# What do I need to start weathering ?



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Hi everyone, I've been into trains pretty much since I was born thanks to my dad lol. I have yet been able to set up a full time layout due to mostly space and not having my own place yet. I randomly just set a track up for a few weeks at at time and try an build my rosters up. So in the mean time I'd like to try my hands into weathering. I'd like to know the basics on where to start, such as paints, powders, brushes and what not. Also since I'm just learning the craft what cars would you suggest starting with? I'm sure it would be something in the low end lol

Thanks


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Go to this section of the Model Train Forum http://www.modeltrainforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=52 . There are a lot of posts about weathering, and a lot of good advice.:smilie_daumenpos:


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

There is lots of info in the other section, but the most important thing of all, and fortunately free from the Internet, is a good ohotograph.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Eraseable weathering*



Aceman21 said:


> Hi everyone, I've been into trains pretty much since I was born thanks to my dad lol. I have yet been able to set up a full time layout due to mostly space and not having my own place yet. I randomly just set a track up for a few weeks at at time and try an build my rosters up. So in the mean time I'd like to try my hands into weathering. I'd like to know the basics on where to start, such as paints, powders, brushes and what not. Also since I'm just learning the craft what cars would you suggest starting with? I'm sure it would be something in the low end lol
> 
> Thanks


Aceman21;

You are right. Start with a low cost car. I would also recommend starting with chalks, instead of paint. Weathering powders are simply finely ground chalks with a high price tag. I prefer a low price tag, so I use a set of basic artist's pastel chalks, that I bought at Walmart's art & craft Dept. for $3. Ive had the set for many years, so today's price might be more like $5. Make sure you get pastel CHALKS, not plain "pastels". The later are not chalk, more like crayons, and will be useless for weathering.
I've had lots of success "painting" with chalks. I dip a small paint brush in plain tap water, drag it across the stick of chalk and paint the water/chalk mixture right onto the car. When the water dries up you have a nice weathering effect on the car. If things don't look right, you can remove the weathering with a damp cloth. Try it. I think you will like the results.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

traction fan said:


> Aceman21;
> 
> You are right. Start with a low cost car. I would also recommend starting with chalks, instead of paint. Weathering powders are simply finely ground chalks with a high price tag. I prefer a low price tag, so I use a set of basic artist's pastel chalks, that I bought at Walmart's art & craft Dept. for $3. Ive had the set for many years, so today's price might be more like $5. Make sure you get pastel CHALKS, not plain "pastels". The later are not chalk, more like crayons, and will be useless for weathering.
> I've had lots of success "painting" with chalks. I dip a small paint brush in plain tap water, drag it across the stick of chalk and paint the water/chalk mixture right onto the car. When the water dries up you have a nice weathering effect on the car. If things don't look right, you can remove the weathering with a damp cloth. Try it. I think you will like the results.
> ...


I've been doing this too, however, instead of tap water i use 90% alchohol, dries a bit quicker.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

!. Motivation;
2. Courage;
3. Materials;
4. Patience;
5. A trait known as "openness to new ideas";
6. Willingness to recognize when you have been doing it wrong;
7. Willingness to start over, usually by swiping the job with a thin black matte of craft paint, but trying to spare the decals;
8. Willingness to withstand criticism from others; and
9. Willingness to critically evaluate your own results, walk away, and then return with an idea to try something else, including a 'fix' of whatever isn't going quite as you'd like it to.

Most everything about this hobby takes not only learning, but practice. Such things don't come over night. You have to accept that you're going to botch as many weathering attempts as you deem successful, and hope that the ratio corrects itself markedly in a few weeks of determination.

The biggest tip I can give you is to start with about one-half of the concentration of paints or powders that you initially think is reasonable for a first attempt. Seriously. Think of an initial approach and amount to apply, and then halve the amount. You'll be pleasantly surprised that this approach will spare you from a horrible and garish result that leaves you completely bummed and with no confidence. Going very lightly will teach you that there IS SUCH A THING as wee bits here and there that actually show some improvement to the whole you're trying to create. You'll see that you can always add a bit more from that cautious beginning and look forward to a real and improved result. The other way, you have to undo.


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## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

mesenteria said:


> !. Motivation;
> 
> 2. Courage;
> 
> ...




Thanks for the great advice


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Good point on thinning the paints... I've been practicing with cheap acrylic paints, and I usually start with 1 drop of paint to 3-4 drops of water, sometimes even more. Acrylics can be washed off with water within the first 24 hours (so they say, but I would wash it off much sooner if possible). Once it dries completely, you need to use alcohol to wash it off, and that can also remove existing decals unless you covered the model with a coat of dullcoat first.

Acrylics are good for washed areas, for example if you want to make the paint look faded across the top of the car. Also great for things like mud splatter or painting over decals to make them look faded or damaged. And there's the ever-present coating of rust on the wheels and trucks. It's also great for "wet" areas, like if you want to show oil spillage over the sides of a tanker or dirty rain streaks running down the sides of a car. One thing here, after a couple minutes the paint will start to dry, and if you rush over it again you'll lift the paint... at that point just set it aside for an hour or work on another spot, and then come back to do the next coat later.

The area where chalks seem to really shine (and something I haven't played with yet myself) are the "dry" areas. For example, the general dusty coating that blows up from the ground. Also heavily rusted-out areas have a sort of grittiness to them that chalks appear to create better than paints.

