Black Hawthorn in 009: weathered...
Ahead of NGSW this coming weekend I've been pushing on with my Brian Clarke inspired Black Hawthorn scratchbuild...
I love painting and finishing models - the way it all comes together, and this one has surpassed my expectations - I'm very pleased with the subdued weathered finish...
So how did I achieve it? I'll try and describe the steps - one of these days I'll do a video tutorial!
First to describe the painting stage I start with a primer - usually Halford plastic primer, which is a good base for further painting and also shows up places that need attention in terms of smoothing and finishing. This means you can rectify and improve the finish BEFORE applying and final colour.
First to describe the painting stage I start with a primer - usually Halford plastic primer, which is a good base for further painting and also shows up places that need attention in terms of smoothing and finishing. This means you can rectify and improve the finish BEFORE applying and final colour.
The chassis is painting carefully by hand. Usually this is matt black, but in this case I went for a matt brown as described by Brian Clarke - along with the cylinders. This is applied by brush using Humbrol enamel straight from the tin, but thinned a little with a touch of thinners on the brush.
The main body colour is applied using an airbrush - nothing fancy, just a £70 job with compressor from eBay, a simple dual action (air and paint variable). Set about 40psi and the paint thinned a touch you can get a good finish - I use Humbrol enamels, and thin to the consistency of semi-skimmed milk. In this case I used a Humbrol matt 'wine' colour to represent a faded maroon. Once this is dry I use a paint brush and start adding in the detail colours. Usually the buffer beams in red first, and then the footplate, smokebox, chimney, roof etc in matt black. The metal parts are picked out again with a brush and the whole thing left to dry for a day or so... ready for weathering...
The main body colour is applied using an airbrush - nothing fancy, just a £70 job with compressor from eBay, a simple dual action (air and paint variable). Set about 40psi and the paint thinned a touch you can get a good finish - I use Humbrol enamels, and thin to the consistency of semi-skimmed milk. In this case I used a Humbrol matt 'wine' colour to represent a faded maroon. Once this is dry I use a paint brush and start adding in the detail colours. Usually the buffer beams in red first, and then the footplate, smokebox, chimney, roof etc in matt black. The metal parts are picked out again with a brush and the whole thing left to dry for a day or so... ready for weathering...
Weathering... I could probably write a 'short' book on weathering. It seems to be a black art, but it isn't - it's something that takes time, and patience to practice - but there are no tricks...
I start with a wash. I applied some Humbrol matt black (33) and matt chocolate (98) enamel to the chassis, the cab rear wooden board and to the foot plate. I then used some matt chocolate on the top of the saddle tank between the handrails where cleaning would be less effective, and to the tops of the and boxes. Once this was dry, I used Humbrol gun metal (53) and dry brushes the edges of the cab steps, around the raised edges of the smokebox door, the hinges and pivots on the sandbox lever and the buffers. The final stage is to mix up three colour to airbrush on the model. I mix these tiny quantities using a small artist palette and a pippette, to allow me to transfer the small amounts to the airbrush - a top feed cup airbrush is essential for this fine weathering work. A light sandy grey, a dirty brown and a soft black. Sandy grey is mainly sand, with a touch of mid grey added. I spray this over the model, so it lands on the top surfaces of the smokebox, saddle tank and footplates - it gives a dusty and faded appearance, but should not be overdone! A few little sprays are all that is required. Then the dirty brown (a touch of black in matt chocolate usually) from underneath, representing dirt thrown up from the ground and motion in running. I use this colour as it is similar to that I use to weather the track. Finally the soft black (matt black with a touch of chocolate) over the whole cab roof, and then very gently from the chimney backwards over the top surfaces.
I start with a wash. I applied some Humbrol matt black (33) and matt chocolate (98) enamel to the chassis, the cab rear wooden board and to the foot plate. I then used some matt chocolate on the top of the saddle tank between the handrails where cleaning would be less effective, and to the tops of the and boxes. Once this was dry, I used Humbrol gun metal (53) and dry brushes the edges of the cab steps, around the raised edges of the smokebox door, the hinges and pivots on the sandbox lever and the buffers. The final stage is to mix up three colour to airbrush on the model. I mix these tiny quantities using a small artist palette and a pippette, to allow me to transfer the small amounts to the airbrush - a top feed cup airbrush is essential for this fine weathering work. A light sandy grey, a dirty brown and a soft black. Sandy grey is mainly sand, with a touch of mid grey added. I spray this over the model, so it lands on the top surfaces of the smokebox, saddle tank and footplates - it gives a dusty and faded appearance, but should not be overdone! A few little sprays are all that is required. Then the dirty brown (a touch of black in matt chocolate usually) from underneath, representing dirt thrown up from the ground and motion in running. I use this colour as it is similar to that I use to weather the track. Finally the soft black (matt black with a touch of chocolate) over the whole cab roof, and then very gently from the chimney backwards over the top surfaces.
So the Black Hawthorn 'folly' doesn't look so silly now it's finished - ahead of Narrow Gauge South West this weekend I need to fit a driver - and hopefully my etched name and works plates will arrive in time to be fitted. Come and see it on Grindley Brook Wharf along with my Barclayfication prototype, and my SRB Models Peckett amongst other 'Creech Bottom' engines guesting on the layout. More soon...
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James.