methodologies to draw upon when col- oring our models, and full strength one-color paint is only one of them. Yes, a few buildings, cars, and even locomo- tives occasionally receive a fresh coat of paint and therefore shine like a new penny. I am not saying that everything should be muted and dull, I am preach- ing variety here, and not any sort of uniformity in either direction. A bright new item or two will add to the sought- after variety. A wash of a light (and I mean very light) mix of india ink and alcohol will tone down the garish na- ture of a lot of paints.
It is also a good idea to make your-
self aware of the gloss levels of certain brands of paint, and make sure your models don’t all look like a new Chevy. Another way to kill that new-car gloss, is with chalks. There are so many available today, and in almost as many colors as the paint itself. Scrub a little chalk dust of a similar color onto the model, and don’t be too worried about uniformity. Mother Nature makes sure that uniformity is a temporary state of affairs. Subtle differences in hue will make most models appear more natu- ral, as having been exposed to sun, wind, and precipitation of all sorts. Another way to tone things down a bit is dry-brushing, which is exactly what the term implies. I suppose it should really be called almost dry- brushing. Load up the brush with some wet color, and brush it onto a scrap of some kind, and when there is almost no paint being transferred, apply it gently; then not-so-gently, to the model. Repeat
as needed to build up the desired result. My modeling clothes happen to reflect a wide variety of dry-brushing maneu- vers, which used to aggravate the day- lights out of my fastidious spouse. She has since come to accept that messy work makes for messy apparel, and has a few amazing articles of clothing of her own. Some of my jeans are a living his- tory of my model work. Paints can easily be made into stains simply by thinning them and allowing the texture of the under-surface to show through. That under-surface can be fun to create. Brick and masonry are, by their nature, fairly rough. Just plain paint often obscures the subtle texture of the surface, and leaves less than satisfying results. These textured surfaces are perfect examples of what not to paint.
Any time I am unsure of how a stain will affect a model I try it out on a scrap of the same material. If the wall is wood, I often try the color on an in- side wall, where it will not be seen. It is usually wise to start with very thin washes and build up to the final de- sired effect. Often, stains dry to a dif- ferent shade than when seen wet. Al- low that test sample to dry before you make a final judgement and you start slathering it all over the model. You may be very disappointed if
it dries
darker. It is difficult to lighten a too- dark surface, but it can (sort of) be done. I use the airbrush to mist a fine light gray over a too-dark surface. This means a really fine mist! The mist will take several passes to even be noticed
as a change in color. You want to kind of “sneak up on it” here. Believe me, it is easier to start light and gently dark- en things down than the other way around. I use alcohol as much as possi- ble for both water-based paints, and in- dia inks. I use the plural for inks since they now come in a wide variety of col- ors. The beauty of thinning with alco- hol is that you do not have to wait long for the “dry” results. Where wood is in- volved, the alcohol will not raise the grain in the objectionable way that wa- ter would.
When using a solvent based paint product, I use the recommended thin- ner but with the ventilation provided by the spray booth exhaust. Believe me, these solvents are nothing to mess with and prolonged or not so prolonged exposure could cost you your life. Be safe, and work with good ventilation if you even suspect that something you’re using smells dangerous. Better safe, and a little inconvenienced, than expedient and sorry!
Not all wooden buildings are clean pristine examples of the carpenter’s art. And to you narrow gaugers out there, not all wooden buildings are so dilapi- dated, weathered and rotten and in im- minent danger of collapse. There is a middle ground to be aimed at by all of us. I like to do a little board-by-board construction once in a while and my lay- out(s) all sport a variety of sheds and shacks. (Hey, that’s a great title for a col- umn.) If I get really crazy, or just feel overly ambitious, I distress each board one at a time before applying it to the model. Now, I will be the first to admit that this is a little “out there,” until that model sits two inches from the edge of the layout. Then the model is placed at the base of the basement stairs, and it’s the first thing visitors see.
Micro-Mark makes a motor tool at-
A nice way to get a variety of shades on a stained or painted surface is to follow up the initial application with a dusting of colored chalks. Working a bit of chalk dust into the metal siding (above) can break up the uniform look of paint and provide a more natural, interesting appearance. Chalks can give the siding a corroded and aged look.
RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN
tachment called a “Typhoon” which can really do a number on stripwood. For this task I have mounted it in a file handle and drag it gently across the strip of wood. Don’t play too rough here, as it will create a lot of very un- realistic burrs to deal with. I have even used the Typhoon on sheetwood with good effect. Here again, go gently and work up to the desired effect. To use it motorized would render nothing but sawdust. Scrape in the grain by hand here, folks. The edge of a hobby knife blade can also scratch minor grain into wood or styrene, and a pin vise with a small bit will create a few nice open knotholes. Scribe the grain around the hole. Next month, we will continue to ex- plore textures and colors in a little more depth. I am certainly going to put “sheds and shacks” on the title list.
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