In Rust we Trust...

[Henri]

Ok all you 'it is so easy' people...

How can you tone down matt/satin black so it doesn't get your focus so much? I just almost finished my second wagon and the chassis is so uber clean in satin black..!
It doesn't have to look like the remains of the Titanic, I just want to loose the 'brand spankin' new' look...

My idea is to give it a 'brownish' wash and maybe add some pigment powder here and there? Any experienced guidelines?

And yes I have some old rolling stock to experiment!

 

[musket the dog]

Too late now I appreciate but for some wagon and loco frames I have used car body under sealer. It has a rougher texture than the usual satin or matte paints and too my eyes gives just enough difference between the usual satin black I used to look like the sort of hard wearing paints (that I think) would be used on the exposed metal work. It is thicker though and might cover fine detail.

For toning down an existing frame dry brushing might be an easier approach. I've found that it's usually a bit too tight to use my usual dab and wipe method. Load up the brush with a dirty colour and then using a paper towel, remove the vast majority of the paint from the brush. Then go over the model with the brush. It isn't kind to the brushes so make sure it's an old/cheap one that you won't mind ruining the bristles on. I've found that it's easy to overestimate just how much paint is actually still in the brush, it takes a few tries to get used to it.

Depending on how far you want to go a mixture of dry brushing and a wash might work well. Dry brushing a rust colour into the iron work and details, there the relief in the parts will catch some of the paint from the brush. Then giving a general dirty wash over then under frame to get the toning down.

I found the following video quite a useful guide, there's a part 2 as well. Weathering garden railway stock

Sorry if I'm just repeating what you already know Henri, good luck

 

[SevenOfDiamonds]

I just want to loose the 'brand spankin' new' look

My method is to spray the chassis with matt black, followed immediately with a 'misting' of earth brown. By 'misting' I mean hold the spray can further away than normal, aim high, and just let small amount of the brown paint land on the wet black paint on the chassis. You can vary the amount of brown paint that lands to give anything from a light discolouration right up to a heavy weathering. i don't think I have any pictures . . . but could probably take some if you are interested.

all the best

David

 

[musket the dog]

All of my G gauge stock is locked away at my parent's house, but I dug these two of my early attempts out. They both started out as the same shade of bright(ish) matte drab green. I might have gone a little far with the one on the right, especially on the frame. The important part to me is that neither look brand new any more.

I find that the smaller scale punishes my mistakes far worse than the garden stuff does.

 

[dunnyrail]

One method that requires a Spray gun or can is ”bounce weathering ”. Essentially what you do is bounce the spray off the workbench at is attaches to the lower part of the subject. In your case the chassis, perhaps best. Done with the chassis off the body in your case and try it out on say a piece of card bent to represent the under frame and the body overhang. This should give you confidence that you can do it without wasting a complete repaint.

 

[ntpntpntp]

For just a light treatment I would use weathering powders.

If you want to go a bit further how about real rust, using a product such as Scenic Rust which uses iron particles "developed" using an acidic fluid. This wagon had a simple satin black base coat on the underframe, then the Scenic Rust applied and left to do its magic for a day or so.

 

[Henri]

Whooo the drama!!! Wonderful!