Evening (just) I am going to attempt to make a very basic test livery as I have been inspired by the brilliant work of many on here. So I wondered if anyone had any weathering tips or processes they have and also how to void the dreaded lines of the gradient layer. rigsby#3981 I seem to remember you had a method where you painted the train the weathered colour but can’t remember the exact process. Any help is much appreciated! Thanks!
I mate thank you for the mention as those lines have been a pain in my backside for some time. If your happy too and when I have some free time I’ll help you out directly with this. I’m sure many have encountered these issues and to be fair looking at some work from others don’t seem to have an issue really or just angled the camera as away to hide it. I’ve also seen a few do shots in low level light which will also hide those pesky lines. I don’t mean to sound up my own backside but as most of what I’ve done in the past I do it with pride and I want the best so those line was something I tried endless to get rid of. So behind the scenes and over the years Ive developed many different ways but I’ve not always been able to apply due to decal numbers. So again I will help out when I have some free time but feel free to ask at any time as I know I go into a lot of detail so will do my best to assist as you go along. Tbh I feel quite rude because I don’t know much about your work as before all this I kept myself to myself. So when I get time I’ll look at your profile in more depth to see where you maybe going wrong and then work from there. I don’t want to be judging your talent or speaking to you like a noob. As I hope you don’t get that impression and I think it’s quite an honour that you want some assistance or advice from me. In return I’ll endeavour to provide this as I feel that’s what where here for,,to share our talents because you could say I’m okay at doing liveries but absolutely no nothing about mods PCs scenarios and even simple stuff about railways. I’m proper LOVE yet saying that never tried hard enough due to confidence. So maybe you could help me one day so we can both share our passions with the community and help others. As I feel I’m getting old and want to retire lol so want to hand some knowledge to those that want to get into liveries. I wish I had the help when starting out I cried when I couldn’t do it so I want to help those that like me longed to be good at TSW. Those methods you mentioned can be done okay as due to the curve of the body work the shading can actually help hide them. To avoid lines on the yellow say then I’d just work on the side of the units. Again there is so many little points and trick that all seem daft but tie in later on and was about to start rambling. I’d leave the yellow and then use a build up of different weathering decals if you have them on from masters club. I’d use these for build up of dirt in recess or around door if on a EMU or DMU. If not just using a half gradient circle can help with weathering under rubber window lines as they are thin so no need to worry about lines showing. But this process on the body work with either a slight difference dark tone than the one wanted this helps blend the lines or hide them against the darker background. If you using the sandy colour as it appears on the underside and on the bogies and say using a blue then this is where playing around with different combinations of more than one layer and fading the colour on the the A slider. I learnt a lot about weathering due to interest in plane models and art work especially nose art with all them lovely ladies on. It’s a process that takes time and a lot of attention to detail. Even have an understanding of air distribution along body works. Where low pockets form so hence a build of dirt will. This is taking it to the extreme and just one of many factors. Age of vehicles or even where they operate can have some form of effect. I found this out when doing art work on a Panavia Tornado for someone that at the time was serving in Iraq. Desert Pink was the colour and seemed to be affected by the bright sun light of the east. Never mind the build up around the tail and around the wing joints. They worked hard those crew and pushed there planes no time to polish. So after me saying about rambling I’ve done one,,,so I’ll shut up. while I’m here I’ve just done you message so that’s done for you. Let me know if you want a peek to check your happy with it. I’ve placed the colour as BR Green it’s quite dark,,,it may appear as black in the photo if shown but don’t worry it is dark green. I also had to mess around slight with the 2023 for it to work so again if seen I hope this is satisfactory. Your next to me too lol. We’ll best be off,,,but if you want let me know what unit you was thinking about I can give you all the tips as some locos are easier than others. Cheers my friend. Lee.
Hi mate thanks for the reply. I am currently just about to get off a train so will need to be really brief: I haven’t ever done a livery as every time I have tried it has gone miserably wrong, so I am very much a noob!! I would really appreciate it if you could put a guide or something together as I to very much drive for perfection, obviously when you have spare time so don’t rush or do it in place of something else. I am just going to start with a simple br blue on the class 47. Thanks, speak soon!!!
