Looks great, Doc! I think you caught the spirit of the engine.
Nice work, Doc! Thanks once again for agreat report.
Nice work as always. Love the real photos with the model photos.
Just like the prototype Little River Rail Road, the track gang loves getting its picture taken.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/0103WorkersElk-1.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05941.jpg)
Maybe its to show off and strut their stuff.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05949.jpg)
Or maybe its because they are proud of all the rocks they moved to make another 3 feet of mainline on the 1:20.3 railroad high in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05944.jpg)
Thanks for looking. Tom
Slow and steady wins the race, Doc. You’re doing great, and your pike will be well drained, at any rate.
Those two gons look pretty good in that last pic - I’ve been thinking lately that I need to do something about my gondola interiors. I keep seeing photos of other guys’ gondolas that seem to be painted an old weathered grey on the inside, and they look pretty sharp to my eyes, maybe a winter project for me there…
Those fellas’ clothes look a little cleaner than the last time I saw a track gang at the end of a hard day’s work - you sure they put in an honest day today, or did they just come from the bar in time for the photographer? And who does their laundry anyway?
I think I’d do a little something to take the shine off those clothes, especially that well-fed round guy… maybe a touch of matte medium ?
I love the way you pose your figures for these photographs!
Hi John,
A very observant eye you have sir. One of my big fears is “weathering” the little people we have on our pikes. Every time I try they turn out a mess. So I will be needing to read more on the techniques. These figures at $8-$10 a pop are ones I do not want to botch.
Interestingly the gons you observed are part of an ongoing project. They have been “left out” in the elements for the past 2-3 years I have been building this layout. I wanted to see what would happen and what type of patina they would get from mother nature alone. They are the only two I leave out and they appear to be weathering very nicely. Maybe I should leave the people figures out to molder and weather naturally??? Nawh, some ground hog, squirrel , cat or dog would probably snatch them.
Thanks for the feedback.
Tom
Tom,
Like John said, some artists matte medium would take the shine off the figurines. Krylon makes some that even has some UV resistant stuff in it. I have very good luck with it.
Are you talking about the Krylon clear matte that I’m using on decals?
Thanks Doug, Steve, and John. Matte medium sounds like a good idea. Have you all had any luck with India Ink washes and dry brushing highlights on these little people figures??
Tom
I haven’t tried the India ink on figures… and I’d be pretty hesitant.
I’m pretty much sold on acrylics exclusively - both paints and all acrylic media. You can drybrush with it, and if you don’t like it, you can wash it off if you act fairly quickly - you probably have 5-10 minutes’ thinking time anyway. Acrylic sticks to just about anything, BTW.
Guy I know thinks he’s pretty good at painting fugures, even had articles published on the subject. He starts by painting the figure black all over, then drybrushes the color over that, so the creases remain in dark shadow. I’ve seen his figures, and frankly - they seem too contrasty to me, like those cartoon figures you sometimes see with the black drawing around them.
I think a black wash such as you’re contemplating might lead to the same effect.
I’m a painter. I work with a pallette, mixing my colors as I go… that way I can get subtle differences and work those into my figures. A smooth, even coat of paint such as all over fatty’s overalls would be improved by just having blue and beige, maybe a touch of black, in a triangle on yr pallette (use a white foam produce tray), then bring those colors together in the middle. Keep it loose and nurture the randomness. The result you want on your pallette is a range of tones made with those colors, then brush 'em on. If you want to ‘water’ them down, use matte medium instead of water, esp if yr painting plastic or other non-porous surfaces. If you want dry brush effects (I’m a big fan) , wait 'til yr first coat is good and dry, or before you know it you’ll be removing it…
Most acrylic paints, by the way, are inherantly UV resistant. This applies especially to the earth and mineral-based pigments, of course. Some dye-based colours are less so, but most of these are pretty amazing too these days…
Best advice of all : COURAGE! Live by the slogan: “How hard can it be?”
John Le Forestier said:
I haven't tried the India ink on figures... and I'd be pretty hesitant.I’m pretty much sold on acrylics exclusively - both paints and all acrylic media. You can drybrush with it, and if you don’t like it, you can wash it off if you act fairly quickly - you probably have 5-10 minutes’ thinking time anyway. Acrylic sticks to just about anything, BTW.
Guy I know thinks he’s pretty good at painting fugures, even had articles published on the subject. He starts by painting the figure black all over, then drybrushes the color over that, so the creases remain in dark shadow. I’ve seen his figures, and frankly - they seem too contrasty to me, like those cartoon figures you sometimes see with the black drawing around them.
I think a black wash such as you’re contemplating might lead to the same effect.
