Painting Realistic Graffiti On Model Trains!

Here we go over a popular subject I get asked about all the time, painting graffiti. There are many ways of doing your own graffiti, but here I go over my personal tricks and techniques.

[@bbqchickenwingsofredemptio449]

Came for the graffiti, stayed for train painting, I'ma have to try this .

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

Often graffiti artist paint these little HO’s in the winter months and slang them

[@billyfish6004]

Same.

[@andreasatlars4281]

Looking great as always. To me the weathering(that includes graffiti imho)and scenery are what makes a model railroad look lifelike rather than the quality of the individual models . Just a random thought.

[@HamStrains]

Very nicely done, graffiti goes way further back on railways. Just becomes more vivid and complex as time goes on but people been writing on trains pretty much since trains existed.

[@404BOOMER]

You're very good at this stuff for your age. I was pretty good at age 20. Now I'm 71. I'm 71 and recently retired. I'm starting to get back into model rr. I wonder how good I'd be if I had stayed with it all these years. Dont ever give it up. You will regret it. You have the gift.

[@blt2haul]

Again, another down-to-earth instructional video. Thanks so much. I’ve been doing my own graffiti for a long time and always did the outline first and then the fill. I see the error of my ways! Thanks

[@Panzermeister36]

Thank you for this video! Much appreciated. Your graffiti work is always incredible...I've picked up a bunch of tips and I'll have to get some of the pens you showed. Take care!

[@kjmodeltrains7792]

Absolutely love it!!! Thank you for sharing. This is something I’ve been wanting to try.

[@edmundnadolski3588]

Smallest brushes I've found are 30/0 at MicroMark. I use 'em for N scale work.

[@MojaveModelRailroad]

I have always learned so much from your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.

[@_BAD_MERC_]

YOU ARE AN ARTIST!!!!!!!!!!!! That's some damn good realism!

[@carlvitko1756]

Excellent work Dan,you are very artistic, it looks exceptionally realistic!

[@leesmillarddesign]

Dude. So badass. I learned a lot!

[@wiidlbeetle3857]

That looks great!

[@richardcolemanjr3749]

Cool graffiti. I do my own designs and use Molotow paint markers, gel pens and black artist pens too. I also make stencils. If you use decals use the cut out to paint a back ground and fade the decal.

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

Those molotow pens are great

[@TolgaEastCoast]

Awesome work dude!

[@mitchcornacchia968]

GREAT VIDEO YOURE THE BEST!!!!!!!! GREAT WORK

[@Lakeside_Rail_Productions]

Amazing work with the graffiti, love it. I'm only using decals of graffiti, but your work is next-level. Happy new year.

[@hanssmidt12]

I messed up my train and this will help cover the area thats damaged huge thanks

[@yardsounds90]

I've only recently been getting interested in modern era modelling and these videos have been very helpful in replicating a lot of what I see. Thank you!

[@dimiz218]

Great work! Happy New Year!

[@beeble2003]

Always impressed with your work, Dan. Also, always amused that you describe all graffiti as "basic". 😂 Some dude scrawls "poop" on the side of a hopper. Dan: "Basic graffiti." :makes perfect copy: Leonardo da Vinci comes back from the dead and puts the _Mona Lisa_ on a box car. Dan: "Basic graffiti." :makes perfect copy: Some guy time travels from the future and puts an animated, fully 3D hologram of his spaceship on a tank car. Dan: "Basic graffiti." :makes perfect copy, using only Anita's acrylics and a fine brush:

[@LisaIngArt]

So nice and cool work ! Great realistic painting ! really original

[@jimsmoter4510]

fantastic work..

[@johnpandolfino8663]

Looks great 👍

[@TheyMakeItLikeThat]

This is fantastic! Had no idea anyone else did what I do with model trains

[@503railfan]

Superb video as always.

[@pacificcoasttrains3785]

Nice work Dan!

[@snafu3714]

Wow I always learn from you.thanks

[@craft-o-matic2377]

BTW, this is great content, and it's super helpful to me as I am relatively new to diorama building for ACBA which is generally in 1:12 scale. Thanks so much! Lisa

[@obie1238]

You are so amazing at painting graffiti

[@strasidelnydum]

Really nice. Thanx for this video!

[@CobbettWilliam]

I have cut down paint brushes if I needed something finer. I have paint brushes with 1, 2, 3, etc bristles only on them.

[@rhoz325]

Awesome bro respect

[@rabbitrail133]

I’ve been wanting this so bad! Already ordered my jelly pens... feel like practice makes perfect but i have a few 50ft boxcars at are laying around doing nothing lol thank you!

