Mars Graphic Pens and Painting a GG1 Drawing by Andy Fletcher

Here is a drawing of a Pennsylvania GG1. Micah's question was about color. I draw on Hot Press Illustration Board. The technical lines and lettering are first drawn with an "H" pencil and then I retrace the lettering with a "4H" pencil. The 4H pencil is softer, which darkens the lines around the lettering, giving i...t a crisper edge. I used to use #2 pencils on Crescent Board paper, however, I cannot find that paper anymore. If anyone can-Please HELP Me! LOL :)
Anyway, after the technical drawing is drawn, which I can go into further detail about to those interested, I then trim the lettering and outside of the GG1 with ball point pens-in this case, red to match Pennsy Tuscan.
Now is when The fun starts. I use Mars Graphic Pens made by Staedler which, at the moment, I have to buy from Canada through the mail. They have a brush on one end and a felt tip on one end. They are water based and, this property makes it necessary that I draw on the illustration board.
Now is when I use the felt tip to color around all of the ball point trimming around the lettering and outside of the GG1. This takes both practice and and patience-20 years worth in my case, so please stick with it. Drawing trains is supposed to be fun in the first place.
Once you have all of the felt tipped areas trimmed, you switch to the brush tip. With the brush, you start to paint much like a paint brush. The felt tipping has done pretty much what painter's tape does and it allows you the freedom to use more confidence in your strokes, which, hopefully fills the drawing with wider brush strokes, in the end making less brush strokes and a more solid fill. I always apply at least two coats, using the darkest color on the bottom and trying to find a lighter color to somewhat blend the water based pens-Mars Graphic pens come in 80 colors so there is usually a good pen to match as a top coat.
What is most important when painting is to try and get several good looks at Pennsy GG1's in as many different lightings as possible. This way you can be sure that you have a true feel for what Pennsy Tuscan looks like. Pennsy Tuscan is a mix of Mars Graphic color 260 on the bottom and 23 on the top. Unfortunately, this color does not mix as well on my current Hot Press Board as it did on Crescent Board, so I am always looking for Crescent Hot Press Board when drawing Pennsy-Hint, Hint! :) Andy