I've always admired the people who could accurately weather locomotives and make them look more "real." So, I'm starting a thread for folks to show their weathering efforts and also to share tips on weathering for others to try out. My weathering skills are limited. Recently, I starting digging in and learning the GIMP photo editor, as my old Photoshop Elements won't handle .dds files. While I have a lot to learn about GIMP (it's not very intuitive in many ways), getting some passable weathering effects with it is, in my opinion, a little easier than in Photoshop Elements. So, to start things off, here are some of my first attempts--the nearly always dirty Montana Rail Link SD70ACe's that are "captured" in Mullan Pass helper service. In the screenshot, they sit idling at Elliston, waiting for clearance to run light back to Helena. In the "real" world, I hear that many of the MRL SD70ACe's have already been scattered to the winds on the BNSF system, so a "pure" MRL helper set like this may not be around to often, anymore. 
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The secret is using layers.
I never touch the base image.
Randy
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Definitely use layers. Paint.net supports layers and will flatten them to produce DDS.If you like what you see here at Trainsim.com, be it the discussions and knowledge in the forums, items saved in our library or the ongoing development of our TSRE Fork, I hope you'll consider a paid membership to help support keeping the site operating.... Thanks!Comment
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Use layers, especially create a group of weathering layers.
Find a good grunge brush or grunge effect. I use a dirt brush with the angle or rotation randomized, often using motion blur to creating streaks and edge grime.
Look up various model railroad teniques for weathering. The methodology is the same, even if it's a real brush on a real model instead of a virtual brush on a virtual model.Parker B. - A Misplaced Midwesterner.
Also known as Mr. Two Bits and Mr. Squarewheels.Comment
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Step 1: Research, research, research. Before skinning (and then weathering), I do a LOT of research. I research the general paint scheme, but also research specific IRL examples of the unit I’m trying to represent. Some research I do online, but I also have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of research material on my specific areas of interest. Not just for modeling, but definitely with modeling in mind. (As an aside, this is one of the reasons I don’t “take requests” for reskins. The time and money spent on research doesn’t make it worth it to me to do one-off repaints for somebody else.)
Step 2: (It should be noted that I use Photoshop on Windows 11.) The first thing I do to a clean reskin texture is Add Noise (Filter -> Noise -> Add Noise), usually somewhere between .5% and 1.5%. Noise adds little dots to the entire texture, making it look less “flat” or toy-ish. The color of the base texture can influence the percentage of noise I use.
Step 3: The next thing I do is go over the entire texture by hand with the Blur tool (using various percentages of Strength), manually smoothing out all the Noise. This removes the unrealistic dots added by the Noise, but keeps some level of variability in the color of the texture to keep it from looking flat. Doing it by hand ensures that other details in the texture remain sharp, and I typically use Marquee, Lasso, and Magic Wand tools to select/inverse select specific areas to Blur while protecting other areas I want to keep sharp.
Step 4: Some people work with pre-made weathering layers. I generally don’t. One reason being Step 1. Using a generic pre-made weathering layer will give you generic results, which is something I don’t really want if I’m trying to represent a specific IRL loco. The closest I come to a pre-made weathering layer are Filters, and I typically use two kinds: Clouds and Fibers (Filter -> Render -> Clouds/Fibers). I use the Clouds filter as a general dust layer, and it’s usually some shade of two-tone grey and yellow. I use the Fibers filter as a general water-streaked rust layer, and it’s usually some shade of two-tone brown and rust. I create new Cloud and Fibers filters for every model I work on. Sometimes I create more than one version of a filter because I don’t like the way the pattern of the first one works with the model. The colors and Opacity/Fill that I use to modify and apply the Clouds and Fibers filters vary from model to model, depending on the look I’m trying to achieve and also the base color of the clean texture—another reason I don’t use generic pre-made weathering layers.
Step 5: After applying some dust, rust, and water streaks via Filters, the real texture work begins because everything else I do is
hand-drawn. For hand-drawing, I use different Brushes (many payware) at various sizes, strengths, etc. I typically also use Clone Stamp to pull from my Clouds/Fibers filters or the clean texture (all of which I keep open in separate windows). I’ll also have various pictures of the model I’m trying to represent open in other windows (or on my desk, if it’s in print format), to try to get the details as accurate as I can (vs just randomly adding squirts from the Airbrush Tool).
Step 6: At various points, I convert the texture to an Open Rails format, then pull up the model in a shape viewer to make sure the colors aren’t doing anything weird/unexpected while also cross-reference the pictures I’m working from to make sure my efforts are reasonably accurate to the IRL model I’m trying to represent. I’m also making sure that the weathering lines up, as much as possible, across various textures. This is sometimes one of the hardest parts: continuity across textures. It’s sometimes hard to keep continuity across textures for clean textures; it’s a lot harder to do with weathering. And is another reason I don’t use pre-made generic weathering layers.
Step 7: Typically I adjust the overall Hue/Saturation/Contrast/Brightness of the texture to account for weathering, fading, or dirtiness on the IRL model. Be aware that sometimes the reference pictures can be deceiving because their own hue/saturation/contrast/brightness may be off…
Step 8: By this Step, I’ve usually achieved a decent base texture coloring again, so during this phase I will make any necessary changes to the logo to represent things like peeling, scraping, or fading.
