First weathering attempt..

Also - just wanted to add - Yes, I know I fogged the windows - that was planned.  Since there is no visual blocker to hide the motors, I decided to go the foggy route.  Doesn't bother me, looks better even..

Unfortunately, no - Just an idea of what I want it to look like.  The only BL-2 pics I can find are either black and white and hard to see any weathering, or the loco's are relatively clean.  I did find one pic of a very weathered BL2 model... but its not what I was looking for...

Looks nice. No right or wrong when weathering, sometimes just getting rid of the gloss makes it much better.

Keep us posted on others you do, Rolling stock, engines etc...

Looks good to me.   I like it!

Chief Bob (Retired)

The grimey haze is great, and I know it looks best in person*. I am going to rip you up like you should "know better" and I'm something special  

Even drier dry brushing. Stay stroke oriented with the wind, one direction, bushy brush, "skipping" over railings, handles, etc. so the rear side of a protrusion  stays weak/cleaner.

Less is more. Slow down and seriously, take a picture. *Cameras are cruel, but a great tool to see better too.  Adding tommorow is way easier than removal tommorow and starting over

The roof and long nose; pretty solid color there. Could be softer, even some gloss worked in if that is oily black here and there, dry other spots, maybe light grey mineral rain-stain if dry here or there etc..

I like cheap Apple Barrel craft acrylic washes a lot (Wally world). Just dump and fan brush some dirty brush water over the top, let dry, do it again another day.  Blackish one time, brown another, grey today maybe? 

I think you might like powders too. The ulitimate dry brush technique .

Airbrush is king. Especially is you alternate misting in micro-mist layers of many colors too.

Black dirt isn't just black. It is bits of every color, just more black pigment.

Did you ask the older boy in your avatar photo? If you had explained to him, and perhaps showed him pictures of what you had in mind as your goal, I'll bet he has an opinion worth hearing.

Kids know stuff.

Very respectfully, FrankM

Ohh he does!

It goes like this “papa - can we just run the trains now??” Lol!

I recently sold some items from another hobby to fund buying a couple more Diesels...  and he chose the Erie F3 - he got the tie breaker as I was on the fence wanting the Norfolk Southern... but after much research and discussion, he made a wise choice: “Papa - the Norfolk only carries passengers, the Erie does Freight too - we should get the Erie.”

What a cool kid! You obviously have a treasure in him. So ask him if he likes the weathering so far and if there is something he thinks should be eliminated or furthered?

FrankM

Adriatic posted:

The grimey haze is great, and I know it looks best in person*. I am going to rip you up like you should "know better" and I'm something special  

Even drier dry brushing. Stay stroke oriented with the wind, one direction, bushy brush, "skipping" over railings, handles, etc. so the rear side of a protrusion  stays weak/cleaner.

Less is more. Slow down and seriously, take a picture. *Cameras are cruel, but a great tool to see better too.  Adding tommorow is way easier than removal tommorow and starting over

The roof and long nose; pretty solid color there. Could be softer, even some gloss worked in if that is oily black here and there, dry other spots, maybe light grey mineral rain-stain if dry here or there etc..

I like cheap Apple Barrel craft acrylic washes a lot (Wally world). Just dump and fan brush some dirty brush water over the top, let dry, do it again another day.  Blackish one time, brown another, grey today maybe? 

I think you might like powders too. The ulitimate dry brush technique .

Airbrush is king. Especially is you alternate misting in micro-mist layers of many colors too.

Black dirt isn't just black. It is bits of every color, just more black pigment.

Thank you for this - this is the kind of thing I need to hear.  Slowing down is the key I think... I'm impatient by nature - and after watching several videos - I got it in my head that this should only take a couple of hours..  Problem is - all those guys have a tried and true process and know exactly what they are doing. 

I also like the comment about "stroke direction" and "thinking about the wind"... I was at times considering those points, but again - frustration sets in and I go into "git R Done" mode - and its all out the window.

I think the other big one for me is to develop my base "wash" method.  I think I have an idea as to how I want to do it... just need to refine it some more.  I like a heavier "grime" layer -  especially  in the seams, etc..  So I will practice some more with my "cover it all with thinned acrylic" method - mainly the wipe-off as thats where I got in trouble.  I would miss spots around handrails and such - and then try and go back in with a q-tip, which would take too much off in a certain place... and the cycle would start.

I also really want to look into powders.  I tried some chalk - no effect.  I may try some charcoal (I have activated charcoal capsules, and the dust inside is SUPER fine - so it will likely work well).

 Powders and chaulks are easier to be speedy with imo... or at least "busy". There is great therepy in busy work; No deadlines except for train eh?  

I find them messy overall though. I liked oil crayons/pastel, inks & paints in general for other art.

  This is model railroading:   The sooner you finish, the sooner you are ready to start over. Perfected or not has little to do with anything. Artists often hate their present work eventually too,  You'll see.🤣  When you find an aspect you enjoy, ride the wave. That's where it's at.

Try letting the acrylic dry a bit and working it off slow with a med-stiff damp brush.

  I have about 20 decent brushes. Natural and synthetics, stiff/flexi, fans, bobs, flats, tapers, 3 under 1/16" dia or long, and a big can of throw away cheapo kids water color brushes(work fast as solvent paints melt these suckers and the glue that holds bristles in and ferule on too. Heck hot water can loosen the glue after an hour or so of soaking/pulling hard while cleaning (lightly only anyhow)/etc.  I'll dress them in folded paper till dry and treat natural bushes with mineral spirits or even clean mineral oil, hair conditioners then spirits until flushed. It keeps them soft and prevents split ends ) Drag a stainless hobby wire brush thru them rather than jab to clean.

Recall working your dimestore watercolor paints as a kid? Dampen, work with brush a little, maybe pat with strong tissue/sponge to grab some excess water & loose pigment, get off it for a while, let it set again.

You can use some pretty dark washes. I keep two dishes of brush water. The pre-clean water gets saved in an emtpy paint bottle unti it gets muddy dark. The final cleaning dish is dumped in the sink often. Right down the center of the drain tube so micro- scratches etc. cant grab pigment. (long term itv&'ll pay off plus save some soft scrub )

Alcohol will clump certain acrylics. It also made it cure different too. I only tried it once or twice, I only use room temp. water now.

No wind weathering, I did that as a kid along with mud spatters on model cars.  Just Rouge style acid rain and rust for the trains. 😂

I just shower/pour it on, shake/work a bit off maybe, and walk away. Heavy rust in seams & corners was painted on then worked off with a brush during a few grime washes. I never put a final flat wash on the stacks; they are a bit more subdued to the eye than on camera though 

Grime, dry, then drips on just the caps until it ran, dry, grime, drip, dry, drip dry, grime dry, drip, etc. bands painted then rivets worked clean with a wet toothpick (silver is an oil based aluminum) The toxic tank is a 60s-70s hard plastic Barbie(?) suitcase. 

You can tell from my eXxcellent electrical tape grapics, I'm very fussy 'bout my styling 😲 😎

See, nothing great, but ok & lots of fun