I have watched every video you've made except the live feed ones 😏. It has made me start over with my entire rolling stock 😭. I think your best advice to me so far has been the use of oils. I have stuck with acrylics so far but oils have such a significant impact on how the body looks.
Modulated brown undercoat/primer - that way if the paint/weathering/whatever gets bad then you can simply scrape back to the primer and it just looks rusty :-D
Another thing I realized recently....... Come back to models at another time. The weathering doesn't have to be a single time but can be put back on the layout and run until new ideas or techniques are learned and the model can be revised or changed. I got stuck trying to create the perfect piece and realized that just some simple things could help and more could be done later if desired. It was a step to getting me over some hurdles I faced
Thanks Joe. I see modeling of any type as being a means of telling a story, and weathering goes a long way to help tell it. I have plans for Ecto 1. :) Now I just need to find a lighting kit :)
JC, I’ll give you two, the first is always use a protophoto, even if it’s not of the exact car you are working on but it’s the way you want your car to look. Don’t try to weather from your minds eye, more times than not you will almost always over do it. That brings to mind the next tip. The other as you mentioned, “Less is More”. One of the things I’ve had mentioned to me is, “the products you are using are to expensive”. Just remember, you get what you pay for! The reason I use the products I do is that I have eliminated the cheaper ones that didn’t work for me so I’m letting you know which ones work best for the techniques I use. Believe me I tried many products through trial and error. You can go ahead and try for yourself, I think you will arrive at the same results. Keep this in mind, if you are going to spend big bucks on rolling stock or locomotives, why use cheap paints that may not do the job!
Great advice Ralph on all counts! Keeping a prototype photo handy as a part of one's process is a great tip. I either print one off, or have my phone or iPad nearby for reference.
Just saw this today (after looking at your Loop to Layout videos). Any suggestions for those of us who can't use oils? My spouse is extremely sensitive to thinners and turpenoids, so oils are right out, due to the cleanup. I already do Gundam and 40k/Titanicus, and so have some experience with the mediums and effects for those scale, though I find that what works on 28-30mm models often looks overscaled on anything smaller. Most of my Titanicus and Gunpla are "cleaner" for this reason.
Hi John, while there are some odourless mineral spirits that can be used with oil paints, some of that depends on where you are. Since I made this video, I've tried out a few new techniques. I would suggest looking into Gouache (tube watercolour paints) and the Weathering Pencils from AK Interactive. These thin with water, and behave a bit differently than the acrylics you're probably already using. Gouache paints can replicate some of the effects of oils, as can the Weathering pencils. My only bit of advice there is to get a wetting agent for the water to take down the surface tension and prevent beading. You can email me at the contact address for this channel and we can talk more. There's also a few options with the Citadel/GW paints that you're likely already using too.
@@JCsRiptrack Thanks for the reply. After writing the comment, I found your video on the weathering pencils and they're on my wishlist now. I will email.
Tip #11 - Pay John to do it for you. :) Great video. I’d love to get started in this but I don’t have the room to store all the materials or even a workbench to weather on. But one day I will and I’ll come back to this video. -Mark
Depending on your real-estate, you could create a portable weathering kit that you could set up at a kitchen table. Hm... I know there's a few portable kit set-ups out there that may be worthwhile checking it out.
Thanks LF. Sometimes I use the term "oil" and "enamels" almost interchangeably. Most often I mean artist oils, the only enamel-type paints that I use are the dedicated weathering products that are often pre-thinned already. Does that help?
For the longest time, oil paints scared me and seemed odd for model work. Since I started using them, I am a total convert. I don’t use them for doing base colours, but for enhancing the look and weathering, they’re a great tool to have in the arsenal. There are a few companies out there that specifically make oil paints with colours designed for modellers.
