Weathering

Just wondering what everybodys opinion was regards weathering model cars, rallycars in particular. Been thinking about getting my recently completed New Zealand 206 a little dirty. I've weathered one car before and it turned out okay, another Rally NZ winner, Carlos Sainz's 1998 Toyota Corolla. Do you think it adds to the realism and authenticity or mess up an otherwise nice model?

So what ya all reckon - muddy it up or leave it clean?

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/430338toyota-nz98-sainz-12a.jpg

I think it's essential for a realistic diorama to add that extra touch of realism but for static display models I prefer that clean showroom look to show off all the decals and detailing.

However, good weathering can make a model stand out in a crowd of lookalikes in competitions ;)

BTW, that's an excellent job on the Corolla, looks like it's fresh from a muddy stage :cool:

Recently (half year ago) I switched from Army Modeling to car modeling just because I was tired of heaving to weather everything I made. But than again a Tiger I tank that isn't weathered looks like sh**
Personally I think the opposite counts for cars (even rallycars), I think they should be shiny as a mirror unless you want to use them in a diorama off course.

If you do want to weather and need some additional articles or how-to's, maybe have a look here:
http://fp.docdio.f9.co.uk/page/articles1.htm
http://www.missing-lynx.com/dg.htm
Allthough it's mostly about army vehicles and diorama's the techniques can also be applied for cars.

Grtz,
Jan

Clean and shiny models are always nice to see.
But weathering always give more realism to the model.

I heard some complaints from my friends who are military modelers because most of cars are clean. I told them that is hard job to make it clean and nice than make it dirty.
Weathering can hide some mistakes, too. :)

But when I made my Subaru dirty, everybody likes it and military and car modelers.

I'm for weathering because it will give realisic look to the models.http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/770503subaru_wrc_98_right_side.jpg

If it goes on a diorama then yes but when In display with other cars then definetly not. Some minor weathering around the exhaust and wheelswells maybe.

I personally like a nice clean paint finish on my models, as you can admire a good decal / paint job.

It depends, however, if you are building a dioramma. Then a weathered model will be more fitting.

However, if you mess up a paint job or decal job, weathering will be the easy way out to hide it!:flash:

Originally posted by memphiz
If it goes on a diorama then yes but when In display with other cars then definetly not. .

Ditto

Originally posted by memphiz
If it goes on a diorama then yes but when In display with other cars then definetly not.

agree's

Originally posted by memphiz
If it goes on a diorama then yes but when In display with other cars then definetly not. Some minor weathering around the exhaust and wheelswells maybe.

Yep! ;)

If done really well, they look great. If done badly - see Trevor Pask's creations in Scale Model Int mag - then they ruin a perfectly good model.

No probs with the examples shown here though.

I love weathered rallycars when they are "in action". I mean that it must be in a diorama. I don't like it if it's alone.
This my point of view ! :)

Bye
Steve

Yes, bad weathering can ruin model.

if it goes on a diorama then yes, if not then no. imo, i think the tarmac style rally car to look clean the best.:p

Diorama, yes...weathering. No....clean. Though I have seen a fow that looked good that were weathered a little, road dust and such no mud, that were not set in a diorama that good.

More pics of the Corolla, please! :D

I think (and intend to act upon) that it's fine to have a dirty rally car, since that is often their "natural state," but also that damage is just as important as dirt. Every time I watch any rally footage, some car or other is flying off a cliff or t-boning a tree or at the very least shearing off its fenders.

Now that would make for some realism. ;)

Has anyone who has seen a car that was weathered wrong. Like the way they placed the dirt how it couldn't get in one spot without getting another but they didn't do the other spot?

For Dioramas I think its essential, but if I'm putting it up to "show" I want it perfectly clean hehe, butthen I get I mostly do street cars.

I think there is a difference between weathering and making your model look "muddy"...

Indeed, a F1 car looks "weathered" after a race, even if it looked shiny at the start. Ever seen a Le Mans racecar after a 24 hours race? No mud, but a lot of weathering tracks!

Even a rallycar that has been drving an asphalt race or even a gravel race doesn't look muddy. But very weathered!

