It was so refreshing watching someone weathering with brushes and paint. I'm trying to learn the art and every video I've came across uses air brushing and chalks.
Excellent! This is what a tutorial should be like. Thank you so much for sharing this, it will help tremendously the next time I try my hand at weathering rolling stock.
man that's so awesome, when you say: "here's a picture of the model..." I thought it was a editing mistake in the beginning, excellent work on that car!! :D
I didn't think it was an editing mistake. I was expecting him to say, "Just kidding. _Here's_ the model." Very well-taken photograph of a really impressive model.
This is a GREAT tutorial. No airbrush needed! Can't wait to do this to a couple CMO hoppers converting them to MWCX quicklime cars. The dust effect will come in handy!
Thanks! I'm a huge fan of simplifying, and cutting out the airbrush as much as possible. I do most of my work indoors, and my airbrush is out in the garage. Setting it up and cleaning it afterwards just takes too much time. I've figured out different ways to get the effects I want using just brushes, water, and acrylics. I will use oils for certain effects, but 90% of what I do is straight up craft acrylics.
LOL....you are good.! I am an artist, and I can tell you that you have a great eye and you are an artist as well.... I agree, they are so close I couldn't tell which one was the proto and which was the model!!! That's why I love this hobby! Fantastic job brother!!!
Blown Away!!!! I learned quite a bit, and I've been at this for quite a while! 😵 The dabbing on the underside while wet makes a terrific effect. I really like how seamless your washes are.... And the streaks!!! Also, this should be a model for *how to make how-to videos!!* Often, time lapse video drives me nutz! You only did it to speed up some more tedious portions - the ONLY time it should be done. You were very calm and concise in describing what you were doing. This is really something I would like to strive for in my videos! As soon as I can get started... Awesome! Carmine 🚂
Best i've seen. Pretty sure you could market your skills for a hefty profit. I for one, ever get the time to break out my collection and build a new layout would pay top dollar for my brass and fav rolling stock to get super detailed as realistic as this. !!!! Good job sir.
+kro0014 I could, but I find that weathering for someone else takes the fun out of it. Plus it makes it feel like a job, and I'm more interested in using my hobby as a relaxing time. I have a list of projects that I want to do and it increases all the time, so that leaves little time for working on other people's things.
Awesome work, would like to see how you do a few different cars, like white reefers etc Or even a locomotive. This is one of the best weathering videos I have seen!
Tutorial was great except the part where I couldn't tell what was the photo reference and what was the final. Can't tell 'em apart, dude. You pulled some magic there.
That’s a good video my friend. You can extend your working time of acrylics by using a wet palette to keep the paint workable for longer times. D - AKA Railbuilderdhd
Travis Handschug I have some video of the graffiti that I will try and edit and upload. I didn't have space in this video to include it. I haven't watched that footage yet so I'm not even sure if it is useful at all. If it is worthwhile, then I will post it.
Hello, first off GREAT JOB, GREAT Video!!!! Question is, How do you decide which colors you want to use to fade different type railcars, Do you have a set routine or set of colors that you for Greens, Reds, Blues, Yellow, White cars etc?
Yeah, it can really be hard to show things on video. Narration helps some, but it's hard to truly convey what I'm doing without watching it in real time. Unfortunately I had to speed things up to keep the video to a normal amount of time. Hopefully it was still at least a bit helfpul.
How do you go about diluting you paint? Also the paints you are using or the ones from the craft store would the work well undiluted for simulation of deep for the grills on engines? I have a conrail switcher I'm gonna work on with a lot of grill work that needs to be done Any idea idea also how to fad the conrail blue to a shad lighter? Would white diluted work?
I have not done one for the coal hoppers. I don't think I have any coal gons left to weather, otherwise I wouldn't have a problem doing it. If I do need another then I will be sure to record.
I Dullcote my models two times: first before I begin any weathering, and second after I'm completely done with weathering. Everything in between does not require Dullcote between layers. It does require you to be aware of what works and what doesn't. For example, you can't put chalks or powders down and expect to be able to do a wash over it. Planning out the weathering beforehand makes everything easier. First change the color of the base paint. Second clean off the data and heralds. Third do the major weathering (different colored panels, rust spots, chipping paint, etc). Fourth add any rust streaking. Fifth do the graffiti. Sixth, filter the entire car to tie it all together. Seventh, add any powders (lightly!!). Lastly dullcote.
thanks for the tips... been looking for someone who weathers good without an airbrush... used one in the past long time ago, but now just want to get a relatively quick simple weathering technique with a brush only... just enough to knock off the obvious plastic shine and add some decent grime/fade detail
Awesome video. Did you clear coat in between layers? Also how did you prep your model for decals and then how did you seal it? I dont see any film lines.
