How to on "Rustall" Weathering Solutions

[Hoghappy]

I started experimenting with this product on my tug last night. I found that after an hour of putting it on and wiping it off...I have a lot to learn!

I've done searches here and on the internet in general about how to use this stuff and turned up very little useful information for the beginner artist.

I know that some of you are very good at using this product and the newbies out here would love some helpful tips and photos of course.

Hence this new thread! ;)

Capt. Crash

[Kmot]

http://4largescale.com/macs/

I have a video by this guy Mac. As usual, a pro makes it look easy. But in real life.......... :p

[keith S]

Found the best practice when using this stuff is:
mix well before using! this stuff it watery and the heavy mineral stuff is at the bottom.
scuff srface a bit if it is glossy so this stuff has a place to adhear to.
let it flow in a natural mannor.
let it dri before next layer is applied to darken/thicken the appearence.
use small brushes, toothpicks, Q-tips, to apply.

[patmat2350]

OK, now we're going off on a tangent... I remember going to that Large Scale site before to see how to make figures... went back (Thanks Tom!) and found this wild Disnesque creation, a "Futureopolis Jules Verne" loco:

http://gold.mylargescale.com/cjwalas/ft18.jpg

Reminds me of something one of our club members did, a Disney tour boat:

http://michiganmodelboats.com/images/gallery/jim_mc_2.jpg

So, instead of boring ol' exact scale boats, what other "creative" creations are out there?

Pat

[rlboats2003]

Brooks

Before I even start a weathering process I have used the following thoughts, actually it works for a couple of aspects of model construction, so here it is - What am I, Where do I work, How big am I, How old am I

Im a tug, working NYC harbor and 90 feet long and I was built in 1949 and I am 18 years old(should work well for a vac-u-tug)

Now I know some important thing for construction and weathering - logically I would be steeled hull using an International light system might have radar and diesel powered. I should have some moderate weathering since I working in salt water and get to brush into alot of things in my daily duties.

Now you need to collect some pictures - TES or the Tug boat users group are good places. Since I am at work I can't get to my data files but here is a consideration - If you look at the O'Boyle Bone yard that is the worst case My tug could ever be.

In Model Railroading that had a rule of thumb which I can't remember but if you can see it from 50' Model It - since most of the tug shoots are over this length all the rust runs and dirt marks could logically be there. While your at it - There is allot of weathering that you don't see because your adjust for it like color variations on the deckhouse because of where the sun bleaches the paint. sometimes the same color paint with a touch of yellow or white lightly airbrushed to the lower cabin can give an interesting effect as well as a light grimy black airbrushed for a general overall weathering effect helps to raise details. Finally - Your eye needs to accept the weatheredd areas as natural - by the way I thought pastels would wash off in the water - I used senne brown on a demo model at a club weathering demo thinking it would wash off and it never did. Pastels have a 3 dimension affect like real rust. The other thing I like is water colors on Bow bumpers senne brown and gray dabbed onto the bumper looks bad until you dunk it in the water then it blends together to make a dirty brownish/tan bow bumper with a natural darker bottom then top.

Happy Modeling,
Rich

[Brooks]

Rich - It's actually Hoghappy's thread, but I'm interested too :-). Good observations,thanks. Interesting about the longevity of pastels wrt water. btw, there are regular pastels and "oil pastels". The oil ones have an "oily-chalky" base, rather than the regular "chalky" base, and would be waterproof, I believe. They would not lay down the light, powdery coating one usually associates with pastels, though, so I am guessing you used regular pastels. Oil pastels might be good for adding rust to a hull though - they build up thickness fast, simulating the growth of real rust.

Pastel paintings are often sprayed with a fixative to prevent vibration from loosening the chalk - the spray greatly affects the color and luminance of the pastel, so several applications of the chalk might be necessary to get the color you desire. The spray is solvent-based (to avoid wrinkling the underlying paper), and might be a way to increase water-resistance of regular pastels on your boat hull (test on a scrap first for solvent degredation of styrene, of course).

