Rust Tutorial

[Jabberwocky]

Hey everyone--finally got around to doing a rust tutorial. I had done a heavily rusted railroad track for a mini a while back and had gotten some comments/questions about it, and just now put together a little step by step on how I did it.

 

Step one: Primer black/Primer white, basecoat in black

Whatever floats your boat.

 

Step two: RMS Dark Skin

Cover the area completely.

 

Step three: Stipple on RMS Rust Brown

I used a flat brush that I cut down to make the bristles shorter--this helps to prevent some of the splaying of the bristles as I tap down on the track. It takes a light touch. Randomness is the key, but as you will see, I have a problem with randomness and my random dabs become rather uniform. I'll also thin the paint about 1:2 paint:water. That allows some of the underlying Dark Skin to peek through. I'll just hit the spots again to get more coverage.

 

Step four: Stipple on RMS Clear Orange

I utilize the same process here, but with less coverage--these areas are the most rusted and should be the smallest in area. As you can see, my randomization leaves much to be desired and the track now looks pixelated. Time to go back and fix that.

 

Step five: Randomizing the randomization

I take any one of the 3 colors (and usually all 3) and go back and try to make my random areas look more random. Then I do it again...and probably 3 more times.

 

Step six: The metallics

At this point, I drybrush (Gasp!) RMS Honed Steel along the edges of the track where the rust would be knocked off or never accumulate due to activity. I chose the top edge and the bottom edge of the track.

 

Step seven: Additional futzing (or why it takes me 30 hours to finish a mini)

Here is where my mini painting OCD really begins to shine. I go back and add more areas of Dark Skin, Rust Brown, and Clear Orange to make it look extra, extra natural. I added some Clear Orange along the bottom crack as that is typically where additional moisture would accumulate. I probably will go back and mess with it some more, but I am tired of taking photographs of my futzing.

 

I hope you find this helpful. Of course, this is really just an overall structure. Depending on the effect you are looking for, you can vary the amount of metal shining through, or the amount of the "dark" or "bright" rust you want. If you have any other question or comments, fire away!

[jenova]

I like it! Very realistic effect.

[demonelf3]

Thanks a million, rust is one of the more useful 'fringe' techniques, I've found, and it'll help my diorama a lot. Great tutorial, you should post it on cmon.

[Sanael]

That's an awesome tutorial; succinct and very useful. Now I just need to find something that needs that much rust!

 

Thanks.

[Pyreos]

Very nice, much appreciated.

[Rastl]

Nicely done!

 

And it's wonderful to see someone else using stippling as a painting technique.

[Hot Lead]

Hey everyone--finally got around to doing a rust tutorial. I had done a heavily rusted railroad track for a mini a while back and had gotten some comments/questions about it, and just now put together a little step by step on how I did it.

{snip}

 

I hope you find this helpful. Of course, this is really just an overall structure. Depending on the effect you are looking for, you can vary the amount of metal shining through, or the amount of the "dark" or "bright" rust you want. If you have any other question or comments, fire away!

 

Awesome effect you got on that! I'll definitely have to use that technique next time I do rust.

 

My only comment is if the tracks are in use then the tops should be dry-brushed also... (Sorry, too many pennies placed on railroad tracks in my youth )

 

Later,

Laszlo

[mercoutlaw]

Thanks, Jabberwocky, I was just trying to find my own way of making some support beams of a wrecked/bombed out building I'm working on, and this is exactly what I needed! Providence, I say! Beautiful base by the way.

[Lance]

Gasp, Lazlo didn't tell him toothbrushes make random spots!

[JimL]

Very useful, thanks.