I’m a painter. I work with a pallette, mixing my colors as I go… that way I can get subtle differences and work those into my figures. A smooth, even coat of paint such as all over fatty’s overalls would be improved by just having blue and beige, maybe a touch of black, in a triangle on yr pallette (use a white foam produce tray), then bring those colors together in the middle. Keep it loose and nurture the randomness. The result you want on your pallette is a range of tones made with those colors, then brush 'em on. If you want to ‘water’ them down, use matte medium instead of water, esp if yr painting plastic or other non-porous surfaces. If you want dry brush effects (I’m a big fan) , wait 'til yr first coat is good and dry, or before you know it you’ll be removing it…
Most acrylic paints, by the way, are inherantly UV resistant. This applies especially to the earth and mineral-based pigments, of course. Some dye-based colours are less so, but most of these are pretty amazing too these days…
Best advice of all : COURAGE! Live by the slogan: “How hard can it be?”
WOW!!! This is the course I needed on how to do these Little People correctly. Thanks John.
I will NOT be using the India Ink per your advice. I hope in the upcoming weeks to give these good ideas a try. The Internet and a great forum like this are great modelling tools and we can really learn a lot from each other.
Thank you. Tom
A Redo. I had these pictures of well-weathered Little River locomotive #110 reviewed by my good Rail Road Buddy, Mr. Bill Nelson here in Clarksville Tennessee.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05934.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05937.jpg)
He felt the locomotive was a bit too grungy. He correctly pointed out that the crews had a special pride for this engine in the hey day of the Little River RR in the Smoky Mountains and the engine was more than likely frequently wiped down by the attentive crews.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/LRRR1103-1.gif)
The more I thought about it he was right………so it was back to the shops for a wipe down. Of course this meant a repaint followed by an extremely dilute wash for a touch of grime only. I did keep the driving wheels and rods somewhat “dirty” figuring that road dust from the very simple logging roadbed would confound even the most careful of cleaners.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05956.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05957.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05958.jpg)
So now the character of the locomotive is that of a well cared for beast of burden that the crews of 1911 and today’s tourist Little River RR would be proud of.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05960.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/LRRR110.gif)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Overheadshotof110.jpg)
Constructive criticism in this hobby is very useful!! By the way I did keep the grungy cab interior…….sorry Bill.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05961.jpg)
Doc Tom
That’s what I would call a splendid engine. She would unquestionably have been well cared for by her crews for most of her working life. Your friend was right, and you have improved her a great deal.
In weathering, [color=#FF0000]subtlety is everything,[/color] as you have now seen first hand.
Historically, locomotive care - and also care of the head end cars - went through several stages as the taste of the times shifted, the economic realities were faced, and the technology of paints and varnishes changed.
If you have a firm time period in mind, you not only paint your gear to reflect those times, but you can weather the gear to match as well.
The early-to-mid 1870’s were a depression, and the brass wasn’t always as polished as it had been prior to the civil war, for example. Those gorgeous landscapes started disappearing from the sides of tenders and headlights almost in time with the hostilities.
In the 1890’s, black became the new black, but it was kept shiny, and this became the norm through the Great War and until the twenties. The new horseless carriages outshone the trains for color! The railroad, being more established, and not ready to take the infernal new little machines seriously, tended also to be more conservative. This was the age of Phoebe Snow…
During the 'twenties there was a revival of color - subtle but real, as tastes allowed and as railroads competed. What a splendid, classic age that was for the railroads! It’s a fair bet that both high line and low took great pride in their machines at that time.
A lot of us like to model the Great Depression for any number of reasons. Some of us might lay the weathering on a bit thick as a matter of taste more than authenticity. In hard times we may struggle, but we have our pride and our dignity. We do strive to take care of our prized posessions.
[color=#FF0000]Subtlety is everything![/color]
Doc, if you’re going to explore this painting thing a bit further, I urge you discover the three types of paint (pigment), as you will come across them all. They each have their virtues and their limitations. They will behave predictably for you as you learn to recognize them:
- transparent - the dyes, basically - their appearance depends on the color beneath them. For tube color purity, they need white underneath, (but such color purity is only very seldom what you desire.)
- semi-transparent - the minerals, basically - often semi-precious - they tend to be a bit grainy and are utterly fade-resistant. If used solo they will not give a thoroughly opaque finish. Great for stain effects.
- opaque - the queen of opaque colors is white (titanium being the brightest) Great base coat - can be blended w black to give a grey basecoat great for model railroad gear. Some blacks are pretty close to opaque, most of the earthtones are as well. It pays big dividends to notice what happens to your colors when blended with white and black.
Work on your pallette, when mixing colours go slow - a little at a time. Create tiny puddles with just a little paint from the tip of your brush. expect surprises - (yellow with a little black gives great mossy tones…) Notice that some colors are VERY strong. You will learn to be very careful and stingy with them!
It pays to know all this, to play with them all solo and in combinations. Grab a pallette, squeeze out some color, - a little goes a long way. Smear and blend and notice all the effects. Don’t be afraid to waste some paint - it really can’t be helped. Dried paint on your pallette a GOOD sign! It’s OK !!! It’s the price you pay for getting the colors and effects you want. All artists come to recognize that as an ordinary fact of life.
When it comes to blending and mixing, there’s an infinity of possibilities… but all you really have to do is master the few that will be most useful to you.
Tip: Start with a limited pallette - a few useful colors. You can get many colors from it anyway, and they will all ‘belong’ together. Consider using your blends, your ‘toned down’ colors for the clothes, and then you can use the pure colors for the final details, buttons, maybe the shoes, etc, at the end.