No worries mate i won’t delay you,,,not with the way the networks are mate. And we can have a proper chat then mate,,,when we can focus better. BR Blue is a good start if you want any colour codes just let us know mate. Speak soon and have save journey home. Lee.
Thanks mate, the train I am on now left on time believe it or not!!! Yes like I say I am very much a perfectionist with liveries, hence my current unsuccessful attempts, so any tips or tricks on the hardest part (weathering) from someone such as your kind self would be appreciated. I would very much appreciate the colour codes too as I just couldn’t quite master them and aren’t happy with what I have got currently. Thanks mate.
I’m glad you did,,,I remember missing the train home for Leeds many times after a night out on the piss,,and watching live bands up in that area. I lost a few girlfriends from missing the train home:j And it’s alright mate I’d like think to I’m okay but there is many things that I could learn off others and by now means I am perfect. To chase perfection can be boring and the sure best way to miss the trends before they become just that. It’s a fast moving world,,,everything is here one minute gone the next. (The puppet masters still pull them strings in every aspect of a life some believe their in control). So chasing perfection now is gone tomorrow,,your then following the crowd without knowing it,,so hence by the time you reach perfection it’s old news. To be perfect is to think out side the box. To push,,,even when you think your completely out of your depth then,,,push on. You may reach you own personal level of perfection your happy with. As not everyone’s definition of perfect is the same and is it ever achievable,,if living by the rules of live in fast lane to succeed and adapt in an ever changing world. Right well sorry for little rant I’ll get them code over to you later on,,I’ll just need to get hold of them as I have few. Plus I need to focus a little on this livery as I’m losing track slightly. I will catch up with you soon I promise. Cheers mate. Lee.
Yes I think as long as it looks perfect to me I’ll be more than happy! I actually met my now wife on a train out of Leeds, albeit in the opposite direction to where I were going tonight!!
Hi man,,,you got it bang on as long as your happy and most of all just have fun as sometimes I do take this way to seriously than I should. And forget to have fun. That’s why on this project I keep having to swap task to keep my drive going. It’s a drag typing out over a thousand letters or close too. And no way fancy that,,,,was you heading to Manchester Piccadilly?. That’s where I used to head from I’d have to catch a train from Warrington or Newton le Willows depending on what girl I was with lol. Just quickly here’s the code I used on my one my first class 37’s. This is the 3rd Version so with a few improvements. You can also see a mixture of different types of weathering styles that are quite simple with a little bit of getting to now the game. Play around and just let the eye tell you when something looks odd. And when out and about just look at how things get dirty or worn. You’ll be amazed what you see if you just sit there,,,away from a phone. As per gotta go but hope the colour codes help and by no means are they perfect yet it to many hours to try perfectly replicate it for different lighting levels. I hope you also get some inspiration on the weathering too. Like those markings that I was taking about coming from under the sills. Me. Hehe. Edit: Forgot to load pictures. Duh!.
