Playing with Weathering...

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Ok, I've talked occasionally with Super about weathering, if its good or bad, whether it is better to do or not, well I decided to have a play about.

I recently picked up a bottle of 'Humbrol Rust Wash', this is basically a very thin acrylic paint (almost ink) that contains a brownish colour with some copper mixed in. The idea with a wash is that you don't try to get an even covering necessarily, and you don't care if it runs or parts are left uncovered. Being thin it naturally runs and pools in crevices on the surface of whatever you use it on.

Anyway as a test subject I picked an HO/OO tatty plastic wagon that came in a job lot of wagons I recently received just to try it on as it resembles a metal sided wagon rather than a wooden planked one. I didn't try to be clever and get just rust where I wanted it, I just did a quick splosh all over to see how it looks. Also bear in mind that this was just a bare plastic model, no undercoat or other paint added, just a few simple decals...

Here is the model untouched;

[Image: IMG_20180511_131034666.jpg]

After adding the wash and then letting it dry overnight here is the effect that I got, this looks not too bad in my opinion bearing in mind I spent all of 2 mins on this and just sploshed the wash. It has a slightly rusty look, but also gives it that look you get on train wagons where you get that film of reddish brown dust that seem to afflict all goods trains.

[Image: IMG_20180511_131050628.jpg]


So what do you think guys? Any feedback/suggestions? Like I say this was a pure test and not intended to even end up as working model, might end up sitting in a siding as a piece of scenery or something...
Happily collecting things all my life... Big Grin
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Put some graffiti on the side to make it looks like abandoned a long time
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Seeing a short train of these in a siding or something would really make a layout look more realistic..
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(05-11-2018, 11:14 PM)fred16850 Wrote: Seeing a short train of these in a siding or something would really make a layout look more realistic..

My thoughts exactly Fred, I got a few wagons I can 'practice' on to figure out the best techniques to use, then after they can be used as scenery Smile
Happily collecting things all my life... Big Grin
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That looks great Nigels. Did you lay it on its side or upright while the wash dried? I have a set of six bottles of weathering Vallejo in different shades, and a complete Vallejo Steam Engine Weathering System set all of which I haven't tried yet. In addition I have have a couple sets of Tamiya Weathering Powders that I have I only used the oily soot blend for Flukes wheels. With some various applicators I have everything to get started but, like you, I have to get the time to start experimenting. Have you thought of adding some different colored, shades of brown, washes in areas and maybe add some blackish around the trucks for some added detail?


EDIT:
Just noticed this attempt by Plarailfan at combining your hopper wagon with a plarail


[Image: 16161797560_9f99128ef6_o.jpg]
[Image: super-smiley-emoticon.gif]
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well done nigels - you are very talented
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(05-12-2018, 08:01 PM)Super Wrote: Did you lay it on its side or upright while the wash dried?

Just noticed this attempt by Plarailfan at combining your hopper wagon with a plarail

Hi Super, I just left it standing upright on its wheels, partly for simplicity, partly as I thought it would allow the wash to pool in any crevices much like it would if a wagon was left to the elements, thus causing rust to gather in the relevant areas as it would in real life.

I think what is needed is an undercoat/colour paint finish which then you apply the wash to. On this particular wagon it was just grey plastic with some waterslide decals, I suspect looking at was a DIY plastic kit. If the model was painted with some matt colours then had a wash applied I think the effect would be much better. You could also add a dark grey or black wash to the lower part of the wagon to get the effect you were talking about Smile

I've yet to try the weathering powders, but that's for another day, baby steps till I perfect my techniques Smile

(05-13-2018, 09:46 AM)bollard Wrote: well done nigels - you are very talented

Not sure about that, I'm pretty much starting out with weathering, normally I've instead gone for perfect finishes, but I'm always up for new ideas Smile
Happily collecting things all my life... Big Grin
(This post was last modified: 05-14-2018, 12:41 AM by Super.)
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