Not many railroad modellers mention military-modelling techniques. Glad to see someone passing along military modeling's fantastic techniques to the railroad world.
Because I returned to model railroading after having spent many years in tabletop wargaming & sci-fi models, I've picked up a lot of tips and tricks along the way. I like to pull from as many genres as I can. The upcoming salt-chipping technique is of particular interest amongst car modelers who like to make rat rods or junker vehicles. That'll be up in a few weeks.
@@JCsRiptrack since most railroad cars are prepainted, and some rather well, useful shading and fading falls on washes and filters, and the oils technique here. You might mention the reason for the oils on the cardboard, drawing out oil to speed drying. Otherwise it can become a mess. If you did, I apologize. Keep it up, it's time for train modelers to move past just powders. When I was a kid, in the 70s, all I knew about weathering was a bottle of Pactra paint called "Weather" which was essentially a clear medium with chunks in it. It sort of made your Jeep look dirty, and I thought it was the height of realism. Haha. Now, the sky's the limit.
I can't remember if I did mention the specific reasons for oils on cardboard. I have to do that when using the Winsor Newton Oils, but the Abteilung 502 specialized oils don't have the same issue.
I think this will be just what I needed. I was just gonna use gray Vallejo primer and paint black over it. Will be ordering black Stynylrez primer now. Thanks John!
Bare (undecorated) plastic seems to have a knack (at least for me) of picking up (oily) fingerprints, and also seem to (electro-staticly?) grab onto lint and dust.. So in the 'Preparation' stage I usually give the model a bath, and then handle the model with gloves until after the primer dries. After that, fingerprints are less an issue, and dust/lint blows (or brushes) off easily. I'm eager to see the results of your preshading in the upcoming videos.
It may not be to everyone's taste, but it does add some visual interest, especially since I am experimenting with the Colour Modulation style with the Husky Stacks.... I'll make sure to take some stills this time!
I should also mention that TP's advice here is solid. Yes, clean your models. Undecorated locomotives especially can be a little greasy out of the box given the lubrication on the mechanism. Soap and warm water is a really good idea as part of the prep phase.
Black primer is definitely the way to go. Even a white primer on the interior will let the light through. One additional trick is to put black primer on first, and then paint the interior white (or some other colour) so that it helps reflect the light out the windows.
I'm thinking that a video on preparing for repainting models is a good idea. There is merit to the discussion as to how necessary stripping actually is. Modern paint is pretty thin, and Kato is very difficult to strip.
Hi John Happy new year! I used to use the Tamiya primer, but at over $11.00 for a 6 oz. can it starts to add up. I tried the Badger Stynylrez Primer and it is a winner. that's all i use now. Doing undecorated rolling stock is the top thing in the hobby for me. love making the decals and making my own color, and weathered cars. Very much looking forward to your up coming videos on this topic.
Do you have a video on re-painting or weathering over a store bought, plastic, built up rr building....for example, buying a WoodlandScenics building and then repainting or weathering it to look old. Thanks
I'm repainting a die cast steam locomotive like an excursion engine with a black boiler and gray smokebox and firebox. As it stands now the engine is a very dark PRR Tuscan green. What color primer should I use and should I put another layer of black model paint over it if I end up using black primer?
For what you're doing, black primer is probably your best choice. In terms of using another layer of black paint, I'd say only if necessary. You don't want your layers of paint too thick, and if the basic black from the primer is doing its job, then great. Some black primers are more like a very dark grey, and in that case you might need to depending on how black you want your black to look. Also, most primers are a matte finish, or at best satin. You'd need a gloss clear coat later on if you want anything shiny. My usual rule is that unless you're going to be painting brighter colours like red, orange, yellow, or a brighter shade of blue, black primer is my default.
