Here's a great weathering technique that I just read in the Daily Moose.
UNCLE FRANK'S BACK ALLEY CHAT
by Frank Bernard , Long Island, NY
How many times have you wanted to create those wonderfully rusted, crusted detail castings? You keep trying, but no dice. Here is my foolproof (I think so) technique that I use. It is not totally my original idea but rather a collection of pieces from other well known modelers. Here it goes:
1) Prime the castings with Floquil Concrete.
2) After they have dried for at least a week, spray them with Dullcote.
3) Immediately drop them in a bag or container filled with Rottenstone and
shake them around. Rottenstone is a product that is used by furniture
refinishers. It can be found at hardware stores. Here is a link to an
online provider.
http://www.cheyennesales.com/catalog/behpumice.htm
4) Take them out and let them dry (about ½ hour).
5) Brush off the excess Rottenstone.
6) Then use a thin wash of rust colored acrylic paints on the casting. (Lane Stewart from the Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette used oil paints. I will try this too.)
7) While the castings are wet, put on more of the Rottenstone by loading a paint brush and tapping it to have the Rottenstone fall onto
the surface.
8) Once dry, again brush off the excess.
9) Keep repeating this process until satisfied with the build-up.
10) Next it is time to use the paint pigments. The pigments are
from the Sennelier company. You can find them at most good art supply stores (Pearl Art is a good one.) The colors that I used are Raw Sienna and Burnt Umber. Get some
wet water and dip a paint brush in the water then into the pigment and brush
it onto the casting.
11) Do this several times building up the layers of color.
12) Finally, give the castings a good dose of ink wash (2 teaspoons to a pint).
13) As a final touch, dry brush the casting lightly with antique white paint.
It sure seems like a lot of work, but I like it. The technique is basically
building up texture then building up color.