All will be revealed but that’s the under weathering method with a whole body layer of faded dirt to tie it in better. It’s all to do with the under layers or under coat I guess. There are a lot of steps as they all link with how all the roof layers lap etc etc they all have a knock on effect so why certain things are done when normal other would leave to last. Like anything tho to do with paint or how things reflect light can do with the type surface and the shade of undercoat used. Priming is vital in any preparation of body work before an application of paint. In this case prepare the under layers to allow the other to be faded so the show less lines but due the under coat being darker then where its left light or normal shade of paint then in the light it will appear dark. Hence look weathered with less lines. Don’t get me wrong they still don’t disappear so don’t be miss lead to much by the photos. You could say it’s a timely effort for not much reward but try I did to rid them lines and have been from day one, so I will endure to until my hands drop off. Don’t let this put you off but once I spent over 4 hours just one loco and probably the same on the rest just recently. Reason being is like you say they look good when in editor but then in game they show up. So it’s hard to gauge if your not use to how changes look good in editing but then in the light look shocking. Just think every time I made I change I have to close the game to allow the changes to take effect. It’s so timely and it’s a must that needs fixing. Why I’d did say to DTG once that I will quit if they do not sort it as I couldn’t nor shouldn’t be working in such conditions. I’m addiction and the old lion in me still loves a good fight. So I continue regardless of the cost,,,like so many that also face issue on a day to day basis. Right well I’ve gotta go,,,,hope they help a little but tbh I need to get YouTube videos going but still need help. I have always wanted to do them and show how to actually make them or understand what’s going on. The videos now are just like to fast no taking or just to much taking with all attention on them for my likes or subs to the channel. When all people are looking for is a proper in-depth explanation and tutorial. No fancy gimmicks just facts on how to get the job done and understand the basic and move up. I’m not saying this with any ignorance but what I have seen on YouTube then some just haven’t got a clue and these a highly viewed too. I want to provide information for those wanting to start out the way I was looking for when I was crying my heart out because I could understand. But that was just down to getting used to the controls and understanding each locos little quirks I guess. But still there are many out there wanting to do liveries but struggle to find a good source of information. Like In this case I’d love to explain but it so complicated I always feel talking it over as I go in a video or something is the only best way I could ever explain and for the listener to understand so they too can crack on. I don’t make videos because of the way I get. Just a little personal issue. But still it prevents me from sharing my passion for all to get involved with too. I’d love to make videos. Maybe one day. Speak soon mate. Lee.
Nice one,,,that’s it just play around with it you’ll soon settle in. I can’t wait to see them. See ya later…. Lee.
It’s not too bad but I still have the sodding lines! Saying that the blue looks great so thanks for that rigsby#3981
Hello mgbgt,,,Sorry it’s been a while since proper getting back to you. Just looking at that picture you can’t really tell, but to be fair it’s not to bad from what I can see,,,. You will never get rid of them for good,,. It would be pretty interesting if anyone else shared their methods,,,for one can’t know everything so I’d be curious to see how others approach this difficult area. Also some extra tips not only from me to help you along. So because I said I’d assist I will do. That TEAM DTG Project has taken it out of me a little due to so many design elements to conceptualise some form of prototype,,,after a little research. I’ll try but some information regarding all this on the TEAM DTG Project Thread,,later. I’ve around 162 photos of it during different stages to go through firstly tho. So as I say it’s taken it out me a little so I doubt I’ll be working today and I’ll need do the pictures. Saying that I was working on something last night which would look pretty cool. Don’t want to say to much but I think it would tie in with this as a side Project. We will have to wait and see Getting back to some assistance for you. At some point today I’ll do some little test stages of weathering for you,,and then maybe when you get some free time at some point we could go over them together so you can ask as we go. Obviously it’s not long till Christmas so I appreciate time is tight so wanted to try make it as painless as possible so again you can just go away and have a little mess around your self if I give you few pointers. I’ll send some settings over with the rest so at least you can start of with some stable base so then that would limit your testing. But without sound harsh here, if there is anything I’d like to add to all this then it would be for you to find your own way of working and understand them by just messing around with settings your self. This is so you get a better understanding on how they work and if testing see the results. You will gain a better understanding of colours or levels of depth when it comes to weathering and also you own ideas of what look right to you. You will gain your own knowledge and experience as you go. Takes time and you won’t always get it right,,,my earlier liveries show this.Yet in time and by messing around then you will get better,,even I’m still learning. As anyway of learning as a kids back in the day then by playing and messing around we learn or even stumble on ideas. (Brainstorming). Have Fun like a big kid,,,think out side the box. Not everything works,,,as for some reason I feel this TEAM DTG Project hasn’t. Hit and Miss but you have to try something new,,,be that learning new weathering techniques or doing something completely outlandish. Yet just quickly I feel with this Project I haven’t really made the outlines clear. Anyway a lot to think about I guess. Well I feel I’ve taken enough of your time here today so I’ll crack on lad. Take it easy and yes if you can find time then that would grand. If not I’ll just send screen shots with the process steps that way you can just ask me freely on anything I may have not made clear. So until then my friend have a good un. Lee.