I have been weathering for about 5 years. Start with a crappy model like a bachmann or old mantua and just try different things like weathering powders and learn to airbrush with them. Start with a light grey or off white thinned very much to overspray and tone down the paint. Then try using a very fine brush to add rust spots and dents. Watch a channel called DansRailroad2011 to learn highly effective techniques and processes. I have weathered many different locos and rolling stock and also track on my clubs layout. Also use rrpicturesarchive.net and other photo websites to see what rolling stock from the era you model looks like. Its not hard to learn but it does take patience, time and practice.
Also I started out with warhammer 40k in the early 2000s. I had the imperial armour masterclass book as well. I modeled Chaos Space Marines, Death Corps of Krieg armor, Tau and also Tyranids. Yeah I was dumb and had too many armies in my teenage years. Sold most and gave some away.
One piece of advice for new modelers or experienced. When fading models, do NOT apply white directly over the factory stock color model. Always use white as a base but add drops of the same color of the car to the white, say a yellow TTX boxcar, use 10 drops of white acrylic and mix 5 drops of yellow into the mix. You'll have an off color that will blend into the model better than white only.
Usually when I use the dot-fade technique with fading, it is combined with both the same colour as the surface being faded, but also a contrasting colour in order to de-saturate the colour as well. Always good advice, don't use straight white paint :)
So what is the best piece of advice for weathering that you've had?
not able to reply... do you have comments turned off???
+bnsf6951 I can see your reply. :)
I have watched every video you've made except the live feed ones 😏. It has made me start over with my entire rolling stock 😭. I think your best advice to me so far has been the use of oils. I have stuck with acrylics so far but oils have such a significant impact on how the body looks.
Modulated brown undercoat/primer - that way if the paint/weathering/whatever gets bad then you can simply scrape back to the primer and it just looks rusty :-D
They really do. I was afraid of using oils for the longest time, and now they are a major part of my weathering arsenal.
Great tips: Your video on how to begin is a must view, for anyone starting out. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Will, I think this one has been coming for a little while as a follow-up to the original.
Another thing I realized recently....... Come back to models at another time. The weathering doesn't have to be a single time but can be put back on the layout and run until new ideas or techniques are learned and the model can be revised or changed. I got stuck trying to create the perfect piece and realized that just some simple things could help and more could be done later if desired. It was a step to getting me over some hurdles I faced
Sometimes you can tell the story of your layout by having a car that slowly ages over time. It's a neat long-view approach to weathering.
I like how you described making a story out of it to add your vision! I have the same model I love the Ecto 1!!! Cant wait to see that video!
Thanks Joe. I see modeling of any type as being a means of telling a story, and weathering goes a long way to help tell it. I have plans for Ecto 1. :) Now I just need to find a lighting kit :)
JC, I’ll give you two, the first is always use a protophoto, even if it’s not of the exact car you are working on but it’s the way you want your car to look. Don’t try to weather from your minds eye, more times than not you will almost always over do it. That brings to mind the next tip.
The other as you mentioned, “Less is More”.
One of the things I’ve had mentioned to me is, “the products you are using are to expensive”. Just remember, you get what you pay for! The reason I use the products I do is that I have eliminated the cheaper ones that didn’t work for me so I’m letting you know which ones work best for the techniques I use. Believe me I tried many products through trial and error. You can go ahead and try for yourself, I think you will arrive at the same results.
Keep this in mind, if you are going to spend big bucks on rolling stock or locomotives, why use cheap paints that may not do the job!
Great advice Ralph on all counts! Keeping a prototype photo handy as a part of one's process is a great tip. I either print one off, or have my phone or iPad nearby for reference.
lots of great tips John.. thx for sharing... vinny
Thanks Vinny!
Just saw this today (after looking at your Loop to Layout videos). Any suggestions for those of us who can't use oils? My spouse is extremely sensitive to thinners and turpenoids, so oils are right out, due to the cleanup. I already do Gundam and 40k/Titanicus, and so have some experience with the mediums and effects for those scale, though I find that what works on 28-30mm models often looks overscaled on anything smaller. Most of my Titanicus and Gunpla are "cleaner" for this reason.
