Weathering Techniques

[Das Steinkopf]

Hello Everyone

 

I would just like to get a few ideas and tips as to how people weather their rolling stock, I tend to use a combination of watered down mixes of acrylic paints such as Tamiya and Model Master as well as drybrushing. I am a bit iffy about using an airbrush given the small size of N scale models I am afraid of applying too much paint or overspraying on them, I am curious about weathering powders but I have never used them as they weren't around back in the days when I was modelling OO Gauge. I would really like to hear from anyone else that dabbles in the dark art of making their pristine models look grubby and realistic, I have attached a picture of a Tomix engine shed that I have recently done but I would really like to know more about what people have done with their rolling stock.

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2015 by Das Steinkopf

[railsquid]

I would really like to hear from anyone else that dabbles in the dark art of making their pristine models look grubby and realistic

 

I don't because I'd just make a mess, but also because you rarely see grubby trains here and hence anything but the most subtle of weathering would usually be less than realistic. My experience is not comprehensive, but so far from perusing the modelling scene in Japan, stock weathering does not seem to be all that common. The only article I recall seeing is for older wagons.

 

Now buildings, on the other hand...

[marknewton]

Railsquid's observations on weathering are on the money. The trains are kept clean, the most weathering you will see is brake dust and roadbed dust on the running gear, and even that tends to be fairly muted and subtle. Modern freight cars are also kept very clean, at most they will have dust and some paint fading.

 

Even looking closely at images from the steam era I haven't seen too many examples of heavily weathered passenger or freight cars. As in the modern era the weathering I've seen is mostly roadbed and brake dust on the running gear and underframes in contrast to reasonably clean bodies. One thing I have noticed is a distinctive pattern of rust stains on the top of the doors on covered wagons, which I believe is from the rollers and guides that support the doors.

 

I've successfully weathered some of my freight cars using Tamiya powders and weathering sticks. I'm not plugging these products specifically but they're what my local model shop had in stock and I was quite happy with the results. Tomorrow when I'm at home and not posting from a bloody iPad I'll put some photos up and offer some suggestions.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited October 24, 2015 by marknewton

[Mr Frosty]

I like to use Tamiya weathering powders.

[Kamome]

I have weathered some of my JNR wagons, station buildings and some of my JRF locos amongst others but am always a bit cautious before I start. Like the other posts suggest, modern image trains tend to be kept very clean but they do get dirt build up along the running gear and around features on the front of the cab. JNR locos and stock looked pretty dirty from the wealth of images on Google, especially the DD54s and EF63s which were obviously not lovingly cleaned on a regular basis.

 

Without telling you what you already know, The less is more in N gauge.  You can always add a little more if you need.

 

I have used a number of techniques with mixed results over time.

 

-Tamiya weathering powders are a good start and relatively less permanent than other methods. I did a Tomix JRF DE10 and EH500 like this.

 

-I bought some Tamiya Line Accent on my last trip to Japan and I am not a fan of this for highlighting the details on N gauge - I have had better results with diluted oil paint which runs better and is easier to get rid in areas if I am a bit heavy handed. Oil paint worked really well for adding some rusty sections on the front of a couple of EF63s. There is a wealth of images of these locos looking filthy and rusty. To use the Tamiya Line Accent effectively you ideally need to remove all the parts from the shell and give it a coating of gloss varnish before using it. Avoid this stuff unless your modelling larger scales.

 

-I have not built up enough confidence to airbrush a loco but I have done a rake of Taki 1000 tankers. - Airbrushing in this scale requires a good quality airbrush. I use an Iwata Eclipse which was not cheap, but I realised how good it was once I replaced a budget, non-branded model.

 

- Dry-brushing Vallejo Acrylics were great for painting the wooden Rural Kato station. I think their range of Model Colour paints are some of the best I have used. The paint retarder is a great addition if you need to extend drying time to blend colours.

 

I guess it all comes down to preference but I like that lightly dirt dusted look.

 

 

 

 

 

[Davo Dentetsu]

Not Japanese, as I haven't done a wide scale effort to dirty them up as such yet (I have some queued up), but here was my effort using only the Tamiya weathering powders.  Powders are really good, so much so I use them pretty much exclusively now.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Azumanga Davo

[POMU]

I use Bragdon Enterprises weathering powders as experience has shown me these hold up the best and don't fade after applying and spraying over them with Dull Coat or Gloss Coat to seal them. 

 

http://bragdonent.com/

[cteno4]

I too like the bragdon powders, they stick very nicely.