[@metalhead_modellerm4804]

Sometimes what I do if I have a larger multi colour tag, especially ones that cover hard to paint sections like the doors is to airbrush the layers in using paper stencils. after I have just fill in the details and the outline. It helps to avoid any paint globs.

[@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout]

Great video man! Gives me confidence to try hand-painting graffiti. If using straight craft paint, I find it helps to dip the brush into Armor All glass cleaner first, and then into the paint. Seems to go on much smoother.

[@NorthernIndianaRails]

Awsome! Happy new year !

[@manfredm44]

Happy New Year! Thanks a lot for the nice videos! Manfred from Franconia

[@sdrailproductions]

Really nice job and happy New Years to you

[@FromDark2Light-]

Dans the best in the game when it comes to weathering and graffiti

[@thegraffitiwriterknowsas6821]

crazy skill.

[@dustinpendergast]

Just commenting on the napkin in the opening shots lol (@ 1:20) Great work as always!

[@Mike-pj1kv]

You can ask the guys who graffiti the real trains to tag your models.

[@Jessamer]

Also, be sure to have areas where maintenance crews" Painted Over" spots, you know, where the red paint doesn't quite match?

[@mcgurk34]

like on bridges or overpasses on highways. i know what your slinging. I've seen it on train yards in Boston and Texas.

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

It’s called a stamp and if you’re aware of all the important info and go around it or tape it off you can avoid it

[@Tom-vo5uj]

Thank you Dan

[@FromDark2Light-]

Color the letters in left to right right to left will give the fill in a realistic effect.

[@K.greenbanks]

Dopeness bro 🎖👍🏾📐💥💥💥

[@davestrains6816]

Came across your channel today and I am very impressed. I was surprised that on one of your other videos you were using, what looks like, ordinary craft paint in your airbrush. I am wanting to try my hand at air brushing my model railroad buildings, so I was wondering if you could recommend a decent entry level air brush and compressor. Great channel, just subbed.

[@davidkoloc1313]

Nice work and a fun video. I’ve found cheaper paints need too many coats to avoid ending up with relief/ brushstrokes. Not enough, or finely ground enough pigment in them. On darker backgrounds, I’ll sometimes cut a mask defining the outermost edge of the piece and white it out with my airbrush before continuing. This eliminates multiple strokes and build ups.

[@Thoroughly_Wet]

I agree, without grafiti they don't look quite right Edit: you actually recreate your graffiti almost exactly how one would lay out actual graffiti. (Linework, background fill, fore ground fill, detail, outline)

[@earlyculyer4103]

Dope!

[@Nutz450]

You say that stuff is pretty easy on the train but in reality it’s pretty complicated

[@BradLobregt]

Impressive

[@kaiyotee2475]

Duuude with credit I would totally consider an Animalartcrimes reference if I ever model tagged ANYTHING.

[@just4funTrains]

Great video! I have 2 questions Do you use some kind of lacquer to protect the graffiti? and for weathering do you use light washes after the the graffiti?

[@debbiemilka2251]

Your art work is stunningly perfect ! Have you tried doing an auto rack with the single art image of total top to bottom of a side graffiti. I seen some oft that in recent videos and the effect is amazing. Not that I approve of people doing doing this to railroads, but amazing all the same . Realism is realism just the same.

[@ghettobat1097]

Wonder how many actual train cars this guy has tagged. 😂

[@raresandreiradita6163]

what brand is the white paint marker that you use?

[@yaboilitos2165]

where do you buy the trains and where can i get them cheap or a good deal

[@rallyspeed]

This is super cool. I have a project for a rail car HO scale. Do you do this for hire? By the time I buy the materials and learn to to do this I'd rather pay someone. Thanks

[@1610nsb]

Enjoyed the video I hope you do more of these! Would you consider selling that car? Thanks

[@swingersautoclub4510]

Awesome work!!! Do you do custome graffiti on train cars for a profit or know anyone who does by chance?

[@NorthernIndianaRails]

1st comment off the year as well!

[@mariner3485]

Nice video! Do you seal the weathering and acrylic paint?, and if so with what? I'm going to be airbrushing for the 1st time soon and am looking forward to trying this, but I would probably want to cover it with a flat finish sealer.

[@beeble2003]

Yeah, he puts a layer of clear matte varnish on top -- he prefers Testors Dullcoat.

[@Rammaricindustries]

have you tried brush cleaner to restore brushes? I've had really good luck with getting my points back

[@starluxstudio619]

This is a great video! To be clear though these aren’t tags. They’re pieces 💖

[@starluxstudio619]

Truly masterfully done though ✌️

[@sirtaisto]

Where i can buy these train carriages?