Step 9: Repeat Steps 5, 6, 7,8 as often as it takes. NOTE: If you are working with dds texture files, be aware that they are Lossy in nature, meaning you will lose texture quality every time you save the file. The texture details begin to look blurry, and the texture also starts to develop a cross-hatch pattern. While these effects can sort of mimic weathering, it actually looks terrible and is easy to spot when a reskinner has made this error once you know what you’re looking for. It’s definitely happened to me before I knew better.
Step 10: At some point near the end, I have to copy/paste specific items from the clean texture onto the dirty texture: stuff like headlight lenses, air vents, MU hoses…. Some of the stuff I’ve done in the steps above negatively impacts those sorts of items so that they now don’t look realistic. So I’ll copy/paste the clean versions onto my dirty version and then specifically work with those areas as stand-alone (but using similar techniques outlined above) to get the results I want. This is one area where layers might be useful, but I’m typically working with the clean image open anyway, so it’s no big deal to copy/paste the specific items I might need directly from the clean image instead of creating a layer of those specific parts.
Step 11: Let it go. At some point, you just have to be satisfied with the results, knowing it’s not going to be perfect. And also knowing you have some artistic freedom… People will love it and/or hate it regardless. If people don’t like it, they don’t have to download it. I’ve taken the stance that I don’t do the work for other people; I do it for myself, and then sometimes share it with others (another reason I don’t take requests, or be influenced by download numbers). And sometimes people will point out (or you’ll randomly notice yourself) obvious things you missed even after pouring over your work and reference pictures for hours—and then you have to decide whether or not you want to fix it.
For results, see below. There are 2 unweathered versions of a SBD paint loco (8309, done by Tyler Bundy and available in the file library), and then my weathered versions of SBD paint 4601 (I used Tyler's original SBD paint as my base, and the techniques outlined above). Followed by an added pic of the IRL
Last edited by yellowdog; 09-01-2024, 14:54.Comment
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Side note here, even if you're reskin is fictional, taking the time to do research of simliar IRL railroads and locales greatly helps add a sense of vermislitude to your weathering.Originally posted by yellowdog View Post
As an example, FBL 2040 here was weathered using various Rio Grande and Southern Pacififc units for refrence. Noteably, the black streaking from oil and soot, especially on the ends, and the burnt paint under the DB are commonly seen on Rio Grande and SP diesels.
Parker B. - A Misplaced Midwesterner.
Also known as Mr. Two Bits and Mr. Squarewheels.Comment
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I use various textures I find online.
The .pngs make it easy.
RandyComment
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Another vote for "always layers" from me, but I also agree with Randy's point that having some textures up your sleeve can save a lot of time. When I do a loco reskin, I usually try to get some bang for my buck and get another couple of units out of the photo where possible. I had some pics of a nice, shiny new CN 3107 for instance, and made a bunch of other units from it. To put it into the old MSTS terms, the source loco (3107) becomes a "player" loco and whatever units I spin off from it get assigned to AI trains. I'll then change the tanks, reflective stripes and make a couple of other small alterations to break up the "same, same" look of the AI locos. Having some "grime" textures available, it was only a few minutes work to have 3104 look quite different to the original 3107 photo. With my limited painting skills, it would have taken me a lot longer to achieve that grime with brushes etc. My simple rule is if it's a loco or freight car I'm going to be looking at a lot on a "player" train, then I put a lot of time into it. If it's getting marked for "AI' use only, then I only do enough to cover the few seconds I might see it for.
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Absolutely, use layers and play with texture modes and opacities that your image processing program will support. Also having color and greyscale versions of each layer can help get different effects as wellComment
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The same layers will have different effects depending on color, opacity, and texture mode. Also duplicating the same layers overtop of one another can produce unique results as wellComment
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rrdiesel87, I love that Rail Box. You did.
TimComment
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In addition to using layers, remember that subtlety can be the key to realism. While a lube oil spill can be stark and dark up close, as you back away 30 feet or more it starts to fade in intensity and blends into the background a little bit. I've seen model railroaders overdue this effect repeatedly with brush paints getting ugly results and when viewing some distance away the oil leak looks like a gaping wound from across the room. By using layers you can easily achieve a blended effect by adjusting the density or opacity of the layer. Also keep in mind that shadowing certain mostly-hidden areas can really help define a model. Things like freight car axles or underbody equipment that doesn't see much sun textured as bright and shining like a spotlight is on them can make a wonderful model look toy-like. Again, creating a shadow layer can help you achieve realism by allowing you to adjust the density of the effect in certain areas.
The best part about learning to use layers is that as time goes on and you see some weathering you did that you no longer like or decide it needs to be fine-tuned, you just go to that layer in your saved texture file and adjust it or remove that one feature without having to re-do the entire texture file. I wish I had earned to use layers in my early weathering efforts.
-Tom
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Hi Folks,
One of my favorite topics - it’s fun trying to come up with better techniques.
Probably my best weather job:
Regards,
ScottComment
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