How do you feel about using rattlecan paint from Lowe's like krylon fusion k have used it in the past and it seams to work well but it helps to give the can a bath in hot water to bring up the temperature of the paint and helps it flow better and finer
I've not tried the Krylon. I have used various types of automotive primers, particularly a brand called Duplicolor Black Sandable Primer when I have worked with my miniatures. Privateer Press' own brand of primer is very similar to this. The main thing is that they're the non-filler primers, otherwise they could cover up all kinds of detail. Best thing to do is experiment. :)
Hi John, picking up on your box car pre-shading, I noticed that you covered the whole roof in black primer on top of white primer, could you just have painted the roof black to begin with? Cheers, Mark
I could have, yes, but since I often use spray cans for a base primer, I’m used to doing a complete base coat first before adding a shading layer. Since I was going to add a metallic colour to the roof, black is a better primer colour for it, hence this kind of a hybrid of two primer layers.
Hi APJ, with a few exceptions, most of the techniques I set out in the Weathering Basics playlist are non-airbrush techniques. th-cam.com/play/PLxNYoknHPrDqei3e2M7SlN3xfnzh4cDW1.html The fading video, for example, is specifically a non-airbrush technique (th-cam.com/video/B11mAJGwt7I/w-d-xo.html). Where I do make use of airbrushes in weathering is mostly to apply clear coats, which can be handled using spray cans. For painting models, you can use spray cans (especially for primer), and then use paint spray cans to lay down a thin first coat. The airbrush is needed when you want some greater fine control for painting models, but is optional for almost anything else. I hope that helps!
What is your experience of painting your own models? What have you found that works? What doesn't?
Great video, will check out your other videos too thanks!
Awesome, thank you!
Not many railroad modellers mention military-modelling techniques. Glad to see someone passing along military modeling's fantastic techniques to the railroad world.
Because I returned to model railroading after having spent many years in tabletop wargaming & sci-fi models, I've picked up a lot of tips and tricks along the way. I like to pull from as many genres as I can. The upcoming salt-chipping technique is of particular interest amongst car modelers who like to make rat rods or junker vehicles. That'll be up in a few weeks.
@@JCsRiptrack since most railroad cars are prepainted, and some rather well, useful shading and fading falls on washes and filters, and the oils technique here. You might mention the reason for the oils on the cardboard, drawing out oil to speed drying. Otherwise it can become a mess. If you did, I apologize. Keep it up, it's time for train modelers to move past just powders. When I was a kid, in the 70s, all I knew about weathering was a bottle of Pactra paint called "Weather" which was essentially a clear medium with chunks in it. It sort of made your Jeep look dirty, and I thought it was the height of realism. Haha. Now, the sky's the limit.
I can't remember if I did mention the specific reasons for oils on cardboard. I have to do that when using the Winsor Newton Oils, but the Abteilung 502 specialized oils don't have the same issue.
This was the exact video I was looking for my projects as well as for my clients. Very informative, entertaining and you make it easy JC! Keep it up!
Thanks! Glad you found it helpful, and that it was timely. Always good to be sharing and exchanging ideas. :)
I think this will be just what I needed. I was just gonna use gray Vallejo primer and paint black over it. Will be ordering black Stynylrez primer now. Thanks John!
Vallejo does make black primers as well, but I've been quite impressed with the Stynylrez Primers.
Oh man, you deserve much more subscribers! Keep it up!
+Guillermo Cruz Thanks! I’m still a pretty new channel. Feel free to share this. :)
Bare (undecorated) plastic seems to have a knack (at least for me) of picking up (oily) fingerprints, and also seem to (electro-staticly?) grab onto lint and dust.. So in the 'Preparation' stage I usually give the model a bath, and then handle the model with gloves until after the primer dries. After that, fingerprints are less an issue, and dust/lint blows (or brushes) off easily.
I'm eager to see the results of your preshading in the upcoming videos.
It may not be to everyone's taste, but it does add some visual interest, especially since I am experimenting with the Colour Modulation style with the Husky Stacks.... I'll make sure to take some stills this time!
I should also mention that TP's advice here is solid. Yes, clean your models. Undecorated locomotives especially can be a little greasy out of the box given the lubrication on the mechanism. Soap and warm water is a really good idea as part of the prep phase.
