Help With Aging Structures

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planeshavings42

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Apr 13, 2002
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heirloomfurnitureworks.0catch.com
Hi all, I've been building structures for my layout, but everything looks "TOO NEW.." Does anyone have ideas on how to AGE these structures, I've seen pics of many of your layouts, and they look much more realistic. I tried over spraying one building with a red primer paint, but it ruined it, and I had to paint it over... Any ideas would be appreciated.... Thanx in advance:D :D
 
Hi,
I tend to use chaulks to weather my structures. I use a little water and dry brush the colours.

If you are using wood type structures, then the best idea would be to stain them with wood dye first then use the chaulks.
Shamus
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Hi Duey, Something that will really help you to get the feel of how buildings age is to actually go out and just look at some and maybe make some photos of the aging effects that you want to accomplish on your models. Even new brick buildings and their trim "fade down" very shortly. Like Shamus I like to use chalks and I sometimes just add some white to the paint when I'm painting them to "tone down" the colors. Staining rather than painting wood structures also leads to a weatherd look. You can make any color a stain just by adding about 50 % thinner to your paint. Another thing that will almost instantly give a building a weathered look is to simply apply a "black wash" to it. I like to use thinned India Ink to do this. Also many of the model railroad books on scenery have some really good tips on weathering and aging buildings. Don't be afraid to experiment with this aspect of painting with whatever comes to mind and you will be surprised at the great results. Hope this helped...:)
 
I, like Shamus, mostly use chalks, find them easy to work with and slowly build up the ageing, I also use some acrillic paints that go by ceramacoat, mostly ivory and earth colors,dry brush these on. For a final application I use real chalk, the stuff that schools use on blackboards. Remember to go lightly and work up to what you want. Ron.
 
To elaborate on the wash thing: You can dilute the ink with water or alcohol. You can also use balck or 50/50 black/brown water based paint diluted in water. 20 or 30 drops of ink or 2 or 3 mL of paint in a spray bottle should do. If you go with water, it comes out nicer if you add a few drops of dish soap. The advantage of water/paint/soap, is that it's reversable. You just take it the sink and wrinse it off if you don't like it. More on the wash and other paint based techniques can be found on the How to Weather Little Johny's Trains thread. Toward the end of the thread is an old time wooden framed tanker, and I used an ink wash on it. I prefer ink on wood. Much of hte train weatherin should work for buildings. I would apply (drip? or chalk?) some white streaks down from windows, light gray may from gutters and roof corners, and after locking it in with some dull coat, do a black or browen/black wash.
 
THANK'S AGAIN

Hi Shamus, Vic, Farmer Ron, and Jon Monon, Thanx again for some great help, All of my buildings are plastic, I'm going to get some chalk today, does anyone know if the dull coat ruin the plastic window glass already installed in the buildings???

I will post some pics when I have a coupla buildings weathered...thanx again.....
 
I dunno if you would call them ruined, fixed, or just dirty, but this is what the windows look like after a black washand a dullcoat. They were crystall clear new windows before the treatment. Probably not goos on a home, but probably is good on a factory.
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Hi Duey!
It looks like you've already gotten some good advice here...All I would add is to startwith something real simple, like a coat of Dullcote, & then a thin wash, like Jon described...also, I like to use washes that contrast with the color of the model...for instance, if it's a light colored structure, us e a black, or dark brown wash...if the building is of a darker color, go with a white, or tan color wash.
 
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