Weathering with pastels

I've used pastels for a number of years now. I like to use light greys for road dust. Start at the top of the vehicle and work down applyingthe pastels heavier the lower you go. I use an artists fan brush to apply the pastels in this type of scenario.
I don't use anything to seal my pastels though I have heard that some others use a light dusting of dullcote to seal. But if you do, then you may need to apply the pastels a little heavier.
By not applying a sealer to the pastels it creates its own drawback. Once the pastels are in place the model becomes untouchable, unless you want fingerprints on it.

Have fun !!!

Same here. I don't seal pastel chalk and I apply them heavily. Otherwise you'll be blowing it off when you sneeze during application. He-he-he.

Yellow ochre mixed with some light grays is what I use for dust, although I don't really use pastel chalk that much for dusting overall. I usually use it as a 'localized' dust coat.
I've never sealed mine, never had to. But Robert is correct; once you're finished, you can't touch anymore.
If you decide to seal it, be very careful, as I've heard that it can be problematic. You're mixing dust with a liquid-->you'll get a mess if not done properly...

In the past I've used light sprays of paint rather than pastels to simulate dust and stuff like that. But this time, on my Panther build, I am game to try the pastels.

Question for you guys who don't seal. How do you clean the model when it gets dirty due to normal dust accumulation -- I mean the real stuff, house dust, not road dust? Or do you keep it in a plastic or glass case forever after?

I grind up artist chalk pastels with the color I want and then I mix it with aboout 50/50 water and chalk dust. It's kinda high concentration of chalk, but it looks good. I apply it and let it dry. Once it dries I seal it up and most of it will disolve away. I keep applying it untill it is built up. And seal it up as I go along.

Good question Larry. So far, it hasn't been a problem for me. I use one of those dusting feathers to lightly remove dust (the real, house dust) from the models. Didn't affect the chalk pastel yet :)
When I apply the chalk pastel dust, I generally tend to really work it in, then blow off the excess. It tends to adhere to a flat finish very well, and the light force the dusting feather applies is nothing close to what I do with a brush, so I guess that's why it's stayed on so far. My first one that I used chalk was made over a year ago, and I tend to dust once a month at least. It's still perfectly fine.

I use pastels as well, but I do seal them with dull cote afterward. It looks wierd when the dull coat is wet, but so far when the dull coat and the thinner dry on top of the pastels, they return to their original "dry" appearance. I even blew on some dust on the Nashorn I just built. I used pastel chalk, thinner and a little dullcoat for the darker areas on the road wheels.

Larry - I just dust them off when the house cooties become too much. If needed, I'll brush on a little more pastel.

Sorry for my bad english but i wonder what is a dull coat, is it flat varnish?

Dull cote is a matt finish ... Testor's has a product named Dull-cote and I believe it is a lacquer. I've recently tried mixing Future Acrylic Floor Polish (70%) with Tamiya Matt Acrylic Agent (30%) and found it to work very well.

Wow, thanks for all the tips

All these years I've been trying to keep dust OFF my ship models.....

As far as the handling factor, it not much of an issue for me because most of my builds are in a display case, because my wife likes it that way

Can the chalk and water combo be used to (lightly) simulate dried mud? If so, what colors would you use for that?

I also use pastels over a flat finish and I try to scrub it in so that the pastel holds a little better. I don't seal it. I think when it's flat coated it changes that dusty appearance.

A friend lent me a couple of bottles of a Pre-Mixed Weather Power by MMP to try. I went to their web site www.modelmakerproducts.com to see how they say to use it. I found out it can be sprayed through an airbrush or used as you would pastels. I tried using it through my airbrush tonight and I really liked the results but I didn't like they way didn't like the way it rubbed on. Pastels left a lot more color then the weathering powders did.
If any one else has tried these powders I would like to know what you though.

QUOTE: I found out it can be sprayed through an airbrush or used as you would pastels.

What does it do TO your airbrush? Sounds kinda messy.

I cleaned it out with Windex and it sprayed fine after that.
For that matter it didn't clog while I was spraying either. I did find that it seems to rub off a little easier then pastels.

If you want to be able to touch it afterwards,... just blast it with some airbrushed humbrol light or dark earth , thinned out , the stuff dries like pastels and you may even put your hands on it afterwards ,me myself, I use a combo of these !( pastels and humbrol that is )