"Rusting Up the Post-Apocalypse?" Topic

I'm currently building a large section of roadway for post-apocalypse gaming. I have about 20-30 cars that are going in this road and I am soliciting recommendations on a good way to rust the batch quickly. I do, however, have one caveat. I don't want to straight out rust them solid. I would like some variation on colors. So paint some cars blue, red, green , etc., then rust the lot with some of the original color showing through. I tried painting a car red and then washing it with various browns, the result was underwhelming. Anyone have good tips, thoughts, or advice. Speed is also factor since I need to get this project on the road as it where. Thanks.

Joey

Washing on a gloss paint job never works well.

Look for liquid masking tape or even good old fashion masking tape. This can protect the windows and larger areas of bright paint. Then look for rubber cement or salt methods of weathering (mostly on train or model tank pages) Use one of these to get that spotting effect of rust coming through and spray paint with very light coats of different rust colors. Like deep red rust first then an orangey rust and then a yellow rust. Now remove the masking and salt or rubber cement to expose the original color under that. Now you could go the next step and brush on rust colored powered pigment (from Mig and others). Now you will want to spray the whole thing with dull coat. More extras: you can now use washes on the dull surface it you like and bust out windows and such. Also, oxidizing auto paint often forms a white film on it. This can be cone again with powered pigments. Add a layer of dust (wash or powder) and fix again with dull coat. You can go back and brush one gloss media on chrome and glass if you like.

DyeHard

Doesn't Polly S Train paints sell a rust wash?

Thanks,

john

There is also this system

rustall.com

I'm sure you could copy the staged process below with homemade materials or substitutes.

rustall.com/prodinfo.html

As a follow up here are some links to products and methods that may help:

link

link

link

link

link

link

link

DyeHard

Hi!

Ramshackle games have got a good article on painting rust here:

link

And heres a pic of a miniature I painted using the method:

picture

All the best!

You want FAST?

Get a can of Rustoleum reddish brown spray primer.
Spray all the cars.
Go back and use a heavy drybrush with the colors you want the cars to be. Leave spots of rust showing.
Touch up with silver for the trim, bumpers etc.

Seal with flat spray. Rusted cars are no longer shiny.

Oxide Red chalk, water, floor polish, and matte spray. All you need.

There are a couple of tutorials on Coolmini.

link

&

blog.coolminiornot.com/skeeve

Just a couple that i've come across on my travels across the interweb.

This website is very helpful to me… and inspirational.

Rusting stuff up article -
skankgame.com/Rustech.html
Although it's for rusting buildings, it works just fine on rusting anything.

Website's home page -
skankgame.com/index.html

It is well worth looking around and reading the articles.

Thanks guys. I have about 30 cars to do, did I mention the 12 feet of destroyed highway, so I think I will go with bottom method from DyeHard, i.e. using the rust stuff from Michaels. I have the stuff on hand and it looks likes it can be done in a Saturday. Thanks again.

Joey

Perhaps you could be kind enough to post a few photos? I confess to loving rusted weathered objects and learned quite a bit here today.

No pics for the moment, my project is flying under the radar as I want to make a splash with it once it's closer to completion. :)

Joey

Super quick way of making a bunch of things rusty with some paint left over…

mask any area not going to be rusted or painted

base with rust colored primer (as mentioned above)

apply baby powder/talc paste (a little water mixed in) to the surface you want to remain rusty (this serves two purposes, one is to create a mask for the color and two is to create the crusty evidence of rusting)

apply your color, being mindful of your powdered areas…a light coat of paint will slough off once dry but a heavy coat will crack and flake…depends what you want for a final look

the baby powder will absorb a small amount of the paint so once dry it will tend to crack on its own, pick these off, use a tooth brush to work it off, etc.

black ink or black wash the whole thing and wipe off the excess

you could do all your cars in a couple hours with dry times included

Another way I used for other purposes but it will work…

mask
prime in rust
allow to completely dry
apply a small film of Vaseline to areas you want rusty
paint with colors
allow to completely dry
wipe off, areas with Vaseline will reveal rust primer
brown wash or ink
seal

Make sure to mask the windows. I'll bet dullcote would fog the windows up like layered dirt.

A wash of your favorite brown/tan over the windows is great. I usually mop up the wash in the 'windshield wiper' pattern.
Yep, Dullcote damps the enthusiasm down on clear plastic but the wash is usually sufficient.
Just remember the golden rule…the lighter the rust, the newer it is. So start with the darker red-browns and cover with the more yellow orange. Dry brush up from the bottom with the 'original' paint job. Easy,fun and theraputicle
enjoy and post many photos please…we all need the help.
Oh, and describe technique please!

,,,theraputicle???

I blame society.