Cornerstone Cattle Pens - What Color to Paint?


Greg@mnrr

Greg@mnrr

Section Hand
I have a Cornerstone cattle pen that I plan on building, but don't know what color to paint the wood. Any suggestions? :cool:

Thanks.

Greg
 
alot of times they would whitewash the fence rails to make them last longer, and sometimes use tar (black) but most of the time they would be a combination of grey weathered and brand new boards (to make up for the wild cows trying to get out)
 
Hi Greg, found a pretty nice photo of a stock yard kit, shows weathered wood and also a couple different colors of boards. Does look like some chutes I have seen while travelling.

Not sure of the technique here, but it looks like real wood with alcohol/india ink. The look could probably be duplicated on styrene with paint and weathering powders.

stock yards.jpg
 
Dave:

That photo you post of the cattle pens has the look that I'm seeking. I might even try flatbedcowboy's suggestion of some white washing on the lower sections of the posts and boards.

I'll use a driftwood color or muddy gray for the posts and boards and do washes of black.

Thanks for you input.

Greg
 
Here's the cattle pens I built about 20 some years ago from strip wood. Haven't touched it but it is weathering itself from age.

Misc trains 008.jpg

In the back of this photo is a life like cattle pen that I cobble two together into one. Have to weather the lower part of the pens. We have a lot of them out here. Growing up I saw a lot of them either white washed or painted white. I just used a rattle can to paint it.

IMAG0285.jpg

Here are the Walthers cattle pens I had to modify due to space available. I lightly airbrushed them so the gray would show through. Got a little more paint on than I really wanted.

IMAG0271.jpg Guess I should have weathered them a bit more.
 
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Chet:

Going to mix some gray paint with brown and see what I end up with this mixture. Then do some washes.

If I like the color I'll air brush the assemblies on my work bench.

Thanks.

Greg
 
Hi Greg,

I would like to know how you are going to get the desired effect. I have a styrene cattle chute and pens and am not happy with how they look currently, and wonder what technique you come up with.

THANKS, Dave
 
Dave:

From the Walther's Reference Guide....going to use gray with a mix of black or grimy black and air brush it on. Then, I plan on using a black wash for highlights.
A little white along the bottom rails for whitewashing.

Adding dirt for the pens and flocking for cattle feed and some bales of hay. Have 24 head of Walther's cattle ready for their new home.

Keep you posted. Greg



Walthers Stock Pens.jpg
 
I was in the Fort Worth stockyards as a boy (OK, not in). By them time I saw them, the wood was weathered silver and slivered. If they are supposed to be new, then choose a light natural color.
 
Greg , could you give us a shot of the whole scene? I have the champion packing plant also but I just cant seem to get the buildings and ramp placed to where it looks good.
 
Jim:

Did you see the pic I posted above? I don't have the packing plant. My stock pens are on a spur and the cattle are waiting to get transported to an off layout packing plant.

I used Camo gray with grimy black to get a dull gray color. Then I washed the "wood" with india ink and alcohol to give the wood an aged look. The pen is about three feet from any viewing angle and I think it gives a good impression of age wood. Later today plan spraying a little white along the lower wood for a whitewash effect.

Thanks.

Greg
 
OK , it looked from the picture that you had a corner of the packing plant showing . Look forward to seeing your fence when finished , I will have to do the same thing basically.
 
The pen is not completed by any means and I see some things that need correction. I took the photo on a kitchen counter and my camera's batteries went dead. But, I still need the whitewash, add dirt and straw to the pens, add cattle and do some highlights after I correct the flaws the photo brought out. This will be 3 feet from any one viewing the model so some things can be over looked. I also plan on adding some bushes and weeds along the bottom of the boards.

Thanks.

Greg

100_0793.jpg
 
Looks good Greg. They did a nice job on the cattle pens. I had to do some tweaking and kitbashing to get mine to fit in the space I had available and they look good even having been modified.

Better put batteries on your shopping list.
 
I think my mix of Camo gray and grimy black could of use some white to lighten the color a bit. But, this will stay for now.

Greg
 
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