I weathered this car as an experiment with Polly Scale paint using a wash and dry-brush method to apply weathering effects. I also tried the Bragdon brand weathering system to give the roof a rusty beaten look.
Trucks - Remove the trucks from the model. I generally paint and weather the trucks and wheels separately from the main car body.
Car Preparation - You may want to wash the car to remove any fingerprints on the model. You can do this by gently washing the car in a mild grease breaking detergent. Let the car air-dry to avoid getting lint stuck on the modelDull Coating - Spray the car with a coat of Testors Dull Cote. This gives the the car a nice flat surface that will allow paint and chalk to easily adhere to. Generally when cars are pre-painted they have a semi gloss or gloss surface. A shiny or glossy surface does not allow chalks and weathering to stick very well. A flat finish is preferred and by using Testors Dull Cote we are ready to start weathering the model. I generally let the flat finish dry overnight however you could start weathering after an hour or so.
Grimy Wash - We want to give the car a coat of grime to add a dirty grungy look. The grime will also settle into the seams and nooks giving the model a darker look around the ladder and rivets. We desire this because it adds depth to the model.
Mix the following paint;
Polly Scale Oxide Red: 10 parts (this is the base color of the model)
Polly Scale Grimy Black: 3 parts
Polly Scale Airbrush Thinner: 20 parts or 30 parts total
You will use this mix to apply a thin red-black wash across the entire model. You may notice that the model is too dark, instead of using 20 parts thinner you may want to use 30 parts thinner to lighten up the wash. This is a safe thing to do because you can always apply the wash twice if it is not dark enough the first time around.
This mix will darken in the corners of the model but you may see some blotches forming in the middle of the side panels. I used a Q-Tip to clean up the wash on the panels between the vertical ribs. This helped with the contrast and removed the blotchy look of the wash.
Highlight #1 - We want to bring out the detail of the model so we will start by using a dry-brush technique with a light color of Oxide Red. To prepare the first highlight color mix the following paint;
Polly Scale Oxide Red: 3 drops
Polly Scale Concrete: 1 drop (or white can be used)
Dry brush this paint across the model especially the doors and end ribs. Dry brushing involves dipping the brush into the paint and then removing most of the color on a paper towel. Then lightly apply the color to the model with a flat edged brush, only hitting the rivet and ladder detail. This will bring out the ladder and other model details.
Highlight #2 - Now, we want to hit the very highest highlights by using a mix of paint that is almost white.
Polly Scale Oxide Red: 1 drop
Polly Scale Concrete: 3 drops
Dry brush this mix very lightly over the model. You only want to catch a few details, like the door latching mechanisms, the tips of rivets, and the top edge of the brake wheel. This is a very light highlight that should only bring out a few of the highest details on the model, avoid applying too much paint, your model will look "frosted" if you over do it.
Roof Treatment - Use Bragdon Adhesive chalks on the roof. I mixed dark and medium rust on a scrap piece of plastic and used a brush wet with water to apply the effect. I only applied the rust mix to the roof.
Final Coating - Once the roof and sides are completed, spray the model with Dull Cote and allow to dry. This final coat will help protect the model from the handling your model will experience.
Truck Treatment - I painted the trucks and wheels separately using the following quick procedure.
- Paint the trucks Polly Scale Grimy Black
- Give the trucks a wash of 30 parts thinner, 10 parts Engine Black
- Dry brush Tamyia Metallic Gray (XF-56) on the truck face.
- Apply Bragdon rust colored adhesive chalk mixed with a bit of black chalk
- Paint the wheel faces Railroad Tie Brown
- Reassemble the wheels into the truck and attach the truck to the car.
Conclusion - This is a quick overview of how I weathered this box car. It still needs a bit more work however I am happy with this two night project. Give paint washes and highlights a try, the technique can really bring out the detail in your models.
Mark N. Goedert
