Metr0Land's acrylic and powder weathering

[Metr0Land]

I have been impressed over the last few years by the weathering done by those who know how to get the best out of an airbrush, but most people seem to use enamels. I’m not a great lover of enamel paints (or I guess more correctly the small of thinners). Some of you are really good with acrylics in airbrushes but a feature of this seems to be that acrylic paint tends to dry instantly when airbrushed.

 

On the one hand I would love to become proficient with an airbrush, but on the other, given the way I work, I fancy I would spend my life reaming out airbrushes after doing small bits of work, and spend overmuch time maintaining the airbrush correctly rather that ’getting on with it’.

 

Over the last couple of years I seem to have ended up trying to convert ’good weathering practice’ and ’good airbrush technique’ into something that works for me, but with brushes.

 

I stumbled on Joe’s Model Trains acrylics which are sold for track weathering (initially from Bromsgrove Models, but now from my local model shop Model Junction, Slough). There are 4 colours I use: Weathered Black, Shale (a mid grey), Dark Brown, and Brown Rust. Keeping to these 4 for the most part keeps a limited palette - rather like enamel users use matt black and leather with maybe a touch of white or gunmetal. Another advantage of Joe’s acrylics is that they stay workable for quite a while (in the mixing pot with a dab of water). If you paint them on thinly with no watering they will dry quickly, so you can give yourself choices.

 

If you water them down a bit (careful not to over-thin) you can daub a mix of shale and dark brown onto the rolling stock sides, and it will remain workable long enough to use damp cotton buds etc for wiping down. Once little bits are left in nooks and crannies and have dried a bit, if they still need knocking back, a cotton bud dipped in IPA or rubbing alcohol can be taken to the area (aggressively if needed).

 

The one thing I can’t replicate yet (but am working on it!) is the use of gunmetal in enamel paints, which is later buffed up to get that semi-polished look.

 

 

(Note: some of this Gresley stuff appears in rmweb under a GW Hawksworth(!) thread as that thread evolved into acrylic discussions)

 

A little while back Hornby re-worked their Gresley mainline coaches, but these got quite a bit of stick for having too many compromises/inaccuracies. To be honest as LNER isn’t one of my stronger areas, I don’t find them too bad, except that they have a much too plasticy look straight out of the box.

 

(I didn’t phot the brake composite before I started weathering so photo comparisons here are between the all 3rd and the brake compo.

 

Carmine/cream on these coaches seemed to wear quite badly so I’ve tried to get a well worn effect without being too ham fisted. The corridor side straight from the box:

 

 

I’ve tried to get a heavily worn effect here but not so bad that she won’t get overhauled and turned out in maroon for a few more years:

 

 

For the roof I mixed weathered black and shale, being careful to avoid thoroughly mixing them. By applying with a half inch brush, you will get (hopefully) realistic streaks, though at normal viewing distance the roof will appear quite uniformly coloured. Most of the pictures I’ve seen of this kind of Gresley stock seems to have uniformly grey or black roofs, with little obvious streaking from a distance.

 

 

For the sides, I rubbed down first with T-Cut and then washed the residue off. Then I used a mix of shale and dark brown, slightly thinned, and then cleaned with cotton buds (I get through loads of these) and then where needed, a bud soaked in IPA or rubbing alcohol for even more removal. This is where the quick drying of acrylics is a help. An hour after thorough cleaning it’s ready to apply Modelmates weathering dye (muddy brown in this case) and after just a few moments the dye is rubbed off with a damp J cloth, or cotton buds (in water this time).

 

The under frame was then treated with another mix combination of shale, weathered black, and dark brown. Whilst this is still wet, I dab on dark grey powder which will set into the paint as it dries. (This gives the same ‘crusty’ outcome as those who mix talcum powder into enamel paint when they daub wheels/frames/bogies etc).

 

Once the whole lot is dry (this can be a bit longer than the upper surfaces as I tend to make it a bit more liquid to flow into all the little crevices) I then further dust the under-frame area with additional powder/s and also blend the lower bodywork to the under-frame with suitable coloured powders. Also some additional touches of Modelmates dye is used is some bogie/axle box areas.

 

A clean version of the compartment side:

 

 

For the compartment side I’ve gone to town a bit more and tried to get her looking that she’s due for withdrawal soon, but somehow still seeing mainline service.

 

 

This was the same as the corridor side but with a additional work, which was actually the result of turning a disaster around. I’d sprayed the side with Testors Dullcote which I often use to seal powders. The weather has varied between mild and cold lately, and the Dullcote had been in the garage and got really cold.

 

When I sprayed, the side went blotchy. I panicked a bit, and attacked it with a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol which seemed make it worse. I then took another bud dipped in T-Cut to this, hoping to take it all back to the start, and begin again. It came up with a result that was ’interesting’. It seems to have left some white areas and left other bits ok, and looks to me like the coach is ready for withdrawal after prolonged neglect

 

 

 

I don’t do plain BR blue, but am feeling this effect could work on plain blue stock? Maybe the next layout…….

[Ed-farms]

That really does look the part. I have just used some DCC Supplies powders on the inside of a Sealion and they can do some good stuff.

[Metr0Land]

Thanks. I mostly use A.I.M powders (though sometimes use Carrs). Most of that is down to 2 things a/ supporting local shop and b/ I just like the plastic containers they use, which seems to suit me for having on workbench and storing.

[Metr0Land]

I’ve now had a go at the all third. A lot of these coaches seem to be quite dusty in pictures (often with filthy windows). A pic of each side, with some close-ups.

 

 

[Metr0Land]

I hadn’t done much modelling for a while due to the light evenings, but the naff weather has created an opportunity to do something.