[@Kyle-pg4pn]

where do you find these and how much are they

[@weatheringwithaj1431]

Hey man when’s the next video lol

[@lepetitnabot]

If you're into graffiti, Instagram is where it's at.

[@ivanrodriguez2038]

Where do u find these trains at I wanna buy some it would be cool if someone pointed me in the right direction 😄

[@FromDark2Light-]

Verbs" is from Ohio. He use to write "Keur" back in the day. Beers" Crow" Riddle" Best" are all from Ohio.

[@beeble2003]

He should branch out to other parts of speech. It'd be so funny to see a train go past with cars labelled "verbs", "nouns", "adjectives", etc.

[@cp368productions2]

I take photos of every rail car I can, so far I have uploaded about 300-400 to Facebook.

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

ME TOO!!

[@Foreignwrists]

Those random words are their names or crews

[@K27fan]

Nice tutorial. I thought it was "VERBS" but you have "VEBBS"? Just wondering

[@Jessamer]

I saw that..maybe he doesn't want to "Bite" the name, just the style.

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

The V kind of looks like a Y

[@craft-o-matic2377]

What you're painting is called a "throw up", not a tag. Tags are the little quick, one color (black or white paint) artist identifications you see in graffitti.

[@Jessamer]

Ya know, this guy knows nothing about graffiti, he's a model train guy. But that's what is so cool, he uses real grafitti to copy, and makes these miniature model look totally realistic! I only came here because of the grafitti, it was in my feed! Using Molotow markers would suck on this train..too small, and this guy spent 79cents on paint!

[@craft-o-matic2377]

@@Jessamer He does great work and the graffiti artists get extra exposure on people's model trains for posterity!

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

@@Jessamer markers actually work quite well..

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

@@craft-o-matic2377 “the graffiti artist” would actually not be very stoked to see this seeing how a ton of freight artists make and sell there own work just like this.. there are companies that make “premade” graffitied scaled model trains and the artist gets nothing. I get that it is technically illegal and all but still

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

If you want to call him out so to speak it’s actually a straight letter “piece”. A throwie is generally more basic and more bubbly. 🧐

[@deefunk3067]

What scale is this? Ho?

[@splink7372]

Yes

[@hndue7162]

And the other one u copied said yerbs not vebbs

[@hndue7162]

Revok isn’t mfk my guy

[@stairwaytotevin]

Msk* this guy is putting other crews on other names..it’s odd

[@afrospk3756]

wack!!!

[@andrewcalderon213]

Why don't you do your own graffiti rather than biting or stealing from another artist. This is one of the backfires from the internet, goofy ass people, a.k.a culture vultures, thinking it's cool do this shit when in fact they haven't put in the time or dedication to create their own style. I get what you're doing and it doesn't seem like you have bad intentions but do yourself a favor bro and stop biting. It's like if I were to steal a piece of your music and used it as my own without your permission. Remember real Graff Artist have died for this shit so you have no right to exploit it.

[@NittyGritty420]

Who cares he’s not a writer he’s a foamer. he just making sure his toy trains are realistic

[@andrewcalderon213]

@@NittyGritty420 no one asked you. I was just telling the guy to come up with his own style instead of stealing and showing how to steal from someone else but I doubt a simpleton like you would understand.

[@kaiyotee2475]

My guy, you need to start somewhere. I don't mind graffiti at all in most cases, but still, as an artist, I wouldn't mind re-creation in this case, and for people who actually do graffiti, they probably DON'T want credit, as that comes with legal issues.

[@andrewcalderon213]

@@kaiyotee2475 missing my point lil homie but go ahead and do you. I just know how some of these guys feel about that shit seeing as I was once a part of that life and have actually met some of these guys. I speak on what I know and not off of assumptions. But like I said you do you lil homie.

[@NittyGritty420]

@@andrewcalderon213 you don’t know anything about graff. Literally everyone bites everyone. That’s the evolution of graff. And he’s not even biting anyone in the first place he’s not a writer he is into model trains and wants his trains to look realistic that’s literally the whole point of model trains. It’s not like he is selling the art and passing it off as his own. And FYI they are called writers not graffiti artists you would know that but you probably toy

[@christophermartinez338]

I hope your asking for permission to copy someones graff. I really hope your not trying to sell them either. That would be a big no no

[@briangardner5905]

Don't do this to your model trains and thereby encourage these vandals who are violating private property with their scrawling!!! I will never have any such vehicles in my layout!!!

[@kaiyotee2475]

Then don't lmao