Weathering...

[JMORG]

I am currently building a Darjeeling Metal box van. I would like to know how to weather metal convincingly. I used to weather model tanks but I wasn't really happy with them...
Would anyone be kind enough to give me tips on weathering?
Cheers

[Narrow Minded]

Actually, I've found the military modelling sites better for weathering techniques than the railway ones
If I was at home I could send you some useful links, but in the meantime try Googling "weathering with salt" (basically apply your base coat, damp areas and apply salt, let the salt dry, apply top coat, then gently rub away the "salted" areas to expose the base coat)

For peeling paint, prime with an enamel paint / varnish, then once dry apply top coat in acrylic paint. "Lift" the paint with a bit of cellotape

If you think the natural rust powders are a bit too coarse, apply rust coloured paints over talc

[Spule 4]

Having done some weathering in my H0 finescale modelling days including some competition models...

First, one has to think about the aspects of weathering, and really there are four (well, maybe three if you consider paint wear/breakdown one and the same)

Dirt.

Deterioration of paint (bleaching)

Deterioration of paint (worn away)

Corrosion (rust, rot).

The first thing to think about is the order that these things occur, even the newest items get some dirt on them.  

You have dirt that comes from locos (soot from steamers, some from diesels) road/track grime (a thinned brownish-black green acrylic paint works wonders, I used to airbrush this at wheel/bogie level with a slight aim up) and some dirt on the ends kicked up (color of the ballast and some of the grime from the wheels).

You also get some washing of the dirt due to rain, some LIGHT and I mean LIGHT washes of indian ink and alcohol (depending on the paint) can be good for this.

Second, the paint bleaches and gets chalky due to rain and sun exposure.  Reds turn pink, browns lighten up, blues will get lighter as well, yellows turn almost white. Just look around in the 1:1 world and see.  Add white, but also remember this does not occur uniformly, up under an eve or door will be darker than a side panel with more exposure.

...and after a while can wear away to the primer and base material (wood/steel/etc.).  

My trick for this was a base primer coat (depending on the model) and then a THIN cover of the final color over the whole model, again, light and heavy depending on exposure and angle.

When this occurs, so does rust/rot.

Rust will also occur where dents/scratches/wear occurs.  Dents or scrapes in a metal panel, they will be rusty.  Door hardware?  Metal color with a hint of rust.  Drybrush of rust and silver colors can work wonders.

Rot...  Follow the steps above, but when the water collects on wood and the paint and primer are gone, then the wood goes silver-grey (grey the wood with india ink) then starts to rot in areas where it accumulates to overall over a longer period of time.  

Structural rust will do the same on metal items, and in both cases, depending on leaks and construction methods, can work from inside out!  There you start carving...

Now, if you are adding lettering, another tip. A LIGHT wash or LIGHT overspray of the base color (eg, oxide red car with white lettering, overwash/spray with oxide red) over the transfers/decals. It makes the lettering look like it has been there for a while. Any new chalk marks or what not should NOT be weathered this way however.

The other secret to weathering is a LITTLE goes a LONG way.  Most modellers tend to overdo it.

Note, apply this to rolling stock and diesels as well, heavy weathering steam locos is a pet peeve of mine, as there are many model steam locos that are much dirtier and scruffy than any of there 1:1 brothers were in operational condition.  

When these locos were in daily operation when new or rebuilt, they were often wiped down nightly.  Just this weekend I came across a photo of a GVT loco in a book and you could see that the shop took pride to wipe the loco down in a set pattern that really showed up in a black-and-white photograph!

A (late) friend that was a designer for a large brass loco importer in the US had a theory that many modellers took the idea of how a steam loco looked from color photos of them in their last days of service, when any maintenance was just enough to keep them running.  

A case in point for the UK are some photos I have seen of National Coal Board locos in their last days, these locos were any color one liked, as long as it was coal black!

[JMORG]

Thanks for the advice you 2!
Because it's going to be in Red Oxide, I figured that rust wouldn't stand out much...
Looking at the SAR wagons on the Welsh Highland, the underside is covered in black oil, with a hint of greenery aswell!
I was thinking of putting a coat of metallic silver under the top colour, that way I can peal some of the pain off at the end instead of drybrushing over it.

[Spule 4]

Thanks for the advice you 2!
I was thinking of putting a coat of metallic silver under the top colour, that way I can peal some of the pain off at the end instead of drybrushing over it.

Good idea, this is a good method for any galvanized metal, the paint wears off quickly and shows the base metal, common trick on weathering US metal boxcar roofs for example.

Rubber cement and petroleum jelly over the base both work, wash/peel it away when done and it served as a good mask.

[peterbunce]

Hi
If you are weathering a red oxide colour it can be dirtied up with a dark brown for a start, old rust is much darker than new rust which is an orange colour.

The roof can be coloured darker to replicate the result of soot, this darker colour will also fall down the side, with gutters some dirt could overflow them?

I use acrylics for weathering because of the quick drying, but the result can be a bit 'soft'; enamels dry to a harder finish, and can be thinned down more and could be used with a fine brush to surround rivets with a 'halo' of incipient rust.

A good dark earth colour in Artists oils is Rembrant 414 Ashphaltum -

http://www.pegasusart.co.uk/v/1065008/A ... -40ml.html

it is transaprent and thins well.

An acrylic version is Liquitex 'burnt umber' which is a yellowish colour - not like shown on the eb were it has a red cast - weblink -

http://www.artsupplies.co.uk/colours-li ... -tubes.htm

and goto burnt umber


For mixing pallettes I use the bottom of beer/soft drinks cans the central portion is a very good source of aluminium sheet 4 thou thick.

The best brush I have is an (expensive!) Rowney series 7; use carefully and keep clean (I use cellulose thinners for a deep clean) it will last ages and always has a fine point for careful, detailing. Supposedly these were designed for Queen Victoria, I think mine is size 0, but I am not sure, the size is wearing off.

If using acrylics when heavily thinned, the mixture will need a touch of windscreen washer liquid added - that destroys the surface tension, and allows the (very thin) mixture to lie down. About 10% is ample - watch the mixture when you add the (cheapest) w/washer fluid - all the colour dashes to the outside, acting very like grease with washing detergent! Don't use that - you don't want bubbles <grin>.  

When done and dry add some matt varnish for protection, well before this the weathering mixture dries much lighter then when its wet - start thin to see the result and just be aware that it finishes up lighter.

Finally please avoid black: always add some white/ cream/ stone colour,  or dark brown (burnt umber) - that stops the deadening result of jsut black - dark colours yes and don't forget that the under colour will always effect the dirt/rust etc. Very Light grey is good for sun bleaching - used sparingly. Lots of layers are needed - so it does take quite a long time.  

There is an article on weathering in the present issue of 'Model Rail' - using dyes; it may give you some ideas. I use the 'craft' acrylics - they are cheaper!

It may also be an idea to look at the AK Interactive, and MIG forums on the web; they are both in the Military Modelling area but have lots of ideas. Mig powders are good (put on with a varnish (Johnson's Klear) they will go dark but dry lighter), but the dark wash can be done yourself. Put that into 'Mr Google' for some thought on it as well.

No connections with anything mentioned above except for a customer and ideas collector!