How to weather a Black Diesel?

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F

Frans4045

New Member
Today I bought an Athearn SD40-2 with a High hood from Norfolk Southern.
Those locomotives are black...
Here is a picture:
NW1626.jpg



What I want is to bring out the detail and make it look used. Used and weathered to about the same extent as my other two locomotives, of which I posted the results in this section of the forum earlier this week.

The total utter black of the model hides a lot of detail!
Since it is black it is kinda pointless to give it a dark wash to highlight the sunken detail isn't it?

So... therefore I am a bit baffled. I do not know exactly how to approach this.
-Do I airbrush the entire model with a diluted white wash and then dull coat?
-Or dry brush the model with a neutral or other gray?
-Lightly white chalk?

It would be great if you have suggestions, share experience, know links with pictures..Anything regarding weathering dark colored diesel locomotives.

Thanks in advance,

Frans
 
And what about diluted neutral gray and apply that into the sunken details first and then a dark gray chalk on the rest of the surfaces? Then dull coat to seal.
Would that work?
 


Frans, do you have an airbrush? This is a model I weathered for a friend using an airbrush and thinned rust, grimey black and dust.

100_2666.jpg


100_2665.jpg
 
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you can try a few options.

First would be to use powders. you take a small brush and rub the powder into the shell. the powders tend to stick around raised details. Then seal coat the engine when your done

the other is to use an airbrush.. I would try using some flat black to get that faded look. then use some light gray and brown on the trucks.

you could use a paint brush also but IMO you wont get that even weathering look very easy.

Trent
 
Black locomotives are one of the few items that I actually like using Floquil Dust. :) Spray it on with only about 20% thinner. Hit the top and trucks heavier and lighter on the sides. It will bring out the detail on the black paint and make the whole engine looked used but abused.
 
I use chalks almost exclusively on black engines, including my steam engines. Black is unforgiving should you make a mistake. The error sticks out like a sore thumb. I follow up by using DullCoat.

PS. The better half is still looking for her eye shadow applicator.

Bob
 
Dull coat or flat finish first! Most chalks, weathering powers, and even washes won't adhere well to glossy surfaces. Even Bragdon's with their mix of adhesive & pigment do better over a surface with some profile. For beginners, chalks & watercolors are the best. If you don't like what you've done...off to the kitchen sink! If all you want to do is pop the detail, a coat of flat finish & a little dust will do nicely.
 


Unless I am weather a black engine heavily, I only "seal" the chalks after applying them. If a car or engine is to be "heavily" weather, I use the air brush.

Bob
 
Hi Guys!!!

You are great! Thank you so much for all your tips and hints. It confirmed my gut feeling of how to approach this project.
Thanks too for even taking the time and making the effort of replying with beautiful pictures! Wow!

I guess that all the techniques you suggested would work fine, provided they are used correctly.
Yesterday after reading all your replies I gathered enough courage to give it a go, thanks to you.
I felt the most "safe" with applying a darker to neutral gray chalk of pastels. Simply mixed black with a bit of white powder.
I tried to distribute it as evenly as possible, but that is of course hard to do. It did not worry me too much, because I figured it only adds somewhat to realism.
Well, to my surprise after I sealed the chalk with dull coat it dried up very evenly! And sure enough, what I had wanted to achieve was there.
The locomotive now looked dull/matt dark gray, totally ready for the rest of the weathering phases.
I then proceeded to dry brush a lighter gray Humbrol enamel paint on the risen detail parts.
I clutzed around a bit here and there, but I think I can correct it later with some dirt and dust chalks...or something...(I do not have a complete plan as you can see :-)

Anyway, here are the pictures I took. They are not the best quality because of the camera and it was not a bright sunny day here in Oregon.
NB: I have done NOTHING yet to anything under the "deck". The trucks and tanks etc are untouched and are in the same shape as they were when I opened the box.

SD40highcab.jpg


SD40highcab3.jpg


SD40highcab2.jpg
 
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Thanks Stationmaster!
I hope to get the underside, trucks and tanks as close to what Wheeler1963 did to his friend's locomotive...I can only hope, cause he did a REALLY nice job!
 
Looks good Frans. It really brought out the details. I'm looking forward to seeing it when the trucks and underbelly have been weathered.
 
Good job. The engine looks faded and dusty without looking like it's been in a wreck. Chalks can do a really good job once you get used to using them. The trucks and fuel tank can be a lot more weathered, just like the ones on your UP unit. It will be a nice looking engine when you're done.
 


wheeler1963 said:
Frans, do you have an airbrush? This is a model I weathered for a friend using an airbrush and thinned rust, grimey black and dust.

100_2666.jpg


100_2665.jpg
Click to expand...

Is it safe to spray the trucks or are they disassembled before spraying?
I've considered weathering a loco or 2 but am afraid of gumming up the pickups.
 
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