 

I needed some more parcels vehicles and managed to pick up 3 of the Lima ex-LMS 42’ GUV’s on eBay in one lot. I quite like this van, as it’s a bit shorter than a BR Mk1 BG and makes a change.

 

AIUI The 3 main problems with the Lima model are the BR bogies which should be LMS ones, the roof ribs (which should be noticeable but flat, not round) and the top edge of the sides. The first 2 are within my skills but increasing the sides isn’t. IIUC there should be another 1-2mm between the top edge of the windows and the cantrail, but I can live with that. The bogies are Bachmann LMS coach bogies using the wheels as-supplied.

 

Another thing I’ve been wanting to practice is bashed-in roofs on carriage stock where a clout has revealed either natural metal underneath, or previous layers of paint. As it happens, these GUV’s seemed to suffer a lot from exposed areas on the roof.

 

I couldn’t make up my mind whether to have plain carmine or unlined maroon, so I have one side in each. Evidence on the Paul Bartlett site seems to suggest some plain maroon ones didn’t have data panels, so that saved a bit of work.

 

37800-37849 were built with torpedo vents. I didn’t really want to change to shell vents for my 1st attempt so have numbered the sides in this series.

 

In real life these coaches seemed to get absolutely filthy. In both cases I’ve stopped short of making them totally filthy though the maroon one is more unkempt than the carmine.

 

The body with half the roof ribs made flatter:

 

I crudely painted the roof with Tamiya flat aluminium, and then covered some areas with Micro Mask:

 

After the masking gel had dried, I overpainted with my usual roof mix of Joe’s Model Trains shale and weathered black. Once dry, I peeled off the masking gel to reveal ‘bare metal’ underneath.

 

The carmine coach outside and on the layout:

 

And the maroon side:

[Metr0Land]

Due to a mix of bad weather and really hot weather, I find myself with an unusually large amount of ‘small bits of time’ in the summer so am cracking on with things I can pick up and put down easily.

 

I’ve turned my attention to some B set coaches. These weren’t a bad representation but as with all things GWR there are lots of variations. I hadn’t realised the Airfix B set coach has a window on one side which shouldn’t be there, so this current pair perpetuates the error as I was too far into the project to remedy it this time. However, I have another pair about to enter works where I’ll get it right (hopefully).

 

Any easy conversion is simply to lop off 3 off the roof shell vents so this is what I’ve gone for.

 

Original Airfix:

 

The pair in carmine. I still have a bit of bogie/underframe weathering to add, and I need to sort out the couplings. Both coaches have had Laserglaze fitted – just 44 windows per coach to send you insane…..

 

A close-up of W6459W

 

And a close up of W6460W

 

On the layout:

 

A closer view on the layout:

 

Basically the routine was:

Strip down, spray body with Halfords grey primer.

Spray body with Hycote acrylic Ford Rosso Red. Spray with Testors Dullcote.

Coat with a mix of Joe’s Model Trains weathered black and dark brown and remove straight away with cotton buds. Repeat the application and removal.

Spray with Army Painter Matt. Install Laserglaze windows. Wash down with Games Workshop Badab Black.

[Metr0Land]

I had to chance to crack on with a bit more BR stock. The old Airfix LMS 57’s LAV vehicles provide another way of getting some reasonable looking stock for low outlay.

The windows on the real thing were never flush so there’s no point using SE Flushglaze!

The really big disappointment for its day was the size of the LMS bogies which I’ve replaced with Bachmann ones. The ‘girder’ on the Airfix one is 2.5mm deep but on the Bachmann is 4mm – quite a difference.

The first pair are in carmine, like the B set coaches. I have a maroon pair in works but they probably won’t be finished for a while due to staff holidays.

 

[Karhedron]

 

Basically the routine was:

Strip down, spray body with Halfords grey primer.

Spray body with Hycote acrylic Ford Rosso Red. Spray with Testors Dullcote.

Coat with a mix of Joe’s Model Trains weathered black and dark brown and remove straight away with cotton buds. Repeat the application and removal.

Spray with Army Painter Matt. Install Laserglaze windows. Wash down with Games Workshop Badab Black.

I am extremely impressed by the quality of the weathering you have achieved here, as well as your experimenting with alternatives to airbrushes. Like you I work in small batches (in N gauge in my case) so I am not sure if I would spend longer using an airbrush or cleaning it.

 

I am interested in the use of Badab Black. I am also a wargamer so I have used this but I thought it was too thick to use neat on rolling stock. Did you thin it is all or use it neet? Did you wipe any off of just let it settle into the cracks?

[Metr0Land]

On the LMS and GWR B set I just used a broadish brush dipped in water then dipped in the black and it was ok but...... I just repeated the exercise on a couple more coaches and didn't thin it enough They don't look too bad from 'normal viewing distance' but I can see a problem if I get too close.

 

I'd pretty much expect you'd need to experiment with thinning it down for N before you commit to it on decent stock.

[burgundy]

On the LMS and GWR B set I just used a broadish brush dipped in water then dipped in the black and it was ok but...... I just repeated the exercise on a couple more coaches and didn't thin it enough They don't look too bad from 'normal viewing distance' but I can see a problem if I get too close.

 

I'd pretty much expect you'd need to experiment with thinning it down for N before you commit to it on decent stock.

Using this sort of technique on panelled vehicles, I have washed over the whole side of the vehicle, where necessary using windscreen wash fluid to avoid creating blobs of water. Then take a small brush and touch the colour into the corners so that it finds its own way around the edges. I have been using ModelMates brown for this, which is rather denser in colour than the Games Workshop inks, but this method allows you to keep a reasonable control over the build up of "weather". You need to keep the cotton bud handy, as you may find that you get "high tide marks" on the flat surfaces.

Not much use for flat sided vehicles like the B set, but quite effective on panelling like the Gresleys.

Hope this helps

Best wishes

Eric