WEATHERING LOCOMOTIVES WITH OIL PAINTS

QI’ve seen tubes of oil paints employed by military modellers for creating weathering effects. Is it possible to use them on trains? Oliver Hall, by e-mail

George says: Many types of paint can be harnessed for weathering work, with different formulas offering a variety of benefits. Artists’ oil paints provide a variety of suitable earthy tones and good quality versions boast long shelf-lives and slow drying times – which can be both a good and a bad thing! Slow-drying paints allow for greater flexibility, in terms of manipulation after application, as well as greater ease of removal if the results are not satisfactory. The paints also stay usable for longer, when decanted onto a mixing palette, hence why they’ve been popular with artists for centuries. Personally, I prefer using oil paints aimed specifically at modellers as drying times are more appropriate for our needs (hours rather than days). Furthermore, it’s easier to choose appropriate shades, as they’re formulated with weathering in mind. Oils from Abteilung and AK Interactive are my favourites. Choosing the right thinners is important. White spirit or turpentine can be used, but much depends on the quality of these solvents. Instead, I tend to use Abteilung’s Fast Dry and Matt Effect thinners (pictured below). Their intended use is self-evident and they dry cleanly, without leaving any unpleasant oily residues. They’re also completely safe for use on plastic models and painted finishes. When using oils, a little paint goes a long way. They can be applied in various ways, either thinning them in a mixing jar and applying like a regular paint or thin weathering wash or, as shown here, in a slightly unorthodox manner. As well as employing the more obvious ‘dirty’ brown tones, adding light and medium grey shades creates a faded effect, for a more lived-in appearance.

Tubes of oil paints are available from art stores, but those branded for modelling use, from AK Interactive, Abteilung and Wilder, offer faster drying times and a more realistic matt finish.

Dip a flat brush into an appropriate thinner and run in vertical strokes over the oil paints. This creates an interesting array of streaking effects. Go easy on the thinners to avoid flooding the surface.

With cotton swabs, wipe away the excess paint and thinners, again using vertical strokes to mimic the actions of gravity. Leave some of the ‘dirty’ shades around rivet heads and within any recesses.

On a small area, place a little of each paint into key areas of the model. Grey shades in the centre of panels will create highlights, while brown and darker colours around the edges will inject shading and trapped dirt.

Allow the surface to dry for a few minutes before deciding whether to remove more of the paints (with a little extra thinners), or to repeat the exercise if the model looks too clean. When happy, move on to the next area.