Weathering exhaust

I've been inspired by all of the fantastic examples I've seen on these pages. Before I found this site, I thought there's no way anyone could ever build a model to match the one on the box. How wrong I was....

I tried my hand at CF the other day and realized I don't have the patience. After I was done, I had to squint to even see it. The CF decal sheet cost as much as the model itself! IMO, I'd rather buy another model than a sheet of CF. Maybe if I had better skills, it'd be another story.

I do want to try and weather exhausts on vehicles. I think it really makes the model more realistic and not show-room fresh. Can I get some feedback on my first attempt? Please be brutal; I don't easily get hurt feelings.

Thanks!


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p975cbebed67b406d03fb4ebbbf49b09e/ea68cecf.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/7387160/3932737231

looks ok, but need more color variations.

In case you're wondering, this is the exhaust from Tamiya's F2001 Ferrari. Not sure if F1 exhausts weather the same way...haven't checked the reference photos yet. I was just mimicking the motorcycle exhaust. This picture sucks, but I'll try to get a better one with better lighting.

There are 2 shades of blue and a few shades of tan, but the flash kind of washed it all out. I'll post a better photo.

I see what your shooting for and i think from a distance it will be some what effective. As you seem to be new to detailing, if not modelling, keep in mind that most people observing your models will not be through a Macro lens like much of the photography on this website. So try not to be to critical of yourself, your off to a good start but, yes, more color variation and blending would greatly enhance the effect.

Aren't we always the most critical of our own work? I think that's my problem with modeling. It's been a few years since I've built one (I'm 30 now and the last time I completed one I was probably 12 or 13). I've never actually finished one. Once I screw up, I start another one. I have about 12 partially started kits in various stages of completion.

At any rate, here is a better photo. Big difference between a point and shoot and a dslr with pro flash...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc7457ffa7a2f8de8d42c7cda8b83b389/ea68c4ce.jpg

[QUOTE=jmwallac] I've never actually finished one. Once I screw up, I start another one.


LOL, come see my workshop some day, ill show you the meaning of "screw up, start a new one". Its all a learning process. Ive got a great retirement ahead of me in 20 years, thats what i tell everyone when they ask to see the models ive completed. More color, you need more color, hope that helps.

hello,
Seems ok to me, even if I think one can have the feeling you've wanted to weather burnt iron with regular spaces ! :sly: :p
I don't really know for a F1 but i think that the burnt effect doesn't appear eveywhere on the exhaust, or everywhere with the same colors, nuances and intensity, moreover with regular spaces.
Maybe some more orange nuances would improve the effect but if this is your really first attempt I wouldn't even have to give an opinion as I've had myself to try, try and try again till getting something looking like burnt effect and not a snake skin or a mosaic ! :eek7: :grinyes:

Phil

try and try again till getting something looking like burnt effect and not a snake skin or a mosaic ! :eek7: :grinyes:

Phil

I was sorta thinking it looked like a snake too. I'm trying to get the bends with the blueing and the straighter sections with the tan. I'll take another crack at it...

Your application technique looks good. What you really need now is to study some pics of the real thing and copy how it really looks.

Generally speaking, I find that coloring the whole exhaust train an orangeish ruddy brown is a good first step. Then use reds, violets and blues (in that order) very sparingly. Steel has to get really hot to turn those colors- so if you have them represented without alot of the intermediate temperature colors present, it will look very odd and overemphasised.

But the only way to learn is to study pics (or the real thing).

Thanks for the tips. I've been searching for quite some time with no luck for a picture of the F2001 exhaust. I have pristine pictures with it perfectly chromed, but for the life of me can't find them weathered.

I'm going to try and do a 1/12 motorcycle as well. Little easier to find.

On a side note, I'm using eye makeup I found at the dollar store. One was on sale and I got 24 colors for $1.50!!!:cool:

What i use is a bright silver like alclad stainless steel or polished Testor's stainless steel metalizer then a very thin coat of Testor's Jet Exhaust( a brownish bronze color), thin enough that the brightness of silver still shows through. Then tint with clear yellow and blue. Be subtle and don't over do it.

It needs some clear red next to the blue...

I would ad some tamiya clear orange, clear red, and smoke.

Just my 2 cents,

Jordan

Tamiya do a weathering set specifically for this task:

http://www.hlj.com/product/TAM87088

and it looks a lot like a make-up set.

I know about the Tamiya exhaust, I'm trying to find a cheaper equivalent. I found these at the dollar store. One was on sale for $0.50, so I've only invested $1.50 for my "weathering" kit.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pf4ce948ce37bb0c21c11bc0c53b87cb1/ea5661e0.jpg

I'm convinced it's me and not the colors that are the limiting factor. We'll see how it turns out with some practice. This is my second attempt.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pcfb66556e7ce55294cb7376abc88e443/ea5661e3.jpg

Much better now :)