weathering black

TB2 · Post by **TB2** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 12:39 pm

I'm currently working on a large (1/25 or G Scale) steam engine for a BTTF III scene. I've airbrushed it all in Testors Interior Black (actually a VERY dark gray) to start, to cover the primer and fill the areas that'll be in shadow. It looks like one big black mass at the moment. Since I've never worked on a large model that's all black, this is what I have in mind to finish it:

-mist on brown on most of it then go back over it with the black again to tone it down. I've looked at 1:1 trains and often the black looks slightly brownish
-subtle drybrushing with dark and light grays,gunmetal, maybe some purples and blues in select areas
-weather with pastels in grays, browns, blues and purples
-mist over the gold markings with black to tone them down

What do you think? Am I on the right track (no pun intended)? Suggestions?

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 3:58 pm

Start with a dark gray and work your way black. That's the best way.

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:42 pm

You'd be surprised how effective grey washes can look on black subjects. Well thinned dirty white can also look good as it seems to simulate salts, birdy doo doo, lime coming out of cement and limescale boiled out of hot water when applied in fine streaks in a vertical fashion. Touches of brown mixed in work well too but it obviously depends on the subject. Often as black paint oxidises, it turns grey and it can also fade in the sun. As a side note, car tyres generally look better if they're painted a dark grey rather than black.

caveslug · Post by **caveslug** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:47 pm

You can highlight the edges/curves etc. with a dark blue or dark purple to give the edges/curves some definition.

Mark Yungblut · Post by **Mark Yungblut** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 2:33 pm

I'm of two minds on this. Having grown up with my father being a model railroader, it depends on the look you are trying to achieve. The first would be to start with the premis that the machine is not likely to be washed very often thus go with the gray to darker gray with grease stains etc.

For the subject you are representing you'll want to go with the other technique which would be to paint the thing like it would be straight off of the assembly line and weather it just a little and in the correct areas. That would be an indication that the machine is cleaned every so often and that it is well maintained. I would also consult screen caps and see what was d9one on the studio piece.