The front-end loader has been weathered and is pictured here working near the ConAgra elevator grain bins at Kearney Junction. The rugged toy-like object has been turned into a hard-working vehicle with the application of paint only. I use a 9:1 mixture of Polly Scale Thinner with Tarnished or Grimy Black for the first coat followed by the same 9:1 mixture of Rust (and Rust also goes on the tire treads to match the gravel). The piston rods are left shiny but otherwise the tractor is "dulled down" to reflect the hard, dirty work it is called upon to complete.
When you see
a bit of shine on the tires of the weathered model, that is caused by
the flash on the camera. The tires give the needed flat finish to the
eye when looking at it in person. I'm also thinking about sanding a large
flat spot
on all of the tires (two at a time on the same axle) to make it look
as if
this heavy equipment is sitting lower on the ground. Come back and see
if
these changes have been made sometime in the future.