Chalks or Powders for detailing and weathering?? Which one

[Hellocharlee]

I'm sure this is a personal preference but which is better... Powders or Chalks, Ive personally used the Tamiya weathering hard powder, I really like it for some things but not others. I bought a powder kit (multi-color) from an eBay seller about a yr ago and it has done me well. Ive contemplated buying the chalks as they are referred to here quite abit. My local hobby shop didn't sell them until very recently, the owner has priced them what I feel is pretty high as she is the only hobby shop for at least 100 miles so she can almost get away with it, $75.00 for a multi-piece kit.  (either 8 or 12 chalks)    If something such as chalks can do what powders or other products cant do then I suppose I would have to bite the bullet and pay it.


Dont know what to do here... suggestions would be very helpful.


Thanx in advance.


Ken

[bparrish]

Ken....

Consider a local art supply house.  They often offer earth tone assortments of pastel chalks.

Then get a method of containing the powders.............. baby food jars, multi compartment boxes or daily pill boxes from a pharmacy.

Take a chalk and shave the one side with an X-acto blade and capture the powder.  Apply with a soft brush.

I don't seal the chalks as any clear substance makes it all go away.  If it wears off of a box car.... hit it again.

I have found that once the chalks are on there for a while the expanding and contracting of the paint causes the chalks to get permanently into the pores of the paint.

see ya
Bob

[S&S RR]

I rub the chalks on a piece of sand paper and then brush them on from there.  I agree with Bob that the chalks available from and art supply shop work very well.  Many of the prepackaged weathering chalks and powders contain a binder which can cause problems with some applications. I don't use anything on top of the chalk on structures - just don't handle them after you get it looking the way you want it.  My 2 cents.

[Dave K.]

$75.00 for chalks???!!!??  You'll never use most of the colors it must come with. Get yourself a set of Bragdon weathering powders. I think Doug Foscale has them. I know Pan Pastels are very "in" right now, but start with the basic Bragdon colors. That's likely all you'll use.

[tabooma county rwy]

Agree with Dave - I've had an assortment of Bragdon powders for close to 15 years now and there is still plenty left.


Bragdon's, AIM, Doc O'Brien's and similar have a binder mixed in with them so they adhere to surfaces, whereas plain old artist chalk is just that, with no binder.


Whatever type you use, it is best to apply to a non-glossy surface, as neither type adheres well to a glossy surface.  A quick coat of Dullcoat or similar clear flat spray paint or fixative works well prior to application of the weathering medium.


As was mentioned earlier, art supply stores often sell plain old artist chalks in individual colors, in addition to a large assortment, so you could just buy a few weathering colors to try out.  If you don't have such a store nearby, try on line, like Dick Blick or similar.  These places also stock (powdered) paint pigments, which is yet another weathering medium.


Al Carter

[gfoyle01]

I like the Bragdon powders as well.  I have the 16 color set. They seem to last a long time and individual colors can be replaced. I use very small amounts with a soft brush and then dullcote.  I prefer them to the Doc O'Brien powders as they seem to adhere a little better (but that could just be me.)  I've never used chalks so I have no experience with them.  I also own some pan pastels but haven't used them yet.
Roy Clarke

[bparrish]

I also use Bragdon but the only down side is that the binder is almost too good and if you get a bit where you don't want it............. it's difficult to remove.

But......... we are weathering and usually there is nothing orderly about weathering.

see ya
Bob

[deemery]

I use a piece of wallboard sanding screen to turn chalks/pastels into 'dust'.  I've used Bragdon powders, which do stick nicely, and MIG Pigments, which come in some useful colors.  Also I've used Pan Pastels a lot recently for a lot of the applications where I used to use chalk/pigments.  They give me a bit more control.


Attached shows roofing paper, untouched on the left and weathered on the right, along with the Pan Pastel colors and the makeup sponge I used to apply them.


dave

[Hellocharlee]

Thank you everyone who replied, Ive got some great advice from you and look forward to putting it into practice.  Starting a new build pretty quick so I will post the finished shots. Thanx again


Ken

[Mike Engler]

I'm late to this party, but I've tried a lot of weathering mediums over the years. The Bragdon chalks can be good, but I don't use them because in my opinion they are completely unforgiving. Apply even a little too much and you can't go back.


One of the best ever was the late Kevin O' Neill. He authored this thread on RRLine which in my opinion is the definitive thread on weathering I've ever seen: http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=33146


He uses Rembrandt brand pastel chalks (from art supply store), and in the thread he states which ones he uses and his techniques for using them. I have several and keep them in this organizer, and scrape the powder off with a single-edge razor blade. Try it- I almost can guarantee you'll stick with.

[DACS]

I also am a little late for the party, but here it is.  I use only the Bragdon powders.  A little goes a very long way.  I like the binder, because it allows the item to be handled more without any detrimental effect.
As for removing the weathering powders, they can be removed with rubbing alcohol on some, but not all surfaces.  Generally, with a smooth surface, they come off very easily in this manner.  But, they can be worked with very easily also.  Say you put on a little too much rust, it can be pushed back with some black or whatever color you want.  Depends on what you are working with.  The build up is never so thick as to look overdone.

Dave  HWCRR
Seattle

[ranny9]

I use a piece of wallboard sanding screen to turn chalks/pastels into 'dust'.  I've used Bragdon powders, which do stick nicely, and MIG Pigments, which come in some useful colors.  Also I've used Pan Pastels a lot recently for a lot of the applications where I used to use chalk/pigments.  They give me a bit more control.


Attached shows roofing paper, untouched on the left and weathered on the right, along with the Pan Pastel colors and the makeup sponge I used to apply them.


dave

Dave, I bought some Pan Pastels at the Timonium show...do you dislike the packaging as much as I do? I like lids on all my containers.

[deemery]

I'm confused:  Didn't your Pan Pastels come in individual containers with lids?


dave

[bparrish]

Regarding chalk assortments and the likelihood of many colors that you will never use...

Search the art stores for pre-made sets of earth tones and then purchase specific other sticks as desired.

see ya
Bob

[ranny9]

I'm confused:  Didn't your Pan Pastels come in individual containers with lids?


dave

No, in a clamshell-like plastic tray. There were 10 depressions, 7 of them holding a 'tub' of color, the middle tub had a lid. It seems they are stackable, but who wants to do that? One cannot really see the colors when they are stacked.