At our October club meeting, Paul Fischler gave a clinic on painting and weathering model railroad structures. As someone returning to the hobby after a 30-year hiatus, I appreciated the refresher of techniques I once knew — like dry brushing to highlight relief in plastic models — as well as an introduction to new tools and techniques suitable for craftsman laser-cut wood models.
After an overview of the tools of the trade — modeling knives, end cutters, files, and the like — Paul went into some depth on paint brushes and technique. One of his pro tips: dilute your paint! Paul uses water soluble paints, and suggests pouring some paint into a plastic cup and diluting it with a few drops distilled water (not tap water, which contains impurities that can clog an airbrush) until it reaches the consistency of a melted milk shake. You want the paint to flow freely onto the model without obscuring detail. “You can’t go wrong by going thin; you can always add a second or third coat if necessary”, he said. “If paint is applied too thick then you are stuck with it.” He also recommends testing on a piece of scrap before painting the model.
Paul then covered a subject I find very interesting: weathering. Paint makes a model look good, but weathering makes a model look real. Paul explained dybrushing, in which a little paint is added to a brush and then almost completely removed with a paper towel before applying the slightest amount of paint to the model to accentuate fine detail. He continued with an introduction to weathering powders, such as PanPastel and Bragdon powders. He passed around a few of his own structure models and showed some photos to demonstrate how, for instance, a little green powder can simulate moss growing on a roof.
Finally, Paul talked about how to tie structures into a scene. He explained how he mounts his structures to foam boards cut to fit exactly within holes “excavated” from the module. This way, the modules are easily removed to avoid damage during transport. One tip: “plant” bushes, shrubs, and weeds around the foundation to hide the seam where the building meets the module.
At the conclusion of this informative and fun clinic, a handful of members asked Paul if he would give a clinic on airbrushing, a technique that can yield highly realistic results but that can be daunting for new modelers. Stay tuned for that and other clinics, and in the meantime, happy modeling!