[rlboats2003]

As part of a demo I took a lindberg diesel tug and ground some pastel into tray and took a brush and rubbed it into flat white - since flat enamel paint doesn't have a real smooth finish once rubbed in and the excess blown away that which remained is still in the paint and even after handeling and being in the water the polithouse still has the slight rust look to it - I also did the same technique around one of the scuppers and it is still there with no overspray or adhesive. (and you know how low one of these tugs ride in the water) Even if it does wash a little the remainder should look even more natural with the heavier rust by the scupper and the steaking being on the hull - I would like to try a a more tan color powder to get that mud effect that comes naturally when you don't wash the bottom of the model boat. I think the best was applying some green pastel onto the bow bumper to get that moss growth look.

Between water colors and pastel powder I would be very shy with a rust wash - I think a better wash would be to ask a model railroad friend aboud the black india ink wash - This stuff on wood side freight cars would settle into the cracks giving just a hint of a slightly darker color (almost a shadowing effect) that would make scribed styrene sheet look like individual planks.

If I get a chance I will shoot some close up pictures of the bow bumper on the tugs both have had the water color washing and one has the moss effect.

Have fun,
Rich

[Hoghappy]

OK..some good stuff here so far...and I ordered the Pastel Weathering Set B from Tamiya to try too.

Does anyone know how to use the "dirt"....how to make it stick without dropping it on wet dark grey or brown paint...do I glue it?

Here are the instuctions...just a little vague... :rolleyes:


How to Use THE RUSTALL SYSTEM in Four Easy Steps.

1. RUSTALL

Stir the RUSTALL™ and dip your brush, bringing up some liquid "rust". The patented RUSTALL formula is designed to leave a random rust effect, so let the RUSTALL flow onto the item to be "rusted". Allow it to dry and repeat for more "rust". RUSTALL is designed to leave a subtle layer of "rust" with the first application. This allows you to control the amount of weathering from a subtle coat of "rust" to a total, "junkyard" look.

2. BLACKWASH

BLACKWASH will darken and bring out detail and texture around bolts, hatches, and other fine detail.

3. DEADFLAT

DEADFLAT will give you a natural, random, flat finish.

4. DUST

You guessed it. Dust is dirt. But no ordinary, everyday dirt. It is a great dirt. Dirt that has spent millions of years becoming dirt. A fine dirt from the hills of Mendoncino County in California. A noble dirt... found at the end of our company driveway. Actually it is a clay silt that we grind and sift several times into a fine, talcum powder like dust.

WELL, THOSE ARE THE FOUR EASY STEPS.
NOW CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES WITH SOAP AND WATER AND GO WIN SOME CONTESTS.

How are ya'll getting those really fine lines of rust like in these cool pics hijacked from the sub forums here?

Capt. Crash

[Hoghappy]

Ok made some progress last night.....the "let it run down the side of the boat" method...doesn't work for me. The drops are too way too big, and look just like a full size drop of rusty water ran down the side of a scale model. I had to remove all of that and start over. I am starting to get the hang of using a very fine tipped paint brush to PAINT ON the rust trails down the sides of the tug. I also figured out that I can chip/scratch off spots of paint in the brass railing and use "Blacken It" to turn the shiney brass black where it is exposed. A little scratch here and there, and little brass brushing here and there and a rust followed by a clear wash brushed in to wipe back off the rust, and to remove the shine, adds just a hint of age. This is going to take awhile but is starting to work the way I had hoped.

Oh...let's not forget ole "Murphy"! He showed up again and knocked over my jar of "Rustall" right on my crew members. :( But...they needed to dirty up their clothes anyway!

Has anyone figured out a way to get the green algae/barnacle look at the waterline...or that just going too far? :)

Capt. Crash

[patmat2350]

I used a light green and sprayed thinly and from a distance...
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=530189

[Kmot]

I ordered the Pastel Weathering Set B from Tamiya to try too.

Does anyone know how to use the "dirt"....
I bought the Tamiya set. It basically just has to be rubbed on with the little foam brush. It goes on very lightly, and you have to keep going over it again to get the depth of stain that you want.

[Hoghappy]

Here is a sample photo of the results of my first try with "Rustall". The rest of the photos are on the "Atlantic Harbor Tug" thread here: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699683&page=10

Thanks everyone! ;)

Capt. Crash