Learning to weather and show wear on a model...

[clovis]

I am building Lindberg's 1/16 Model T.

I would like to build this model as if the car is showing some wear, as if it is a heavily used 1 or 2 year old car.

I would like to show foot wear on the side steps of the body of the car, as if the area has been stepped on so many times that the paint has worn down to the steel.

If I paint this area Testor's steel, and then spray on my topcoat, and then use 400 or 600 grit sandpaper to remove the topcoat/body color, will this give me the worn look that I want?

The step area has both a Ford logo and a raised tread molded into the step of the body, much like the 1:1.

Thanks in advance!!!!!

This model building hack can use all the help he can get!!!!!

Edited July 19, 2013 by clovis

[JunkPile]

Check youtube videos for ideas

[ScaleDale]

Go to YouTube and search "Doctor Cranky". He's the expert. Even has a book.

Dale

[Jantrix]

As for the worn step. I think that should work. But I would experiment on a spare part or plastic spoon.

[Harry P.]

A better way to simulate the worn paint on the side step is to drybrush a bit of silver onto the painted part instead of first painting silver, then body color, then sanding off the body color to reveal the silver. Doing it that way, there's always the chance of sanding through the silver and exposing the white plastic. By drybrushing silver over the final paint in the "worn" areas there's no chance of that happening.

Drybrushing the "wear" is exactly how I did this step plate on an Alfa Monza. The plate itself is sheet styrene painted black. Then I drybrushed the "wear" with silver paint to simulate the black paint having been worn off. If I had used the "paint silver first, then sand off the final color" method I'm pretty sure I would have wound up exposing the bare white plastic.

[clovis]

Go to YouTube and search "Doctor Cranky". He's the expert. Even has a book.

Dale

Thank you!!!!

Dr. Cranky is the best. I even bought the book. He is the master of rusty and crusty!!!!

[clovis]

A better way to simulate the worn paint on the side step is to drybrush a bit of silver onto the painted part instead of first painting silver, then body color, then sanding off the body color to reveal the silver. Doing it that way, there's always the chance of sanding through the silver and exposing the white plastic. By drybrushing silver over the final paint in the "worn" areas there's no chance of that happening.

Drybrushing the "wear" is exactly how I did this step plate on an Alfa Monza. The plate itself is sheet styrene painted black. Then I drybrushed the "wear" with silver paint to simulate the black paint having been worn off. If I had used the "paint silver first, then sand off the final color" method I'm pretty sure I would have wound up exposing the bare white plastic.

Thank you, Harry.

This is not the first time that you've posted a picture, and I thought it was a real car.

I've been dry brushing for many years, but I can't seem to get it to look real like yours.

Maybe I need more practice?