My Weathered Freight Cars!

MilesWestern

Active Member
Sep 20, 2005
1,800
0
36
34
CA
protopaintwest.googlepages.com
Ok Folks, let's take a look at some Cars I recently finished, shall we? ;)

MWC8.JPG


MWC7.JPG


MWC1.JPG


MWC5.JPG


[More can be seen HERE!

http://www.the-gauge.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4443&c=52http://www.the-gauge.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4443&c=52
 

elogger

New Member
Mar 23, 2007
10
0
1
47
no, thanks though, i do okay on my own... you see the little avatar thingy there, that's a model that i weathered... if you'd like to see more, check out the link on my sig...

the reason why i asked what you're using, is because it seems you've got most of the basics down, which is relatively easy to do when using powders and acrylic paints... but i didn't see any rust streaks or pits anywhere... were you following a proto for those cars or were those more freelanced weathering?



jeremy
 

MilesWestern

Active Member
Sep 20, 2005
1,800
0
36
34
CA
protopaintwest.googlepages.com
I always work from photographs, when it's possible. I also noticed the lack of dents, pits, and streaks on the WP boxcar's prototype.

HOW DID YOU GET THAT AMAZING bumpy rust on the Coatbelt Coil car?! That looks awsome!

Also...how did you get those great gashes, and how are you doing rust?
 

elogger

New Member
Mar 23, 2007
10
0
1
47
the coalbelt car was the very first car i ever did... it's sitting on my buds layout in kentucky right now, hence the coalbelt name... that raised rust on the top of the hood was the result of layers of oil paint... thanks for the compliment, BUT think about this; that rust is ridiculously out of scale... meaning that if the car were actual size, that rust would be several inches thick... you know what i'm sayin... i basically screwed it up... the trick is to make something look 3-d without it actually being 3-d... some texture is good, but you have to think in terms of "this thing is a shrunk down version of a real car... texture is almost non existant"...

the gashes are all done with the same things i use for everything else on my cars, artists oil paint... usually grumbacher or windsor and newton... some prefer the effects they get with gouache, a kind of watercolor paint... but i've never tried it before and i guess i like what i've got going right now... don't fix it if it aint broke, right?...

oh and the smallest brushes you can find at your local arts and crafts stores...


jeremy
 

MilesWestern

Active Member
Sep 20, 2005
1,800
0
36
34
CA
protopaintwest.googlepages.com
Jeremy,

I see what you mean about the texture, but If you think about it, 90% of modelers wouldn't think about that. Unfortunately, we're both in that 10%, but even still, I think it looks plenty realistic, espically how well the sunlight reacts to it.

Do you seal your cars with anything? I use either Dullcote, or Artists Flat Finish to seal my cars and locomotives. How long does your oil paint take to dry?

I agree about the smaller brushes.

The GTW car puzzled me though...with the large painted-over blotch on the side of the car...what was there before? Was it "GTW's" full name spelled out or what?

Your weathering is so good, it makes the molding of the cars look poor. (Like cast on handrails, and such) :) I think that's a good compliment, when the art on the outside of the car surpasses the material on which it was made. Sort of like doing the Sistene Chapel Mural on an Airport tarmac in Chalk. sign1
 

elogger

New Member
Mar 23, 2007
10
0
1
47
hey miles,

thanks dude, the molded on stuff is something i'm trying to get away from...

the big black patch on the gt car is just that, a patch... the car is a work in progress... i'm probably 3/4 of the way there almost 3 months in...

i usually seal my cars with dullcote mixed 50/50 with airbrush thinner shot through the ol airbrush... that's about the only action the airbrush gets and the reason i bought a cheapo, actually...

the drying time of the oils is usually a few hours or so... once the car is done, i let it dry for a few days before sealing it up


thanks for the compliments
jeremy
 

MilesWestern

Active Member
Sep 20, 2005
1,800
0
36
34
CA
protopaintwest.googlepages.com
I wish I could spend THREE months on one car! :) I have deadlines set by my clients, so Each one takes between one and two hours of sit-down weathering. In some ways it shows :p Usually I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. Like anything, you get better the more you practice it. I like Acryllics, but I'm seriously considering playing around with gouache, because I've watched one of my friends in Art class do incredible things with it...you can do washes like watercolor, it's water soluble (big issue for me, no turpentine, I don't want to even begin dealing with it.) and It can hold the opaque qualities of Acryllic, Oil, and other forms. I've no idea how pricey it is, and the good brand is German, so it must be at least moderate.

