I had the same problem, BEFORE I discovered ARTIST'S CRAYONS and MICROBRUSHES.
I had heard about artist's crayons long ago, before I even considered weathering. "Oh, they work great on weathering!" they'd all say, but, ney, I said. I was reluctant to try them, but now that I have, it has kicked my weathering up to a new level.
Microbrushes I knew about long before. I used them, and liked the results they gave.
Here's a few tips on making sure your corners are nice and grime-filled:
The result with artist's crayons:
(Note the rust/grime in the crevices)
The result with paint/microbrushes:
(Note the rusty color along the ribs of the roof)
Note: Appalachian Weathering and Modelworks is not liable for any bad weathering job of any piece of a Model Railroad from reading our tutorials.


I had heard about artist's crayons long ago, before I even considered weathering. "Oh, they work great on weathering!" they'd all say, but, ney, I said. I was reluctant to try them, but now that I have, it has kicked my weathering up to a new level.
Microbrushes I knew about long before. I used them, and liked the results they gave.
Here's a few tips on making sure your corners are nice and grime-filled:
With Artist's Crayons:
For Corners:
- Sharpen your artist's crayon, as instructed on its package.
- Take the crayon in your hand, as you would any writing utensil.
- Put it in the corner as far as you can, and mark.
For Ribs:
With Microbrushes:
- Do step one as said above.
- Do step two as said above.
- Take your artist's crayon and push it as far against the rib as possible.
- Start from the top, making a mark as you go.
- Take a wet paper towel and wipe away the excess.
With Microbrushes:
For Corners
- Take your microbrush and wet it.
- Dip it in the color of choice.
- With a steady hand, take your microbrush and add the paint to the desired corner.
For Ribs
- Do step one as said above.
- Do step two as said above.
- With a steady hand, take the brush and "paint" along the side/angle of the rib. This should leave the color of your choice in that slot, giving it the effect of dirt/grime/rust collecting in the corners and crevices.
The result with artist's crayons:
(Note the rust/grime in the crevices)
The result with paint/microbrushes:
(Note the rusty color along the ribs of the roof)
Note: Appalachian Weathering and Modelworks is not liable for any bad weathering job of any piece of a Model Railroad from reading our tutorials.