I think most aspects of weathering can be created with any single medium, however why limit yourself? It seems that if you practice with both paints and chalks then you can probably do all of the effects with less effort. Weather is not a simple 1-step process, and weathering a model looks much better if you keep that in mind.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

What do I need to start weathering ?

Appropriate weather.


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## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Ok, so I just some pan pastels. Do I need anything to coat the model with anything so the pastels will stick ?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I generally overcoat the model with Dullcote first, but that's just to protect the paint. Pastels will stick anyway. To apply them, though, dip a brush in alcohol, dip in the powder, then apply. The alcohol will help the powder transfer from the brush to the model.

When you're done, a final coat of Dullcote will seal everything up (and incidentally, "dull" your weathering somewhat).


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## SantaFeKid1 (May 1, 2016)

traction fan said:


> Aceman21;
> 
> You are right. Start with a low cost car. I would also recommend starting with chalks, instead of paint. Weathering powders are simply finely ground chalks with a high price tag. I prefer a low price tag, so I use a set of basic artist's pastel chalks, that I bought at Walmart's art & craft Dept. for $3. Ive had the set for many years, so today's price might be more like $5. Make sure you get pastel CHALKS, not plain "pastels". The later are not chalk, more like crayons, and will be useless for weathering.
> I've had lots of success "painting" with chalks. I dip a small paint brush in plain tap water, drag it across the stick of chalk and paint the water/chalk mixture right onto the car. When the water dries up you have a nice weathering effect on the car. If things don't look right, you can remove the weathering with a damp cloth. Try it. I think you will like the results.
> ...



Traction Fan: Are these the type of Walmart basic artist's pastel chalks you are referring to:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Loew-Cornell-Chalk-Pastels-24-Pack/23081175

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Loew-Cornell-1000-Chalk-Pastels-36-Pkg/32662211


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I made the same comment on the other post discussing this, but I'll repeat it here.

Those are the right product, yes, and the price is certainly pretty good. But for just a couple more dollars, you can go to an art supply store and select individual chalks, so you can buy only the colors you want / need, rather than having a bunch of brightly colored pastels that you're never going to use lying around.


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## Waddy (Dec 18, 2014)

I weather everything. I've yet to see a rail yard full of new shiney stuff. Everything in a rail yard is weathered, to varying degrees. Railroading is a dirty, gritty business. I don't get counting rivets (for authenticity) and then running everything clean. 

Chalks have their place but they do wash out when seal coated. So where I do use them I put them on a little "brighter" than I really want the finished product to look. As they will look duller, less pronounced, when sealed.

Acrylics have their place as well, but some lighter colors will also wash out when seal coated; mainly white is bad about this.

My basic approach is to do all the base work in good old hardware store enamels, like rustoleum. Then use the acrylics and chalks where appropriate.

I like to finish with a sprayed lacquer seal coat. I buy the lacquer at the auto paint store. Actually, I bought a gallon years ago and I'm still not a third of the way through it. I use flattener to dull it down (also bought at the auto paint store) and just add it to the lacquer. That way I control how dull the final finish ends up. Usually between 10 to 15% flattener does the trick.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

"*What do I need to start weathering ?"*

Mostly, a complete dis-regard for your personal hygiene.... :laugh:


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## Waddy (Dec 18, 2014)

You're supposed to weather the train, not yourself....


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Waddy said:


> You're supposed to weather the train, not yourself....


Oh, *NOW* you tell me! :laugh:


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Is there a way to remove the dullcoat so I can wash off all this weathering already applied to my body? I'm afraid it's already sealed in...


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## Waddy (Dec 18, 2014)

Typical rookie mistake. A bath in Acetone should clean you up.


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## SDIV Tim (Nov 19, 2015)

Have you seen PGHtrainfanatics latest video on YouTube, he covers the topic with a rattle can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

I'm sorry but I still can't bring myself to weather any equipment.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

Spence said:


> I'm sorry but I still can't bring myself to weather any equipment.


Like someone posted before, try it out on something you got out of the junk bin at a train show, or something you're not particularly fond of. Some of my best weathering work has been on the most simplistic, cheap 'trainset' (oh I hate that term! ) items. Number one, you have no fear of ruining a high dollar piece, and number two, it is inspirational when you see how much more realistic it looks. 
And...number three...like anything else, practice helps. Best to perfect your technique a bit before unloading on a $100 locomotive (which I have yet to do :laugh


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## Waddy (Dec 18, 2014)

Spence said:


> I'm sorry but I still can't bring myself to weather any equipment.


That's OK. I have a friend who drools over my gritty, weathered layout and trains, but he does G scale and just can't bring himself to weather anything that expensive. I guess it depends on if your priorities are collecting for re-sale or running them to death.

I just really like a modicum of realism. Of course, since I run O scale 3 rail, that's a bit of a joke. I probably should run HO if I wanted true scale and absolute realism. But, hey, my fingers are too big to work on HO....LOL


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

My first attempt at weathering as a kid was using a can of black spray paint and letting the mist kind of fall over the car. It didn't look very good, but even that was enough to show what a difference weathering could make. Now here I am several decades later getting back in the hobby and I knew right off that I wouldn't have any unweathered cars on my next layout. And that weathering might be nothing more that rusty wheels and a bit of dust along the bottom edge of a car, but a little bit can go a long ways.


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