 

These are useful when using weathering powders and chalks. They are cheap and you can have one for each color and if it gets a mix of colors you don't like you can toss them. Pad at one end and a brush at the other!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10Pcs-Lots-Makeup-Double-end-Eye-Shadow-Eyeliner-Brush-Sponge-Applicator-Tool-/201397378823?var=&hash=item2ee4381f07:m:mh_sQQ39Jgfdiui99pPs55Q

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

Edited October 25, 2015 by cteno4

[Das Steinkopf]

The weathering will mainly be confined to JRF rolling stock with locomotives recieving a subtle dose of filth and grime applied to the roofs and underframes, Koki's on the other hand will be copping a heavier dose in particular the decking which gets a fair bit of punishment from containers being put on and taken off, not too mention the dust from the trackbed that gets stirred up and goes through the framework. I agree with what a number of people have pointed out regarding passenger stock and will leave them virtually untouched, when I was in Japan passenger trains were generally very clean, the Hankyu line trains for example were immaculate, I even saw the staff at the depot in Kyoto finishing off the car bodies by hand polishing them. I got to see a reasonable amount of freight stock when I was over there and noticed that it was treated pretty much the same as freight stock that I have seen in Australia and New Zealand.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Das Steinkopf

[marknewton]

 

 

 

Three views of the same weathered wagon, an Aclass Wara1. It was weathered only using Tamiya powdered and pastels. The appearance of the model in photos taken under different lighting varies considerably, which leads me to a few random observations...

 

If a weathered model looks good to the naked eye under room lighting then it will photograph poorly. The weathering will be subtle to the point of being difficult to see in the photo.

 

A weathered model that photographs well in available light will look overdone/overcooked to the naked eye. The weathering will look too pronounced and garish.

 

Only base your weathering on good clear photos of real rollingstock. Don't copy another model for your weathering.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Das Steinkopf]

Thanks everyone for the replies, yesterday I finally plucked up the courage to defile some of my rolling stock. I went for my old tried and trusted technique using watered down blends of Tamiya acrylics and drybrushing, I also used cotton buds to wipe off excess paint as well as to work paints into grooves.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Das Steinkopf

[katoftw]

Well Das, now I am not happy with you.  Those Kokis look so good you have put ideas in my head.  And I cannot finish the current projects I have let alone starting new ones. haha

[Das Steinkopf]

Well Das, now I am not happy with you.  Those Kokis look so good you have put ideas in my head.  And I cannot finish the current projects I have let alone starting new ones. haha

Look out, the desecration of containers are up next to go on board these dirty old girls, I have had a few nice ones delivered of late including some RoDo UM12A's

[HantuBlauLOL]

Most Japanese trains only needs weathering on the undercarriages. Just do it lightly, except for JRF fleets.

[Das Steinkopf]

Most Japanese trains only needs weathering on the undercarriages. Just do it lightly, except for JRF fleets.

I will be leaving passenger stock virtually untouched, with JRF locomotives I will be giving them a subtle dose mainly the dust and grime that they accumulate on the underframes as well as the baked on dust they get on the roof, capturing the grime splash that the EF210's get on the cab awning should be a nice little challenge to get the right look. The "heavy" weathering will be restricted to freight stock, they will be given a dose of weathering that is suitable to their age, ie Koki 104's will be reasonably grubby whilst Koki 107's will still look relatively fresh and only given a light dose of weathering.

 

[dabsan]

Thanks everyone for the replies, yesterday I finally plucked up the courage to defile some of my rolling stock. I went for my old tried and trusted technique using watered down blends of Tamiya acrylics and drybrushing, I also used cotton buds to wipe off excess paint as well as to work paints into grooves.

Those look really great! You have made some very realistic looking wagons.

Here are some photographs of a Koki 104 which I weathered slightly.

[Das Steinkopf]

Those look really great! You have made some very realistic looking wagons.

Here are some photographs of a Koki 104 which I weathered slightly.

2015-11-12 19.14.30-1.jpg

2015-11-12 19.15.03-1.jpg

That looks really nice, I love the patches of rust on the UM12A and the 18D on the other end looks real nice and grimey, I am going to work on a sunbleached look for some of the 19 Series containers that I have as I noticed that a bit with the ones I saw in the flesh. Edited November 12, 2015 by Das Steinkopf

[Davo Dentetsu]

I have done some more practices, this time on JRF vehicles.  Here's an EF510, will take some more pics of a DF200 that was completed beforehand.

 

 

Here's a video to show what I did.  Warning: the following content is rated R.  It's long and dull. ;)