I'm with Ed and Kevin, TF, as I mentioned in an earlier post, dry transfers are the way to go for your "old" wood structure.
Anything painted on that building, back in the day, would now be as faded as the buildings is.
If you Google it, there are plenty of videos.
Mike.
My You Tube
This is one of those models where Woodland Scenics dry transfer, like Ed suggested, might be the best option.
Getting decals to look right on a wooden building is not easy.
You can print your own signs on a copier, sand them thin, and apply them with matte medium. That usually looks pretty good.
There was an article in Model Railroader a few years ago about a different technique for lettering buildings that looked great. I cut it out, but it is packed away now.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Oshawa is a few (30) miles east of Toronto, so we are across Lake Ontario from New York State. Oh, and further south than Minnesota.
And thank you David Murray.
Anyone who lives in Ontario Canada on top of Minnesota is a Friend of Mine!
TF
Thanks Ed. I really want to get some decals on this model.
I'll be checking that out
Thanks
Woodland Scenics:
https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/DT559
Dry transfers. These will work better than decals on a flat-finished structure. Especially with that wood-grain.
https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/SignsAndPosters
You should practice on less critical structures until you get the hang of dry transfers.
Regards, Ed
Thank you Henry!
Finally I'll check that out
Track fiddlerI'm still waiting for someone to tell me where you get custom-made decals.
It's only money. Circus City, Highball Graphics, even Microscale will do custom.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Track Fiddler: Lots of people make their own. (I don't) perhaps advice to do that is availible.
The model still sits with no custom decals for signage.
I'm still waiting for someone to tell me where you get custom-made decals.
?
Doughless Track fiddler Doughless Well, I'm going to be the contrarian of the bunch. I think the colors are still too vibrant. I would wash the entire structure (sans roofs) with thinned light gray paint. Maybe even with a hint of the base color mixed in. IMO, when you mix a little bit of the base color into your weathering color, it helps it to look more like a blend of dirt and faded paint rather than a separate gray wash applied over the top. Unlike styrene, I think the wash has the chance to soak into the wood, making weathering look that much more realistic. I heard the same from my mentor of my Railroad Club that showed me this. A lighter color turns out way better in this paint technique. I'm a big fan of forest green and olive green. Could be the Irish in me, it's definitely not the Scottish As in anything I do, I am not completely satisfied with the first one. I'm either going to move on to my lumber mill or my roundhouse next and I do believe I will have better results. It does get better and better as you learn I think. TF Douglas My mind is always open. I will try your suggested technique on my sample pieces that I made before I painted my structure. I will let you know how your suggested technique turned out. Thank you for your suggestion, I will check it out. Thank you for not being defensive, after all, my observations could be way off. Specifically the point is that I think the transistions from the dark color to the light color are too abrupt, making the structure look a bit like being painted in camouflage garb, so to speak. I think if there was a gentler fading between ldark and light, it would look more natural. That's whay my suggestions of first sanding the structure in my previous post and then washing it in gray paint are comments both trying to fade out the vibrancy of the dark color and helping to more gently fade it into the light colors. But it certainly looks fine as it is, really. I'm just making suggestions to take it to that next level, IMO.
Track fiddler Doughless Well, I'm going to be the contrarian of the bunch. I think the colors are still too vibrant. I would wash the entire structure (sans roofs) with thinned light gray paint. Maybe even with a hint of the base color mixed in. IMO, when you mix a little bit of the base color into your weathering color, it helps it to look more like a blend of dirt and faded paint rather than a separate gray wash applied over the top. Unlike styrene, I think the wash has the chance to soak into the wood, making weathering look that much more realistic. I heard the same from my mentor of my Railroad Club that showed me this. A lighter color turns out way better in this paint technique. I'm a big fan of forest green and olive green. Could be the Irish in me, it's definitely not the Scottish As in anything I do, I am not completely satisfied with the first one. I'm either going to move on to my lumber mill or my roundhouse next and I do believe I will have better results. It does get better and better as you learn I think. TF Douglas My mind is always open. I will try your suggested technique on my sample pieces that I made before I painted my structure. I will let you know how your suggested technique turned out. Thank you for your suggestion, I will check it out.
