How to weather with powdered pastels: Powdered pastels have long been a popular choice for weathering locomotives, freight cars, and buildings. There are several firms that offer ready-to- use weathering powders, or you can make your own by scraping pastel sticks with a hobby knife.
I started work on this N scale Micro-Trains boxcar by spraying the entire car with Model Master Luster- less Flat. The flat finish gives the pastels a bit of tooth to bind into.
After the flat finished dried, I began applying MIG Productions Cargo Dust to the weld seams. My hands aren’t steady enough to apply the pigment in a straight line, so I used Post-it notes to mask the seams.
![weather with powdered pastels: A brush is used on a green freight car alongside two post-it notes](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MRR-how-to-weather-with-powdered-pastels-02-0123.jpg)
When I removed the masks, I found the pastels made the weld seams look too thick. I corrected this by wiping off some of the pastels with a damp cotton swab. I pulled the cotton swab straight down from top to bottom until the streak was more subtle.
![A q tip is used on the side of a green freight car](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MRR-how-to-weather-with-powdered-pastels-03-0123.jpg)
After I finished all of the weld seams, I sprayed the car with another coat of Lusterless Flat. To simulated faded lettering, I used a Microbrush to apply PanPastel Titanium White artists’ pastels to the bottom of the Burlington lettering. Then, using a Sofft flat sponge bar applicator, I pulled the pastels straight down so the lettering looks chalked and streaked.
![weather with powdered pastels: A foam spongs is used on the lettering on the side of a freight car](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MRR-how-to-weather-with-powdered-pastels-04-0123.jpg)
I weathered the truck springs with PanPastel Burnt Sienna. I used the same firm’s Raw Umber and a Sofft applicator to weather the car roof and ends.
![The springs of the freight car are painted brown](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MRR-how-to-weather-with-powdered-pastels-05-0123.jpg)