Using chalk to weather?


The powders should last forever, unless somehow they get damp and harden. Even then you could still grind them up and use them. I looked around for a cheap mortar and pestle at yard sales. Found one for a dollar and use it all the time for grinding up my chalk. Works better than anything I have found.
 
This is exactly the product that I bought:

http://www.michaels.com/10121980.html#q=artist+pastel&start=1

It is $4.99 and has every color you could possibly need. I have some 300 grit sandpaper (with the no-slide backing used on drywall) that I put on the table. Rub the pastel on the sandpaper and then use it from there. Sometimes I will use multiple colors in the same small area and use a big fluffy paint brush to mix and apply, Q-Tips where extra application is desired.

The reason I purchased the actual pastels was because of a conversation with an employee at Michael's. She seemed to have a wealth of knowledge about art supplies and suggested that instead of paying a lot for chalk that is already ground up, buy the solid pieces. They take up less space, don't need individual plastic containers, and can be used a little or a lot at a time. Oh, and of course the price was right.

Alas, the choice is yours. My method is anything but the best method!
 
bklynman01

Thanks for the link and this is fortuitous as I am going down to a place that just happens to have a Michaels this afternoon. The price is definitely right too :)
 
I am tempted to get the powders, if for no other reason than the fact that they are already "powder". The ones I was looking at come in (what appear to be) little plastic boxes but I think I would be inclined to get glass jars as well, should I eventually buy the powder.
 
Tony,
I experimented with weathering when I first started MRR.
I tried artist calks, I could never get them to a fine powder and I could not get hem to stick very well.
The sticking may have been because I could not get them to a fine powder.

I purchased from Bragdon and they worked very well.
Mine are in a little plastic case and after a year they do not appear to be hardening any.

I did fine the a few different sizes of paint brushes helps.

I also washed a few to remove a few mistakes.
 
Tony, I used a mix of weathering techniques. Here's a couple ideas that you can use along with chalks. 1. India ink wash (1 large container of 91% rubbing alcohol mixed with a table spoon of India ink) 2. Acrylic paints thinned with water and a drop of dish soap so there isn't any surface tension when the wash is applied 3. Stipple acrylic paints on with a paint brush (for rusty roofs or rust spots on cars). And there's always chalks. To make them stick you can mix them with dull coat. That way they don't get blown off during the sealing process.
 
When I weather a car or engine it typically goes like this.
Apply India ink wash, seal with krylon matte finish, apply earth tone acrylic wash, seal with matte finish, apply any rust, seal again, apply any graffiti, apply more weathering, seal again. Paint the trucks and wheels multiple times and seal between layers. What you wanna do is build up layers of paint just like the cars ( or buildings) build up layers of weathering through time. It may take a couple days of work to complete one car, building etc but the end product is worth it. And the great thing about washes is that they are easy to remove if you're not happy with the result. Once the layer is sealed things become more dicey but still doable. I actually just stripped a Milwaukee road covered hopper because I'm not happy with how it turned out.
 
Thanks for the tips and guide to weathering or techniques that you guys use. I mainly want to weather structures BUT will also do engines, rolling stock and cars in due course.
 
Are the Bragdon users using dedicated brushes, one per color, or do they wash brushes between uses, or just let the colors blend some?

I just bought the 12 color box and will be trying it soon, on plastic rolling stock first, probably, then on my wood craftsman kits (La Belle, Main Line, etc).

-thanks
 
I have tried chalks, but all but the black chalk more or less disappear after applying a clear flat finish. I still use black chalk to give the appearance of soot washing down the side of a freight car. After that I use an air brush to apply a light dusting of "mud" along th bottom of the car. I usually just give a light weathering to my freight cars.

IMAG0265.jpg
 
I used a color called "mud" from Floquil, which is now out of business. I found another "mud" color, but any light tan color would probably work. Just a light dusting along the bottom of the car, from the bottom with an air brush.

Here's another photo with a bit more of the mud on it.

IMAG0262.jpg
 
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