later tonight once my latest graffiti dries. ~Scott I like your cheap weather method Scott. I too use what I have available that is inexpensive since money is tight in my country. Some may not agree but I use crayons to weather my loco's and boxcars. Try to use only colors like browns and blacks, maybe greys to match weather color. Also make sure to use xacto knife to cut crayon end to make it more sharp to get in corners. Others who criticize are not being nice. . I have some pictures of before and after of my locomotive and boxcar. I am still learning so I hope you like so far. Before After Before After Remember to use xacto knife to sharpen end of crayon like these Hector
trainlover35: I beg to differ. It depends on the scale you are modeling. For me, I'm in O and N. N always comes out a bit darker because the dropplets are bigger in relation to the car. O scale I have no problem using spray paints. I've even used spray paints to graffiti cars. It's great! I'll post some pics later tonight once my latest graffiti dries. ~Scott
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