Doughless Well, I'm going to be the contrarian of the bunch. I think the colors are still too vibrant. I would wash the entire structure (sans roofs) with thinned light gray paint. Maybe even with a hint of the base color mixed in. IMO, when you mix a little bit of the base color into your weathering color, it helps it to look more like a blend of dirt and faded paint rather than a separate gray wash applied over the top. Unlike styrene, I think the wash has the chance to soak into the wood, making weathering look that much more realistic.
Well, I'm going to be the contrarian of the bunch. I think the colors are still too vibrant.
I would wash the entire structure (sans roofs) with thinned light gray paint. Maybe even with a hint of the base color mixed in. IMO, when you mix a little bit of the base color into your weathering color, it helps it to look more like a blend of dirt and faded paint rather than a separate gray wash applied over the top.
Unlike styrene, I think the wash has the chance to soak into the wood, making weathering look that much more realistic.
I heard the same from my mentor of my Railroad Club that showed me this. A lighter color turns out way better in this paint technique.
I'm a big fan of forest green and olive green. Could be the Irish in me, it's definitely not the Scottish
As in anything I do, I am not completely satisfied with the first one. I'm either going to move on to my lumber mill or my roundhouse next and I do believe I will have better results. It does get better and better as you learn I think.
Douglas My mind is always open. I will try your suggested technique on my sample pieces that I made before I painted my structure. I will let you know how your suggested technique turned out. Thank you for your suggestion, I will check it out.
Thank you for not being defensive, after all, my observations could be way off.
Specifically the point is that I think the transistions from the dark color to the light color are too abrupt, making the structure look a bit like being painted in camouflage garb, so to speak. I think if there was a gentler fading between ldark and light, it would look more natural. That's whay my suggestions of first sanding the structure in my previous post and then washing it in gray paint are comments both trying to fade out the vibrancy of the dark color and helping to more gently fade it into the light colors.
But it certainly looks fine as it is, really. I'm just making suggestions to take it to that next level, IMO.
I got to say it worked like a champ Douglas. I was really nervous about it. I did sample washes to my sample pieces until I was happy with what I had. I was even watching paint dry while I was checking it out
I used thunder gray diluted with water and just a splash of the base coat of the custom green as you suggested. What I really wanted to achieve was to get my forest green model looking more like an olive green model.
Your gray wash suggestion did the trick. I'm quite pleased with the results.
Before
After
I can see the difference with the result. Softened things up between the vibrancy of colors. Took away vibrancy all together actually. Flat and drab are always better in the color of a model.
I may wait 24 hours and give it another gray wash.
Thanks Doug
The second picture isn't even dry yet. I noticed it takes about 4 to 5 hours before it completely lightens up, experimenting on the samples.
I really like the idea of this dry transfer method. I wonder about custom made availability.
Woodland Scenics has a line of dry transfers:
There used to be Clover House, too. Not sure if they are still around?
PRACTICE on a few smaller structures or other layout signs before tackling your "pride & joy".
I really like dry transfers and wish more manufacturers offered them.
- Douglas
kasskabooseAm I the only one who can't see the pictures?
You can't see any of the pictures of his grain mill project?
Am I the only one who can't see the pictures?
Yet I wonder if an image could be made and a company exists that could replicate one of these burnishing decals that Mike suggested.
I appreciate you pointing this out Mike. I vaguely remember something like this. I'm dusting the cobwebs out of my head trying to remember.
My brother and I modeled everything when we were young. I remember him showing me something like you just mentioned. I remember watching him do it.
I am very sure what you presented is available. The thing is, I want a custom name on my grain elevator as I am choosing names of people I grew up with through life that have meaning to me. I am going to put these names on my models.
I'm going to have to figure out the distressed tissue decal thing.
Thanks though. A very good point that normally could be used.
Nice job on the elevator, TF. It turned out GREAT!
Some faded signs and lettering would set it off just perfect.
I've never tried it, but some use the transfer type decals, dry transfer I think it's called. Instead of an applied decal, you hold the image against the building, and rub it with a burnishing stick.
From some examples I've seen, you can make the lettering look old and faded.