Hi John, while there are some odourless mineral spirits that can be used with oil paints, some of that depends on where you are. Since I made this video, I've tried out a few new techniques. I would suggest looking into Gouache (tube watercolour paints) and the Weathering Pencils from AK Interactive. These thin with water, and behave a bit differently than the acrylics you're probably already using. Gouache paints can replicate some of the effects of oils, as can the Weathering pencils. My only bit of advice there is to get a wetting agent for the water to take down the surface tension and prevent beading. You can email me at the contact address for this channel and we can talk more. There's also a few options with the Citadel/GW paints that you're likely already using too.
@@JCsRiptrack Thanks for the reply. After writing the comment, I found your video on the weathering pencils and they're on my wishlist now. I will email.
Best Piece of advice I was given was 1 using a color wheel, and 2 how to use and clean my brushes the right way.
@Ralph Renzetti as you taught me to use it i think. lol
Tip #11 - Pay John to do it for you. :) Great video. I’d love to get started in this but I don’t have the room to store all the materials or even a workbench to weather on. But one day I will and I’ll come back to this video. -Mark
Depending on your real-estate, you could create a portable weathering kit that you could set up at a kitchen table. Hm... I know there's a few portable kit set-ups out there that may be worthwhile checking it out.
Nice! I should try that myself!
Hi John, really enjoying your videos, thanks for posting. When you say oils in the videos do you mean artists oils or model enamels? Mark (UK)
Thanks LF. Sometimes I use the term "oil" and "enamels" almost interchangeably. Most often I mean artist oils, the only enamel-type paints that I use are the dedicated weathering products that are often pre-thinned already. Does that help?
Thanks John, that’s a useful idea I hadn’t considered using artists oils before. Mark
Thanks John, that’s a useful idea I hadn’t considered using artists oils before. Mark
For the longest time, oil paints scared me and seemed odd for model work. Since I started using them, I am a total convert. I don’t use them for doing base colours, but for enhancing the look and weathering, they’re a great tool to have in the arsenal. There are a few companies out there that specifically make oil paints with colours designed for modellers.
Great tips. Now I need to get off my butt and get started
Just getting started, but it is sometimes harder than it looks.
Great video John - anyone looking to improve their weathering skills would do well to follow these tips (and that includes me)!
-Rick
Thanks Rick. :)
I have been weathering for about 5 years. Start with a crappy model like a bachmann or old mantua and just try different things like weathering powders and learn to airbrush with them. Start with a light grey or off white thinned very much to overspray and tone down the paint. Then try using a very fine brush to add rust spots and dents. Watch a channel called DansRailroad2011 to learn highly effective techniques and processes. I have weathered many different locos and rolling stock and also track on my clubs layout. Also use rrpicturesarchive.net and other photo websites to see what rolling stock from the era you model looks like. Its not hard to learn but it does take patience, time and practice.
Also I started out with warhammer 40k in the early 2000s. I had the imperial armour masterclass book as well. I modeled Chaos Space Marines, Death Corps of Krieg armor, Tau and also Tyranids. Yeah I was dumb and had too many armies in my teenage years. Sold most and gave some away.
One piece of advice for new modelers or experienced. When fading models, do NOT apply white directly over the factory stock color model. Always use white as a base but add drops of the same color of the car to the white, say a yellow TTX boxcar, use 10 drops of white acrylic and mix 5 drops of yellow into the mix. You'll have an off color that will blend into the model better than white only.
Usually when I use the dot-fade technique with fading, it is combined with both the same colour as the surface being faded, but also a contrasting colour in order to de-saturate the colour as well. Always good advice, don't use straight white paint :)
@@JCsRiptrack I saw your video and was amazed how that yellow came out! Very nice!
To wheather a train for cheap take sand paper and rub on letters and train car it will fade
Less talking and more demonstration would be helpful.