Thanks mate, sadly I am going to have to be brief, yet again! I have been experimenting and trying to use various layer combinations to try and reduce the lines but the picture above still remains my finest attempt. If you wouldn’t mind I would find a visual guide very useful to set myself a fun foundation to build on. As always thanks for your input. Also you DTG livery is looking great btw.
Hello,,,sadly I’ll have to be the same got a few house chores to do. Plus me mummy came down so that’s unsettling the Apple Cart a little. Here’s a few pictures that will hopefully put your mind at rest because I think we all have to reach a point where we say enough is enough and is the best one can do. And by the sounds you have reached that point. Trust me I’ve spent hours on testing weathering and to be honest not one moment of it was enjoyable,,,it can drive one Mad. Why well mostly you have to change those settings every time you have a different colour etc,,not to mention the silly little faults in game that slow it all down. So below some earlier work done on TSW2 and maybe pretty interesting to see the acceptance of how they appear in TSW2 lighting. I’m not expert but sometimes I can’t tell the difference but the whole new weathering system surly effects it and seems to be more of an issue on TSW4 when it comes to how the lighting effects the weathering decal. On this one those lines are still there to some degree,,balancing the mix against the blue and then the yellow. This was done without the cut split method using separate weathering decals for yellow front,,side blue. You’ll also see where I’ve joined two going up horizontally,,,so they run from down near the Buffer Beam up and back across the roof with it then mirrored. One of those that I spend a little time one and as you can see you can never I don’t every think you can get rid of them. Try as one may,,,. Above that 37 073 I shown you in the light. Simple method used as this is old work now. Yet them lines are okay on the yellow a little but you can see them on the blue. Below 37 107 “Fury” What a name. As you can see looks okay in the editing and not to bad in the light against the Grey. Again the lighting to me seemed softer for some reason in TSW2 ,it seems to harsh in TSW3 Say Cajon Pass and especially Sherman Hill,,,but is that just the correct lighting for those harsh sun beaten environments. Below SD70ACe “The Sherman Hill King” heading up to Sherman Hill, a little celebration livery for passing a few mild stones. In Blistering Sun Light you can still see them lines and I worked my arse off in trying to correct. But them lines are still there and so with all this I hope in these pictures that you can see by spending hours and hours which isn’t much fun,,,can sometimes have its rewards yet often or not it’s a Job that one feels the community will expect because as they too must face the same challenges and so we all must accept a certain level of respect or acceptance for any work put out that has been weathered. Because it’s hard and Hats of to those that I’d say are master at it. But look closely and them lines are in most work still so as I say I feel the community has that acceptance of what to expect now when see weathering on things on CC. So speaking from experience as some what of a perfectionist,,,yet that has it flows backs. Focus on one thing but over look something simple. Spending hours and hours is just painful,,trust me. From the pictures I seen yesterday I couldn’t really tell so your there. You made a conscious attempt and a decent one for a NOOB. Don’t take that the wrong way too buddy,,,I’m no God I’m just a bloke. And one that doesn’t know everything,,,,I am I NOOB on here, am still not sure how to do links. Shocking. Like I was told not long again and he was right. Just have FUN. And like a famous Bruce Lee quote that reads “I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and your not in this world to live up to mine”. I personally feel that’s a great saying,,,why I like it and why I should take heed of it. And why it could apply here,,,trying to hard to please others just means you lose sight of all the fun and what makes you happy. You can never please everyone so why try. So on that note,,,its bye for now. I’ll short some stuff out,,,later today. Until then have a good one. Lee.
Hi mate,,,I’ve was meant to be placing those things up so I’ll do them in min,,,I’ve just being responding to a few messages so don’t have time unfortunately,,,but here just a few and I can explain later. The first photo and second is and for any new people to CC then the TWIST is a must to fill out the gaps. The other was a method to save decals and get that dirty layer under and on the grills. But with TSW4 that is not an option by the looks now. Still works for the main forward engine grills tho. I’ve colour coded them to try explain better later on. Catch ya soon. Lee (TSLP).
……. A lot of different shades was used so a little hard to show which one was which. But you can gain a level of depth of layering and shading steps as you build up. As you do slightly fade the rest so then when all the top skin to blend it all together should make it appear smoother.
