Dry Brushing Technique on Model Trains & Railroads

May 12, 2014

The dry brushing technique is used widely on model railroads to improve realism and provide extra dimension to a surface. It can also be used to highlight raised surfaces and small details that might otherwise be lost. Modelers often use dry brushing to give train models a rusted appearance to achieve a more realistic weathered look. Use an old brush (preferably one that has short stiff bristles) or buy a cheap one from stores for this technique.
1. Dip the brush in paint.
2. Wipe all extra paint onto a paper or towel. The dry should have some paint on it but not appear to be wet (hence the term “dry brush”).
3. Drag the paint brush across the model to despoit small amounts of color pigment. You might need to have several goes until you master the technique of applying the right amount of paint to just highlight chosen details.
4. The process can be repeated after each layer is dry to build up layers using color variations to add dimension.
Dry brushing is used to paint rust marks, oil stains and smoke marks. It can also be used to add details to landscapes.