Hey John, excellent video! Always wanted to know how to make buildings more opaque so that I could use LED lighting in individual rooms. Thank you!
Black primer is definitely the way to go. Even a white primer on the interior will let the light through. One additional trick is to put black primer on first, and then paint the interior white (or some other colour) so that it helps reflect the light out the windows.
I wish there were more undecorated cars, I usually have to strip them first then paint them.
I'm thinking that a video on preparing for repainting models is a good idea. There is merit to the discussion as to how necessary stripping actually is. Modern paint is pretty thin, and Kato is very difficult to strip.
What stripper do you use?
Hi John Happy new year! I used to use the Tamiya primer, but at over $11.00 for a 6 oz. can it starts to add up. I tried the Badger Stynylrez Primer and it is a winner. that's all i use now. Doing undecorated rolling stock is the top thing in the hobby for me. love making the decals and making my own color, and weathered cars. Very much looking forward to your up coming videos on this topic.
Glad to hear Phillip, and glad to know that I'm not the only one who has been impressed by the Stynylrez primers.
Do you have a video on re-painting or weathering over a store bought, plastic, built up rr building....for example, buying a WoodlandScenics building and then repainting or weathering it to look old. Thanks
Oh yes, that's an Atlas 3-bay roundhouse, not the Walthers kit. Ooops, it came to me partially built.
I'm repainting a die cast steam locomotive like an excursion engine with a black boiler and gray smokebox and firebox. As it stands now the engine is a very dark PRR Tuscan green. What color primer should I use and should I put another layer of black model paint over it if I end up using black primer?
For what you're doing, black primer is probably your best choice. In terms of using another layer of black paint, I'd say only if necessary. You don't want your layers of paint too thick, and if the basic black from the primer is doing its job, then great. Some black primers are more like a very dark grey, and in that case you might need to depending on how black you want your black to look. Also, most primers are a matte finish, or at best satin. You'd need a gloss clear coat later on if you want anything shiny.
My usual rule is that unless you're going to be painting brighter colours like red, orange, yellow, or a brighter shade of blue, black primer is my default.
JC's Riptrack Thank you, this helps tremendously! Great and informative video
How do you feel about using rattlecan paint from Lowe's like krylon fusion k have used it in the past and it seams to work well but it helps to give the can a bath in hot water to bring up the temperature of the paint and helps it flow better and finer
I've not tried the Krylon. I have used various types of automotive primers, particularly a brand called Duplicolor Black Sandable Primer when I have worked with my miniatures. Privateer Press' own brand of primer is very similar to this. The main thing is that they're the non-filler primers, otherwise they could cover up all kinds of detail. Best thing to do is experiment. :)
@@JCsRiptrack I sent you a link to what I used and a picture on Facebook
Hi John, picking up on your box car pre-shading, I noticed that you covered the whole roof in black primer on top of white primer, could you just have painted the roof black to begin with? Cheers, Mark
I could have, yes, but since I often use spray cans for a base primer, I’m used to doing a complete base coat first before adding a shading layer. Since I was going to add a metallic colour to the roof, black is a better primer colour for it, hence this kind of a hybrid of two primer layers.
I don’t own an airbrush and I don’t want to spend the money for one. I love your videos but is there a method you suggest for non-airbrush weathering?
Hi APJ, with a few exceptions, most of the techniques I set out in the Weathering Basics playlist are non-airbrush techniques. th-cam.com/play/PLxNYoknHPrDqei3e2M7SlN3xfnzh4cDW1.html The fading video, for example, is specifically a non-airbrush technique (th-cam.com/video/B11mAJGwt7I/w-d-xo.html).
Where I do make use of airbrushes in weathering is mostly to apply clear coats, which can be handled using spray cans. For painting models, you can use spray cans (especially for primer), and then use paint spray cans to lay down a thin first coat. The airbrush is needed when you want some greater fine control for painting models, but is optional for almost anything else.
I hope that helps!
JC's Riptrack thank you
Too much unnecessary talk. Video became boring.