Great questions. No, I didn't do any clear coat between layers at all. I used to Dullcote between every layer of weathering (when I switched to a different medium), but now I don't. I Dullcote before I start, and I Dullcote after everything is done to seal it. That's it. On this model I brushed on a thin layer of Future floor finish (now called something else) right where the decals would go. I then placed the decal, used setting solution (Solvaset works well), and overcoated it with another thin layer of Future. I then went right back to weathering. I've found that the cheap acrylics will hold up rather well to successive layers of weathering if you allow them to dry before putting something else over the top of them. That's why I use the hairdryer in the video. I also don't use oils very often because they don't dry nearly as quickly (unless I'm using washes of water-based oils like I did in the video....those dry the same as acrylics).
Thanks for the response. I take it the decals have no problem adhering to the surface? Do you use Microset and Microscale and if so, do these eat at the paint at all?
I stopped using MicroSet/Sol because it never worked for me. It could be that the bottles I had were too old or perhaps something else, but I had nothing but problems. I switched to Solvaset and never had any issues again. No problems with the decals adhering with Solavset.
I found a paint you can use in future weathering. It is a paint from Citadel called Agrellan Earth which forms a dried cracked mud effect when dry. More or less, it would be more practical for landscaping but it is possible to apply as wheel splatter to rolling stock and locomotives. www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Citadel-Technical
Roller Coaster Dreams 1 Thanks for the tip! I 'll have to check it out and see how it reacts. If it has a small amount of bulk to it then it would be very handy to use for mud splatter.
+Roller Coaster Dreams 1 I tried your technique on a Walthers Greenville Woodchip Hopper with Georgia Pacific Reporting Marks and it turned out very well for my first time. It was sort of trial and error but I just built up layers until I got the effect I wanted. PS: Typhus Corrosion would work better for dirt and grime than Agrellan Earth would. Also instead of using tooth picks you could use micro brushes that you get in packs of 5 that you can get from Hobby Lobby or elsewhere. I also found out that TCS has a 21 pin to 9 pin dcc adapter that most likely will work for Railpro for Bowser Locomotives and other manufactures that use a 21 pin dcc plug: www.modeltrainstuff.com/TCS-Harness-p/tcs-1352.htm
+Fia Vautrain Yes, the model always needs to have a base coat before weathering, otherwise you will get beading like you say. I will usually gently wash the car with soap and water to remove any fingerprints (Q-tips mostly to do this), then I coat the car with Dullcote. I typically will do it through an airbrush, as I feel I get a more even coat without the "orange-peel" effect that a rattle-can has. I didn't make any video of it because it is very straightforward: Dullcote + lacquer thinner + airbrush.
Thank you. I used a brand new #11 blade and carefully thinned the ladders from behind. I sliced the back of the rung at a 45 degree angle, from the top and from the bottom. It's not as thin as brass wire, but much improved over where it was. It looks closer to the rungs an older Intermountain hopper now. Alternatively you could cut off the rungs completely and replace with brass wire. I elected not to on this model to save time.
KPack another question, when you doing graffiti do you dilute the paint or do you use what comes out of the bottle. When your filling in outlines do you use diluted paint?
Good question. I dilute the paint for everything I do. Craft acrylic paint from the bottle is too thick and will leave a noticeable layer on the model. Thinning with water prevents that. It takes some practice to figure out how much to thin when painting things like graffiti. The more you thin the paint the thinner the layer is. Usually you'll need to build up the color with more than one layer....if they are thin layers they won't build up.
Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. Yes I dilute the paint quite a bit when I do graffiti. If it goes on undiluted it will be very thick and you will not be able to control the brush to do more intricate lines. I dip my brush in water, pull a bit of paint from the blob I placed on a plate, then mix/test the consistency. It's hard to describe, but I want it to be thin enough that I can easily draw the brush across a surface and leave an even, thin line. Look at my nitrile glove in the video....all those paint marks on the side are from me testing the consistency before I put the brush to the model. By the time I wrap up a project my left hand glove is covered with paint lines. It's a quick test, and it's basically muscle memory for me now.