Racecars only look shiny and clean at the start or at a motorshow. Don't get me wrong : I do like clean and shiny cars as well, but from time to time i just need to weather one to make it look a lot more realistic!

Even if a racecar is not weathered, and it's at the start of a race, it doesn't really look shiny. I have been a racecar photographer for many years now and I have seen dozens of racecars from very close : most of them are not even painted, the colors of the livery's are self-adhesive sheets and stickers, and the bodyworks are not of metal either for that matter. So the "paint" looks kinda matted, very rarely they will look really shiny like a showroom car!

But that's just one personal opinion of course!

In the pics you can see a Ferrari 250 LM (the 1965 Le Mans winner) at the end of the race, at his last pitstop. I admit, this car will be part of a diorama later on. It is not a rallycar, and still it is weathered. But do you think it looks muddy? It does look dirty, but the only dirt on the car is the rubber that it has been picking up from the track during the race...

http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_01.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_02.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_03.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_04.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_05.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_06.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_07.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_08.jpg
http://www.misteryracing.com/sennake/250/250_09.jpg

i voted yes, go for the weathering. i was thinking about it and if i went to someones house and they had two of the same models displayed, just in a case, and one was weathered and the other one not, i would go straight for the weathered one and check it out. it just seems cooler and it takes more work.

i say weather it :D

Love the dirty models! LeMans cars do get rather dirty! I remembered being amazed at how filthy Steve McQueen's Gulf Porsche got during the race.

If it's on the real car, or conceivably on it, I like to model it. My 356 will have a rusty and paint-chipped muffler, and a dirty engine, but it's because I'm modeling the car as a daily driver, not a show queen. I think any little thing you can add that makes the car look more realistic is good in my book. Plus, weathering is fun!

I've even considered putting my Porsche in a "winter" ski-trip diorama, complete with road salt on the tires and fenders! *GASP!*

Sean

Thanks for your responses everybody. At the moment the vote is split almost 50-50 :eek: Can't say that has helped me decide either way what to do with my NZ 206! As far as dioramas go I've already done one, with another half finished so maybe a muddy NZ diorama might be an idea some time down the track.Originally posted by exhaust smoke
However, if you mess up a paint job or decal job, weathering will be the easy way out to hide it!:flash: Yes that is something I want to avoid, people thinking the weathering is only there brecause a good clean finish can't be achieved.Originally posted by jay@af
More pics of the Corolla, please! :D

I think (and intend to act upon) that it's fine to have a dirty rally car, since that is often their "natural state," but also that damage is just as important as dirt. Every time I watch any rally footage, some car or other is flying off a cliff or t-boning a tree or at the very least shearing off its fenders.

Now that would make for some realism. ;)
Jay there are more pictures of the Corolla on my website at http://rallycars.topcities.com/gallery/toyota-nz98/toyota-nz98-sainz.html

I agree with you about the damage, so long as it is the likes of McRae or Burns driving. Gronholm or Sainz generaly seem to mark their car a whole lot less - with some major exceptions!

Originally posted by Sennake
I think there is a difference between weathering and making your model look "muddy"...
Nice job there Sennake. The reason I said muddy is because on the event I'm considering, Rally New Zealand the cars don't just get "grimy", they get downright filthy! That is why they put the extra numbers on the rear windows, all the other numbers get covered with mud.
Originally posted by magicmanjk808
i voted yes, go for the weathering. i was thinking about it and if i went to someones house and they had two of the same models displayed, just in a case, and one was weathered and the other one not, i would go straight for the weathered one and check it out. it just seems cooler and it takes more work.

i say weather it :D
Thanks Magicman that is kind of the way I'm thinking. Since I may be entering a model comp soon, I want some way to make my car stand out from the crowd.

Originally posted by RallyRaider

Nice job there Sennake. The reason I said muddy is because on the event I'm considering, Rally New Zealand the cars don't just get "grimy", they get downright filthy! That is why they put the extra numbers on the rear windows, all the other numbers get covered with mud.

quote:

Yup. :)

I think its UGLY!