Soft Pastels?

[macjet]

I recently bought some soft pastels. Are these the same as oil pastels?

I guess I should have paid more attention back in art class.

 

[jbaakko]

Not that I know of. Oil pastels have linseed oil in them, IIRC. Its been ~12 years since my last organized art class.

 

[macjet]

Shoot. The pastels that I bought were earth tones and gray tones. Perfect colors for weathering. I guess I'll have to try to locate the same colors in oil pastels. Hobby Lobby mostly had rainbow colors in oil.

 

[MilesWestern]

Yuck..Why are you using oil pastels for weathering?! I've experimented over the years with them and wasn't satisfied with them at all. Have you tried the weathering powders by Bragdon or Bar Mills? Astoundingly better.

 

[macjet]

Yuck..Why are you using oil pastels for weathering?! I've experimented over the years with them and wasn't satisfied with them at all. Have you tried the weathering powders by Bragdon or Bar Mills? Astoundingly better.

I have seen the weathering powders (manufacturer unknown) at the LHS. I have not tried them yet.

I was after oil pastels based upon the book Basic Painting and Weathering. However, I'm all ears if there are better options. I have about 70 cars to do and I'd much rather do them right.

 

[UP2CSX]

Oil pastels have their place if you want built up weathering on rolling stock. Examples might be asphalt built up around the dome of an asphalt tank car or heavy rust built up around a torn seam in a boxcar. However, artist's chalks are much better for general weathering. You can find them at craft and art supply stores in almost every color imaginable. The weather powders solf for modeling also work well but they are expensive and you can achieve the same adhesive result by spraying the work with dull-cote before you use the chalks. I've been using artist's chalks for many years with good results.

 

[MilesWestern]

The nice thing about any brand that's specially formulated for modeling is that they're self-adhesive, and most of the powder sticks to the model, and doesn't blow away with your application of dullcote.

Make sure to dullcote the car first so the powder has something to grab onto.

Then apply where you want it. You can also make it stick even better by mixing it with 70% rubbing alcohol and applying it where it is needed.

Use a small brush.

ALWAYS WORK FROM PROTOTYPE PHOTOGRAPHS.

Also, if you're skilled, you can work VERY well with the craft acryllic paints.

Visit www.modeltrainsweathered.com and poke around, there's plenty to learn. That's where I learned how to weather, and their feedback was ULTRA-helpful. They'll tell you outright whether it's crap or a masterpiece. In addition to telling you that, they also suggest improvements that you probably hadn't even thought of, which is always good.

 

[macjet]

...artist's chalks...

Are these sticks or powders?

 

[macjet]

Visit www.modeltrainsweathered.com and poke around,

I've been over there looking around. I figured that I'd ask such a stupid question here first among friends.

 

[UP2CSX]

Mac, they come in sticks. You can shave them into powder easily using a dull exacto knife and then use a brush or even your finger to apply them. If you have a Michael's near you, get a set like those at http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=fa0399. Anything that has the consistency of blackboard chalk will work.

 

[macjet]

Mac, they come in sticks. You can shave them into powder easily using a dull exacto knife and then use a brush or even your finger to apply them. If you have a Michael's near you, get a set like those at http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=fa0399. Anything that has the consistency of blackboard chalk will work.

Cool. I've got one down the road. It looks like I actually have a reason to go in there now.