# Paint suggestions!



## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

After Cale posted these photo's.
http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=10490
I was wondering what paint to use on my LGB Quick disconects to get the wood to look like that?
Thanks
Sean


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Sean,

I have found that using acrylic paint, found in the craft store, works well. The trick is to get some white (not bright white, but maybe like an eggshell), dark brown and a lighter brown. Get a good set of brushes, a paper plate, a cup with a paper towel in it, and a little water in the bottom of the cup.

Mix the paints, but don't blend them all the way. Natural wood has a variety of colors in it, so the more you can keep them separate, the better. The nice thing about acrylics is that if you don't like how it is turning out, they are water soluble. 


This is a link to a thread I wrote back in November that shows the results. I sent those cars out, but did that same thing to my new flat car. 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/63517/Default.aspx#63517


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Brushes are something many buy the cheapest they can and oil brushes too boot-they have the long handles. You want a watercolor brush, they have the short handles. Sizes 2-8 are pretty good. Get them at an art store though and expect to pay $10-100 for good ones, believe me, they are worth it. Tips on cleaning brushes, always finish up washing them with some soap and water, you will be surprised at how much color is still in them after using water or thinner.


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## Greg Stevens (Jan 3, 2008)

Sean,

To get the kind of color you see in those photos, I would say that you need to use some thinned India ink. You thin it with alcohol and brush it on. You can use darker ink, more concentrated, to get the darker colors like on the ends of the disconnects. This will give you the weathered, grey look like in the photos. Or use very thinned acrylics in black. Again, you want shades of grey to get the color you are looking for. Good Luck.


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

I think I need to get the wood color first.
See!!


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I seem to remember an article in a model railroader some time back which went into this subject. I can’t remember the details unfortunately, but I think the article was ‘making plastic wood’ or something along those lines.

If was going to give it ago I would match the grey colour, I prefer Floquil paint. Spray that colour on then paint the metal parts a rusty sort of colour.

That would for the basis. I then would wash the models in a diluted Indian ink as suggested above. Once it was all dry bush it with some artists chalks. To finish the model, a clear coat.

The picture below is a model which I recently weathered, it is a stock decorated AMS car which I have used the above Indian ink/ chalk method.


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Try Folk Art "barnwood" acrylic paint from your local craft store (Michael's, etc.) and then give it an india ink wash. I painted up the deck of a Bachmann flatcar that way after reading this post by Kevin Strong a while back... http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=45084, and I was very happy with the results.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Those posts by Kevin are great! I may give the gondola ago!


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the "barnwood" paint idea. Exactly what I have been looking to do to my flatcars and gondolas. Great link to Kevin's post. Super helpful to me.

Did you brush paint with the "barnwood" paint?


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By San Juan on 02/11/2009 7:08 PM
Did you brush paint with the "barnwood" paint? 

I brush painted it on my car, but I'm not sure whether Kevin brush painted or airbrushed it on his. The paint is quite thick, so it would have to be thinned considerably to get it to flow through an airbrush.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I brush painted mine, but I usually thin it a bit with water, too. Nothing scientific, just brush some on the car, then dip the paint brush in a cup of water to thin out what's on the car. You want it thin enough to still show the wood grain on the boards. BTW, last time I looked for "Barnwood," I couldn't find it, but any light-to-medium tannish-grey color will work. 

Later, 

K


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