Blacksmiths GWR Milk Van - ? - Reverse weathering maybe

[bundeena2230]

I have been learning how to airbrush, and the the lure of weathering for a while now, and thanks to people like Bertiedog for explaining undercoats and thinning - very helpful.

I took a while (until last week) to understand 'why' undercoats were important, thinking that paint covers things, and all you see is the top coat. Oh well.

 

So my latest dive into weathering was with pastels - like chalks you run a blade over them and like chalk you get coloured dust that you apply to the body. Looks so easy on the dvd - and with my bucket of old triang bits to practice on, worked well.

 

Until I did a Blacksmiths GWR Milk Van. Darn thing was made out of metal, not wooden planks. Nothing gently gathers in the cracks and joints that just dont exist on this model.

 

More interestingly, although dry for over a week, the dust (applied with a dry paint brush) went into the paint rather enthusiastically, so I quickly dipped the brush in water to get the powder off. Talk about out the pan into the fire. Well, didnt it take, you will see the model went from dirty GWR to engineers black in under 2 minutes. And didnt want to leave. Not even a fibre brush would get it off, then I realised it wasnt "on" the paint, it had joined the paint as one. Oh well.

 

So it was heading for "THE DIP" to go back to brass again, and I thought, aw heck, why not keep going and learn some more. Rust maybe ???

 

After a wasted while, I looked and thought how nice and weathery the engineers black was, if only I could spray a fine chocolate brown on. And then it occured to me.

There in the pastels is a stick of chocolate brown.

 

So, I began weathering the black with chocolate.

 

And I think I will send her to the dip, but I was amazed at the effect of reversing the black to a dark and weathered brown.

 

Following Bertiedog's comments of airbrushing - that the top coat is almost translucent over the undercoat, does anyone think this could be way to make weathering by adjusting the undercoat, rather than just starting with something new and griming it down ?

 

How it started, your average novice airbrusher with his gwr milk van.

 

 

Add a bit of rust on the doors and wooden frames for the windows

Please ignore the wheels, they were first to hand

 

 

Following the "brush down" technique made a nice pattern on the smooth surface, but even the slightest amount of powder digs in

 

 

I decided to work the two sides to different extreems, seeing as it was heading for the dip anyway, this is the "B" side. Not good.

 

 

The doors started to get a real used look, more matt and used.

 

 

I liked ths look, just didnt think it was right for the period these would have run.

 

 

THIS IS THE BLACK - BROWNED UP

I was impressed how it gave a used and moody look by applying the chocolate to the less "used" areas, ie not the windows or doors.

 

 

another view

 

 

She will hit the dip soon, but I do like the effect all of this did to a smooth panel - and the way the rust powders gathered under the door.

 

 

Last weekend, prior to next weekends dip

 

 

The same done to a Monster

[brian777999]

I am very surprised that the chalk powders are sticking to your models like that. Did you let the final coat of paint dry for ar least a week ? I always let the paint dry for a week then give it a clear coat of Humbrol gloss, let dry for another week, apply transfers, let dry overnight then apply the powders (I use pastels). I then immediately give it another clear coat (Microscale Micro Flat) over the top of the powder otherwise it will rub off too easily.

[bundeena2230]

Thanks Brian, yes I did, it was well over a week before I put tranfers on. That at least is the nice thing about brass, you can always start again.

Kevin