Paint your figures all flat black first, this way if you miss a spot or two it will look like shadowing.  Then start with the lighter colors and end with the darker colors for the clothing and skin.  Always use flat colored paints.

My layout is called the GREAT WEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN, KENORA-SUDBURY RAILROAD COMPANY. The general scenery is modelled on my hometown, Kenora, Ontario as [ ... ]

Adding Panel Lines to ACF Hoppers
Bill Mock
January 2010

Here's [ ... ]

Hopper Weathering Clinic II
By Bill Mock
December 2009

So here's how those BN Hoppers turned out after the surface rust dried. Not bad. I'll [ ... ]