How to Weather Model Trains
Collecting model trains is a specialty and unique hobby in and of itself. In order to make a landscape design including the model trains for display, it is most effective if you weather the trains for a more realistic appearance.
Things You Will Need:
- Black ink
- Alcohol
- Container
- Towel
- Brown leather dye
- Bristle brush
- Black or dark gray paint
- Combine equal parts of black ink and alcohol in a container. The exact amount that you use depends on the number of trains you are preparing to weather.
- Sprinkle drops of the mixture on the top portion of the train along the entire length. In order to get the best effects, make sure that you are using enough of the mixture to go down the sides and cracks of the train. By allowing it to drip freely, it adds to the realistic illusion when you are finished.
- Blot the train where you applied the mixture with a towel. This removes some of the black ink and produces a mismatched appearance.
- Pour some brown dye into the alcohol and dye and apply it to the model with a brush. The brown tint created an antiqued look that you will follow behind by blotting with a towel.
- Create shadows to the appropriate areas of the model by using black paint. If you do not have black paint, you can also opt to use dark gray. If you choose to apply multiple layers, wait until the previous layer has dried completely before adding the next.