Hi guys, I just used pastel chalks for weathering for the first time. The chalks I used were a mix of brown and gray/smoke, so the color was kind of light - and I've read somewhere that a clearcoat darkens light pastels. I got the dusty color that I wanted, but when I went to put a clear coat over the dust, it just dissapeared! I mean there was a slight hint of dark brown spot where I put the pastels, but it was 3 times smaller and much less noticable than before the PollyS acrylic clear coat. Is this natural for pastels? Should I use a different matt coat? Should I use different weathering pigments? Any info would be very helpful.

Paul clear coat or varnish always makes pastels seem lighter then what they are. You need to do it extra heavy (the pastels) so that when you matt coat it tones it down to what you want.

I will try that MrRoo, but it feels as if the pastels are blown off the model when I try to spray the clear coat, well, I guess it's that they get that much lighter. Thanks for the advice, I'll tell you how my results in a little while.

You also have the problem of the AB airpressure blowing away some of the pastels before the clear coat even hits.
On some dioramas I will pastel it dead last, after the clear coat. If you choose to do it in this order you have to realize that you can't touch the subject or you'll leave finger prints of smodges or rub off the pastels. You can't really dust them very well either, so a good covering is a bonus.

Hi Paul,
I think you can get away with using the pastels without having to clearcoat, I've been doing it since I started military modeling and no problems. I did try to clearcoat once, and ran into the same problems as you. A close friend of mine, Russ Sharp pretty much taught me his weathering techniques...and developed my own. I usually get the subject glued to the base before pastels, and I just apply them with a small stiff brush where needed, gently blow away any excess, and be done with it. Then I construct a case for my dio, as I have a high dust area where I live.

Thanks guys, Sabot, this is exactly what I was thinking, the pastels just get blown away! Well, I will try Roo's method since I really want to put a clear coat over it - that way I can touch it and clean it with ease.

Hi Paul, I may be preaching to the converted by now as I have just joined. I have been using pastels for some time now and you are better to buy a set as you get a range of colours but there are 2 types of pastel. One is chalk and the other is a bit more greasy. The chalk is great for adding subtle shades and powder stains such as exhaust, gun powder burns etc. the other tends to streak more off the brush an resembles scrapes and rubbing marks. Using either, you have to apply it over a matt surface. I usually have done panel lines decals etc and then matt coat and then pastel and then matt coat again. At this point if it hasn't quite given you the desired effect then you can re-apply and matt coat again. Not all the chalk blows off as it gets a grip on the matt coating.
Incidentally, if you brush a very light layer of say, dark brown around an engine cowling and then use a fine brush with thinner and streak in the direction of airflow or gravity through it you get a very realistic oil or hydraulic streak. As an illustration, check out the exhaust staining on my Catalina or harrier in my gallery.
Hope this is some help to you.
Happy pasteling

Paul, If you haven't seen it yet, check out this month's cover story of Fine Scale Modeler Magazine...It's all about weathering with chalks and pastels...lots of good tips!

Gunny

Same here. I don't put clearcoat on my models treated with pastels since the pastel "disappears."

I weather a model with pastels and set them aside before putting the model on a base. Once it is installed on the base, I weather it with more pastels.

Angela

Pastels is a great way to weather if you know what you are doing. If you just chop it up then apply it it might not look as good. Treat it as if you were paint it and make sure you are applying it in the right place. There is nothing worse then inaccurate weathering

-Nick-

U didnt say how did you put the matt coat? No brushing of matt coat over pastels is allowed, only Airbrushing works.

second, i rarely use pastels totaly dry, ussualy i mix sanded pastels with medic alcohol or water/dishwash soap mix, alcohol makes pastels "hold" better to the surface althought its a bit harder to work that way. I had no problems with matt coating pastels except they get a bit darkes (but i always use a lighter colour than that i need so when it gets darker its the one i want )

cheers
Mirko

i have been working with pastels for a long time and that have really worked for me, they can simulate many things like engine smoke or dirt