What do you think of my cars? What need improvements? What do you really like?
 

elogger

New Member
Mar 23, 2007
10
0
1
47
miles

the whole three months thing is more because of circumstance rather than want... i don't really want to spend that much time on anything, but with work, family and basically not feeling inspired, i take way too long on things... i'm usually lucky to get an hour or so each night... that and i'm never fully satisfied with something unless i think it's the best i can possibly do... the gt car is a bit of a rustbucket and it has various kinds of rust that i'm basically learning to do as i go...

i don't use terpentine either, i prefer mineral spirits... much less harsh and it is great for a variety of effects...

as far as your cars, i like the overall feel of the WP car... i like how the lettering is obscured a bit... i like the rooftops on all three cars, it seems you've got a good idea about those... the upfe car looks like the ends are kinda naked... maybe it's the angle... the railbox car looks like the beginnings of a nicely rusted car... i think if you went back over it and faded the lettering and herald then added a few gouges and pits and maybe a patch here and there, it would be just right... but then again, i like stuff abused...

i mentioned it in my 'hello' to the guage, but have you checked out www.modeltrainsweathered.com ? i know it's been mentioned here a few times... i'm basically a product of mtw... i found that place, read all i could and took bits and pieces and worked things out for myself and here i am... check it out... there's some great weathering going on over there... and they love helping people out...


jeremy
 

MilesWestern

Active Member
Sep 20, 2005
1,800
0
36
34
CA
protopaintwest.googlepages.com
Jeremy,

I love MTW, it's such a good site, but I made an Account, but even after verifying my account, I cannot log on! :(
I agree with you on the Railbox, and I just realized that the ends of the UPFE aren't even weathered yet! :rolleyes:

I managed to finish off another UP car, the photos will come sometime soon.

Thanks so much! :)

Keep an eye on this thread for more progress Jeremy, and all you Gaugers out there too! sign1

I should have 10+ more items in this thread by Thursday! :eek: Stay tuned.
 

elogger

New Member
Mar 23, 2007
10
0
1
47
hey miles,

try to send rich, the creator and administrator an email specifying your problem... i know he's had a problem with spammers lately and the problem may have something to do with that...


good luck on the rest of your cars... i'll be watching for em


jeremy
 
N

nachoman

Nice work, Miles. I am curious what you used for the tagging on the side of the car.

kevin
 

Gary S.

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2005
1,576
0
36
Texas
Great cars.

I also like the MTW site, what fantastic work they do over there, absolutely amazing. I wish I had the time and desire to do weathering that well. There are just so many aspects to this hobby, and to my goal of having an operating layout, I just can't spend the time required to do such beautiful weathering. My weathering consists: sit down with 4 or 5 cars, put on a wash or 2 or 3 to get a faded dirty look, then maybe some rust colored paint here or there, some darker gunk for grease and grime, then powders to blend things in or cover any mistakes, then a shot of dullcoat.

Still, you guys that do the fantastically realistic weathering make me think "WOW AMAZING!"
 

pfs

New Member
Mar 22, 2007
40
0
6
59
DETROIT
elogger said:
hey miles,

try to send rich, the creator and administrator an email specifying your problem... i know he's had a problem with spammers lately and the problem may have something to do with that...



jeremy


I had the same prob with signup, figured they had some internal issues. Will have to try again.
 

elogger

New Member
Mar 23, 2007
10
0
1
47
hey guys...

if you'd like to get in to MTW, when the username/password prompt comes up, enter mtw for the username and enter for the password... all lowercase... once inside, you can register... rich had a problem a few months back and had to go back through and reregister every member...



jeremy