Yes. Glad you asked Ed. My good friend Gary from the Club has a great part-time business making plaques and awards.
He has some really sophisticated equipment. He will be making my decals on tissue of any design I choose. I asked if he would give me a crash course on how to apply them. I gathered they are a little tricky.
I am also very curious on how he will show me to distress the tissue, to make them blend in with the distressed paint job on the structure. Brand new fresh painted signage on an old building will not fly.
Very Nice, TF Just the right amount of weathering.
Any plans for signage or stenciling on the outside?
Thanks for sharing the progress photos, Ed
Good job TF.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Good evening.
Hope everyone's having a good day. The grain elevator project was on the back burner for a couple weeks. Decided to finish it today. The floor grate and the interior door were tough to fit into the little one inch opening.
Thought of taking the bottom base off the model and recessing the grate but you can only see it protruding up from a camera zooming in but not from the naked eye. The interior door is closed, a quick easy fix. The guy in there has the air conditioning on, waiting for a truck to pull up.
The windows had to go. I replaced them for $3.
The grain spicket and hose.
Well it's done. Thanks for looking.
Size reference.
Good morning.
Some continued progress from last time.
Here are the colors used for the cement.
The mixture was approximately 5 parts Thunder Gray, 1 part Ash and just a dab of crocodile. Just a bit of green for the limestone.
After it was painted and dried for about an hour the control joints were cut with a number 11 exacto blade. The ramp weathered with a diluted mix of alcohol and India ink. After that dried, lightly treated with a raw umber toned chalk.
Then on to the doors. The type of doors that look like they Kaleidoscope when you shut them. Sand the far side of the door at a 60 degree angle so it will look like it is protruding out from the building one door thickness when installed. The opening side you need to put a rabbit notch in the wood so you can add a piece of Basswood to look like the door behind.
The straps on the doors will be steel bands. They are left long so they are easier to handle and you can get a better feel for squareness.
Then it's on to attaching the simulated back door to the main front door. The straps.just installed also leave a space between the doors like they would be.
Time to put the straps on the front doors.
The illusion of two doors.
Time to build the door hangers. Loop some tape and stick the styrene down to the modeling board. Five pieces are put across at a 90 degree angle.
Cut the door hangers to size.
Paint the door hangers sky grey, mount the doors and hangers to the structure. Then rust weather all the metal.
For building the railing you drill three holes all the way through the ramp. Feed the glue through the back of the holes. Insert .03 x .03 styrene into the holes and leave them long. Then cut them on the edge of the glass table. The styrene was pre-painted sky gray and rust weathered afterwards.
Track Fiddler
Good morning
Not enough modeling progress to post any pictures here. Yesterday morning was Railroad Club and then this old Scotsman strolled down to St Paul around noon to see the bagpipers, busy day.
Bear.... thanks for stopping by with the humor and the complement. Always my kind of humor. Is that a Sopwith Camel you landed in the tree while peeping through my grain elevator windows? I always wondered about those crazy Brits putting Targets on their wings???
FYI, I was told at my Railroad Club my paint job looked good but a lighter color for this paint technique yields better results. Apparently Earth Tone colors can be among the best choice is what I was told, a week late and a dollar short.
Brent.... nice-looking grain elevator. It appears the buck is turning a little Amber from eating too much grain
You are exactly right, I forgot my floor grate before I put the base on the structure I like your paper print idea. I can definitely slip that in there but what about the access door I forgot to put in the shed. How am I going to do that? My poor little miniature grain elevator employees will come to work at 6 in the morning and will not be able to get into the building I'm considering taking my carpet knife with a brand-new brand new blade and pop the base off
Great job TF. I wouldn't worry too much about the windows unless you need a little project one day. The only thing I noticed is no grate in the floor for the trucks to dump the grain in.
Here's mine, I just found a Google photo of a grate, sized it and printed it off and glued it down. Off course in real life that Buck would never stand on a grate. But grain elevator spillage is tasty desert for a guy like him.
Great job!
Track fiddler I may replace the pet screen windows with some store-bought ones from the hobby store. Maybe not though, they only look goofy when you zoom in on them.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."