Aging-rusting tinware.

[Bill Hudson]

Over the years I have used chemicals to age a lot of my tin ware. I really do not like using it as it is noxious.  I have switched to using acrylic paints and poster chalks.  

 

My palate is a piece of tin so I can see how the mixture looks and works before adding it to the project.

 

 

 

First I used an air eraser to sand blast the shiny tin finish off.  

 

 

 

Next I mixed up several color washes and dabbed them on the tin surface.  After they dried some I carefully dabbed them off with a paper towel, letting it dry between coatings. 

 (this is still very wet)

 

 

Once satisfied with the finish I fixed it with flat artist fixative. 

 

 

[Peter Jensen]

Wow! Those mimic quite closely my full size example. Peter

[WeekendMiniaturist]

Thank you for posting the photo of the effect of the air eraser on tin.  It is nice to be able to understand the results of using this tool.  The washes are very effective in aging the tin, and I find it fascinating how people age different items to make them more realistic.  While I'm drawn to shiny - I really like these realistic finishes on the lunch box.

 

Peter are you planning to use your lunch box?  I am imagining that the real one might be close to the size of a picnic basket...

[Peter Jensen]

No. I bought it only because of having followed Bill's wonderful thread on making the miniature and I thought everyone here would enjoy seeing pictures of a full size example.  They may have come in different sizes, but mine is smaller than a typical child's lunchbox today.