Tuesday 13 November 2012

Modeling a Jacaranda tree in HO scale

Hi all,

I have completed a project modeling a Jacaranda tree that ended up turning into a diorama!

I noted the trees around the Northern Rivers NSW and Ipswich QLD, so I thoiught I would give modeling one a go by painting white sand, a few shades of pink and purple. I used water based hobby paint and airbrushed a small amount of sand in a ice cream bucket.Yes, it blows everywhere. But if you keep the airbrush well away from the sand it can be done! Shake the sand around as you paint.

I will be bringing the diorama along with me to the New England convention so I hope to see you there. The model was weathered using Dr Ben's weathering pigments on just about everything - cars, buildings, people and animals.The red Australian dirt was also pigment and looks very realistic however the photos made it much more reddish than it is.

New England Convention

I have been asked in a number of emails, and in person at the Ipswich exhibition, why I will not be demonstrating weathering techniques at this years New England Convention. The reason is that  I was not asked/invited. I thought the idea of a convention is to bring something new or different to entusiasts. If it was the same thing, done by the same people each year, wouldn't it just get boring? Anyway, if you have any questions just let me know, I'll be  more than happy to help.



                        











Cheers Deano                                       
    

Friday 9 November 2012

Weathering rusty iron roofs - A how-to guide

Hi all,

Another update and some weathering tips. My PC is still under repair. Most of the problems are sorted, but it's now getting some updated parts, extra USB ports and a new case...so I'm posting this from my way too small keyboard on an older-than-I-am, very slow, laptop. With a battery that lasts five seconds!

I joined facebook a few weeks back and I was asked how I weather iron roofs on my sheep wagons. So I will do my best to show you all how I did it, and I've included pictures. You can find this Facebook page at:

The first thing is to prime the roof with white primer. I use Turpentine based primer, not automotive thinner based primer, as the turps based takes longer to dry allowing the primer to stick to the surface. "Turps" primer is found in most paint shops, hardware stores and "discount stores".  If you not sure ask, and if they don't know, you are better of  shopping where they know the product. 

Turps primers white and gray - I often used gray first, then a light cover with the white
In this case I only used the white as it covers well over plastic..



The next pic shows the white primed roof with some brushed silver in random spots.  


Now coat the roof with Dullcoat as this will allow the Dr Bens weathering pigments to stick

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WEATHERING-PIGMENTS-that-work-DARK-DAMP-RUST-Rails-In-Scale-ebay-store-/140881189765?pt=AU_Toys_Hobbies_Model_Railways&hash=item20cd2c5b85.

Next you can add some Dark Damp rust pigments around but not over the silver. It will cover well over the white primer.



Now add fresh dry rust making sure you keep some of the dark rust showing and give the whole roof a light dusting with the dry rust. Now I cover with a light coating of dullcoat and reapply pigments, that is if some of the weathering has been toned down too much by the dullcoat.



And there you have it. A weathered rusty iron roof!

Later Deano