Flesh - Mostly white. now add a touch of cad red. get pale pink. add a dash of yellow. get a salmon color. add a titch of blue - not too much! there’s a European flesh tone - hopefully you now have a 25 cent piece size blob of paint on your pallette, which contains a range of fleshy hues. Save that pink bit for the guy’s cheeks. use the yellower/bluer bit on his hands, later when it’s dry, if he hasn’t shaved today, brush on a little very dilute black, maybe…
Remember that watchword: COURAGE!!!
For John Le Forestier…
Why would you hesitate to use an India Ink wash? If you mix … say… 5% India Ink with 95 % Isopropyl Alcohol, there should be no problem. The India Ink wash will just collect in the folds of the clay, accenting the shadows. The 5% wash will not build up too fast. Once you get the hang of it, you can go to a 10% wash. It is like any other form of weathering.
Tom, try it on one of your least favorite figures. At 5% it will take quite a few washes to see any build up, but that is how you will learn to control the beast.
We are not talking about using India Ink straight out of the bottle.
John, Once again thank you for all this information. It is like a college level Art class. Good stuff and explained well. Steve, Thanks for the input on the India Ink Washes. I had used the 5% strength wash in my HO days particularly on rolling stock and structures. The Figures (people) were so small that I hesitated to use it on them. The give and take of ideas here is really impressive. It reminds me of guys and gals discussing the great issues of the day at the country store and hangouts of the past.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/ElkmontPostOffice-1.jpg)
Now we gather around the electronic campfire. Thanks for helping expand what is known about our great hobby. Doc Tom
I use the folk art acrylics for my washes. They seem to work just as well, easy to get and less then a buck. Whats nice with the acrylic paints is if you mess up just wash it off. Once you get the look you want just spray with the krylon clear coat.
Nice work Tom as always. Leaving the figures outside for a while will get them to weather as well. Mine stay out all summer long.
Steve Featherkile said:
For John Le Forestier...Why would you hesitate to use an India Ink wash? If you mix … say… 5% India Ink with 95 % Isopropyl Alcohol, there should be no problem. The India Ink wash will just collect in the folds of the clay, accenting the shadows. The 5% wash will not build up too fast. Once you get the hang of it, you can go to a 10% wash. It is like any other form of weathering.
Tom, try it on one of your least favorite figures. At 5% it will take quite a few washes to see any build up, but that is how you will learn to control the beast.
We are not talking about using India Ink straight out of the bottle.
I’m sure you’re right, Steve. I know a lot of guys use this formula, goodness knows. I’ve tried it several times, but I’ve never been fully pleased with the results, other than to get grey weathered wood for indoor projects.
I feel that owing to the alcohol, it just flows too fast for me to keep up with it, especially on non-porous surfaces, where I question its sticking ability. Anyway, I end up washing it off as fast as I can…
Naturally, other guys, who have more experience with it, will get better results. I guess that includes yourself.
As for me, I have been using acrylics for so long that they’ve become a medium that I really fully understand after some forty years or more. They are definitely my thing…
So I’m just more comfortable with them, and way more confident about instructing others in their use. I have done a lot of this advising either elsewhere on LSC or on other fora. I wish I could collect it all - by now it’d make a pretty fat book for sure! ;>)
I’m very happy to answer any questions about acrylics anytime.
IMO many of the figures could do with a complete repaint job before even thinking about weathering/toning. The jury is out if in that case one should strip the stuff first. If that were the case I’d apply some grey, sandable auto primer first, it has a nice “grip” for the next layer of paint and just enough “structure” to prevent that “too smooth” look.
The Little River Rail Road gets electronics. Many thanks to Tyler at my local RR club for donating this neat Whiskey River RR Bachmann Box Car done up in the WRRY livery and numbered 37.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04610.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05819.jpg)
I used this nice boxcar to do my very first battery and RC install.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05821.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05965.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05963.jpg)
My Shay has a purchased install in it, but for my other LRRR steamers I wanted to do my own install. As a “nube” I figured I would start with a trailing battery car as there would be plenty of room to work in and I had two steamers ready to hook up and receive the juice.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04612.jpg)
Kudos to Del Tapparo’s ” G Scale Graphics” for the nifty components, the very good install manuals, and the friendly quick response to my emails and questions. It has been a fun project so far. There has been no smoke coming from the electronics after fully charging battery and switching the toggle “on”. I am awaiting the inexpensive Spektrum transmitter, I ordered this weekend, and hope to be moving loads soon over the mountain trails we call a logging railroad.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05735.jpg)
Doc Tom
I think you are going to like the RaiiBoss. This weekend at Bobs it seems to perform much better than the Revo or the older RCS, especially when it came to smooth slow start ups and stops. With the start voltage properly programmed (easy to do) a nudge on the throttle stick and the loco will begin to crawl and offers great proportional control from there to full throttle (or whatever you set as max voltage).
The box car looks great too. I like hand lettering. Wish I could do it so it didn’t look like scribble 