I have some N scale Maxi-I cars from Kato that I want to weather using this method. For smooth-sided cars would you consider using a larger brush than what you used here?
Justin Tang I find an airbrush works much better for smooth sided cars. Dilute your paint really really thin and do many light coats. If you don't have an airbrush you could get away with using a medium sized brush. Good luck.
I do both. My personal collection is N scale but I do some work in HO for some friends, and ocasionaly I find something at the model train store that looks like a fun project.
+Marcus C Depends on the model I guess. If it's intense and intricate it can take me months to complete it, working a little at a time. A car like this one would take me around 20-25 hours to complete it. I'm not in any real rush, so I find it relaxing.
I want to mainly use the Chalk/Powder weathering method when I start weathering but you may have inspired me to do your techniques. Very Good Video :) PS: Create a new and improved Railpro Installation/Tutorial video using the new assistant program and how to install it into a Non-DCC ready locomotives. Also do ones that have dcc installed (Intermountain Gevo's, Broadway Limited, ETC) and/or have a 21 pin plug(Bowser SD40-2s, ETC) if able. Make it more into a multi part series to make it easier for viewers to find what they are looking for.
Roller Coaster Dreams 1 I've planned to do a new Railpro install/tutorial video but have yet to make it happen. I have looked around at different desktop recording programs (Bandicam, etc) and will have to decide on one. As far as making a video with DCC-installed locos that will have to wait until I pick up a loco that has DCC already installed. I tend to buy all mine as DCC-ready or DC only. That way I'm not paying for a DCC decoder that I will throw away anyways. I do have my eye on an Intermountain ES44 though, so maybe I can use that for the video.
***** Depends on the model and how in depth it is. This hopper took me a month or so to complete. I only work on models an hour at a time normally due to my schedule. Maybe a weeknight here or there, then a couple hours on a weekend. I don't keep track of how many hours it takes because I just work at my own pace.
I also have small time windows to work in. I'd be interested to see a video about how you organize your stuff (workspace, projects in progress, tools, materials, etc.) and how you set up/reset in so you can start and stop so easily. You've obviously mastered this so some tips on getting started would be interesting. Also, how did you start? How did it turn out? What have you changed about your process since the beginning? What mistakes should people avoid when they're just getting started. Is it better to start on a cheap or scrap car, or do you think it's better to start on a more expensive car so that the added detail helps with the overall visual effect?
Hi Mark - at the beginning of the video you get a glimpse of my workbench. What you see there is pretty much all it is....just a small table tucked into a closet. I have all my paints right in front of me, water to the left, parts to the right in a drawer system. Oils and powders are kept in drawers until I need them. When I work on a project I do what I can within about an hour, then I leave the model right there on the workbench ready for the next time. I clean my brushes and put them away. I use paper plates (the waxed ones) for my pallet, so I can just throw it away when it gets full of dried paint. When I come back to the bench to work, I reuse my glove (to prevent fingerprints), put some paint on the paper plate, pick up the model and continue right where I left off. It takes me all of one minute to get back into the project. As far as what I've changed since I started weathering...I've gone much more towards craft acrylics (as seen in the video). They are much cheaper and faster to use. I don't need need to use anything but water to thin them, which means I can use them indoors without a problem. And they are available in so many different colors which makes mixing custom colors easier. I'd start on a scrap car first. That will allow you to practice some techniques and get comfortable with them before applying them to a better model. Don't wait too long before going on to a better model though. You'll have more satisfaction and confidence when you weather a nice model and see the end result. Hope that helps!
carlos medrano I'll see what I can do. I have a few more coal cars that I need to do, so when I pull one out to weather I'll see about setting up the camera. The process is basically the same as what I did here. Mix up some acrylics, thin, and apply in multiple layers until you get what you want.
Why not? Plus this car is not "fine china" as you say. It's a cheap Athearn car that cost me $10 used, clunky details, incorrect lettering, incorrect paint color. Besides that, I enjoy the hobby in my own way. I weather every model that I purchase, whether it was cheap or not. I detail and weather brand new locomotives and brand new cars because I like to. To each their own.
