Weathering w/o an airbrush.....

I own an airbrush, but I've never used it for weathering yet.  I feel like I have more control with acrylics and powders (I use craft store pastel chalks that I scrape into a powder with an Xacto).  It definitely something that takes practice (I weathered a ton of cheap eBay cars before I started on my "good stuff.")

I've gotten good results by just using children's water paints. 

And if you don't like it, you can just wash it off. 

I think both those examples look great - very realistic!

Dave, nice job...I swear I have seen railcars that look just like that.

 

Wowak,  wow..that looks great...the rust is very realistic.

Both of you are very talented in your customs.

Two D & M Covered Hoppers, One weathered & the other not weathered.

Hello fellow O Gauge Railroaders

 

The photo below will show two Detroit & Mackinac covered hoppers. The car on the left is a Williams Car & the one on the right is a Lionel Car.

 

The weathered car is done with a india ink & black chalk wash. The next time I have out the chalks, I am going to add by hand Red Oxide to the steel ribs on the side of the car and to the trucks.

 

The other car is from Lionel, and not weathered.

 

Some Model Railroaders feel that weathering a car or engine drops the resale value. I enjoy doing it just to try things that on see on YT or in RR Magazines

 

Click photo to enlarge.

 LIGHT WEATHERING WITH PASTEL CHALKS COMPLIMENTED WITH BASSWOOD SIDE POSTS AND LOADS FROM CHOOCH ENTERPRISE

 

 

When I weather cars I use a Air brush just to fade the car.  Very water downed white acrylic , spray a light coat on, use a blow dryer to dry the car and repeat, Like a dozen times for more faded cars.  After that I use water based oils for rust and streaks and powders to finish it up.  This usually makes a neat rustbucket, not a normal new looking car.  I am still learning and practicing.  For some good tips check out tws-rustbucket.com  Here are a few examples,  

When I tried to weather with an air brush, this is what I used.

 

BINKS • Wren Air Brush 59-10006

Set #2, Type B

 

My compressor is out in the garage and it has a water trap. This gives me about six months of good weather for air brushing in the garage.

 

I have done weathering by hand and with this air brush. I found doing it by hand with Testors in a can spray Dullcote. Along with india ink & Chalks worked out better for my objectives.

 

I also found myself having better results, doing structures over rolling stock.

 

See photo below, & click to enlarge

Guys, I love what you've done with them!

 

I'm still perfecting my technique, like Wowak had mentioned, on "cheap" (read O27) cars, but did do some scale stuff...

 

 

 

No airbrush here!

 

Thanks,

- Mario

Centralfan,  Nice work, I like the NYC 0-8-0 looks sharp.  Nick

Thanks, Nick!

50 hours to weather one car?  No way I would invest that much time.  I don't use an airbrush.  Washes and powders mostly, a little dab of rust here that there with the brush.

All done with paint brushes and rattle cans:

 

Central fan, I love the 0-8-0!

I'm a fan of airbrushing. It's fast and I'm not a rivet counter. I just want to give an over all impression of a weathered look. Here is one I just did for my friend Bob.

 

 

Small correction:  The weathered hopper on the left is Lionel and the non-weathered one on the right is Williams. 

 

You can tell because the left one has Lionel MPC/early LTI era Symington-Wayne trucks and you can see "Lionel" near the bottom right of the side of the car, and the car on the right sits higher on the trucks (as all Williams quad hoppers do) and it says Williams at the bottom left of the side of the car.

 

AMCDave, Wowak, SIRT, TrainRoomGary, t8afao, Corsair29, et al...

 

I'm planning on doing a step-by-step photo diagram on the techniques that I use... and actually have a car that I washed this morning drying under the fan.

 

Please, Please! I'm encouraging you to do the same thing, as I believe all of our work is not only different, but all of us are realistic and use completely different techniques!

 

If we all do a tutorial, then maybe a Weathering Forum will popup!  Hint, hint!

 

Thanks,

- Mario

Here is a very good method of weathering if you don't want to use an airbrush.

 

http://www.nscale.net/forums/s...eathering-Brush-Fade

No airbrush was used on either of the two cars pictured below.  The boxcar is lightly weathered, while the caboose is more heavily done...by my definitions of weathering, of course.  I'm still very new at this, and probably spent about 3 hours or so on each car.  I'm hoping to become a bit quicker than that with more practice and experience!

 

 

AB-FAB!

 

Great job!  Looks totally real!

 

I have not used an airbrush in years, if I can even find it.  I found I spent more time

cleaning it and its containers, and getting it to work,  mixing colors, etc., than doing the job.  Way too slow for me, but if it works for you, have at it!

Here's some pictures of some buildings that I recently painted and weathered...

 

 

 

The weathered car would get my vote every time.  But as has been pointed out here before, once you start it's hard to stop.  The one on the left looks very realistic and the one on the right like a toy train.  There is nothing wrong with either, but it is quite a contrast.

 

Art

CentralFan - Very nice job. looks great.

 

Art

Joey - Love the two cars especially the box car.  Very nice!

 

Art

Thanks.  I'm working on my technique.

 

thanks,

Mario

Art, thanks for your kind words.  Like Mario, I'm still very new at this and trying all types of techniques.

Mario, excellent job on the structures!

Very nice work!

 

Bob

 

Still no airbrush!

 

 

 

Great photos.

Thanks, Spence... Means a lot.

 

Nice N' Dirty!