Hi,
1st question: Mortar
I want to color the mortar on some brickwork structures and wondered what ratio of paint to tinners is best? I was going to use contrete or aged concrete for the colour, but I don't know how much to dilute it? I suppose the other question is application, do you just brush it on and it tends to run into the lower areas?!
2nd question: Rust streaks
How do you get the streaks of light rust on buildings? Again what dilution and special techniques to spraying or brushing them?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Regards Nigel
There are about as many methods for this as people have opinions. Everyone thinks of gray mortar and red brick. But, there are many shades of brick and mortar. Here in town the old depot is light brown brick with dark brown mortar. It was built about 1903. This is the way I do it, Paint the whole brick area the color you want the mortar. I'm assuming we are talking plastic structures here. Let that dry overnight, then drybrush with the color you want the brick. It takes a little foolin around so test your technique. I dip the brush and then brush a paper towel till most of the paint is off the brush then lightly paint the building. The high areas of the brick should take the paint and leave the mortar color exposed.Its also important to note that for drybrushing you should use a rather stiffish brush,such as that used foor oil paints.
For the light rust effect use chalk of the color you like,powder it with sandpaper or a file and apply it to the building with a light fluffy watercolor brush. then fix the powder with a light coat of matte lacquer sprayed on. Go light and then reapply for a heavier effect. This technique was first described by the famous John Allen in a 1955 MRR.
reklein wrote: There are about as many methods for this as people have opinions.
Yup. Just to confirm, I'll provide my completely different solution. I can't take credit for originating it, nor can I quote a source. But, I like it.
Paint the entire wall in the brick color. Once it's dry, take dry Hydrocal powder (the stuff used for plaster castings) and rub it into the mortar lines. Set the wall down on a flat surface, and use a spray bottle to mist water on to it. NOTE: Spray the water horizontally above the wall, and let it "rain" down on the wall. Don't spray directly on the wall. After a couple of hours, the Hydrocal will set. The first time you do this, you will freak out at how white it looks. Take a damp paper towel and wipe off the excess Hydrocal. Next, take one of those small yogurt cups and fill it about 1/3 full with water. Add a few drops of India Ink. Use this as a "wash." With a brush, spread the "wash" on the wall. At this point, I usually tilt the wall up slightly so the excess solution will run down and collect at the base of the building. Once it dries, you'll have gray mortar between your bricks.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
reklein & MisterBeasley, thanks for you help I'll have a go at both ideas!
Thank-you both for you help!
Regards,
Nigel
for mortar; there's a few different methods: first paint the brick surface the color you want the brick. I use boxcar red, and oxide red for red brick, rail brown for brown brick, or dirt or sand for tan or beige brick. Whatever color you use, let it dry completely. Then, mix your mortar color with water if the paint's acrylic, or the appropriate thinner if it's solvent based. I use off-white for red or brown brick, and light to medium gray for tan or biege brick. Mix it at a 50-50 ratio, then brush it over the brick, then wipe it off and it will stay in the lines between the bricks.
Another method is: the same as above, but DON'T wipe the paint off. Instead let it dry; then take an eraser and lightly rub it off some of the bricks. Go LIGHTLY; so you don't take off the brick color too. For these first two methods, as an added touch, paint some of the bricks 2 or 3 similar colors.
Yet another method is, paint the entire brick surface black. Let it dry, then paint the brick color over it. Let it dry, then paint white or off-white over that. Let it dry, then lightly sand the surface. (the black is an old theatrical method; it will "trick" the eye into seeing a detailed surface)
Then, for a highly weathered surface, paint the area concrete or aged concrete, let it dry, then drybrush the brick color over it. Drybrushing is a method where you dip the brush in paint, wipe off as much as you can on a rag or something, then "drag" it across the surface. It will take 3 or 4 times before you start to notice a change in the surface. (this method works best with red or brown brick).
This isn't specifically a brick/mortar suggestion, but it's something I do with a lot of structures:
If the walls are thin, and you plan to illuminate the building from the inside, take some cheap black primer and paint the inside of the walls before you put things together. This will reduce the "glow-through" effect. Of course, this is a lot easier to do before the structure is put together. If you do this, remember to scrape the black paint off the mating surfaces at the joints, because glue won't work very well on painted surfaces.
I like to use drywall/joint compound rubbed onto the brick colored wall with a cloth. Let it dry overnight, then use a warm cloth or eraser to remove the excess. Use a wash (or two or three) of india ink with 70% IPA and you can make it as dark or light as you want...
Other methods work well... I like to "mix them up" so not all my buildings will look the same... just my 2 cents.
Brian
snowey wrote: for mortar; there's a few different methods: first paint the brick surface the color you want the brick. I use boxcar red, and oxide red for red brick, rail brown for brown brick, or dirt or sand for tan or beige brick. Whatever color you use, let it dry completely. Then, mix your mortar color with water if the paint's acrylic, or the appropriate thinner if it's solvent based. I use off-white for red or brown brick, and light to medium gray for tan or biege brick. Mix it at a 50-50 ratio, then brush it over the brick, then wipe it off and it will stay in the lines between the bricks.Another method is: the same as above, but DON'T wipe the paint off. Instead let it dry; then take an eraser and lightly rub it off some of the bricks. Go LIGHTLY; so you don't take off the brick color too. For these first two methods, as an added touch, paint some of the bricks 2 or 3 similar colors.Yet another method is, paint the entire brick surface black. Let it dry, then paint the brick color over it. Let it dry, then paint white or off-white over that. Let it dry, then lightly sand the surface. (the black is an old theatrical method; it will "trick" the eye into seeing a detailed surface)Then, for a highly weathered surface, paint the area concrete or aged concrete, let it dry, then drybrush the brick color over it. Drybrushing is a method where you dip the brush in paint, wipe off as much as you can on a rag or something, then "drag" it across the surface. It will take 3 or 4 times before you start to notice a change in the surface. (this method works best with red or brown brick).
I like this idea, except I thin my acrylic paints with alcohol (Oly comes to mind, because it's cheap); alcohol lets the color flow into the cracks and crevices better than water.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Wow, more responses!
Snowey - Thanks for the tip! I tried a wash over the painted surface but even when I let the enamel paint dry for a week, when I wiped the acces off it took the paint off?! perhaps I should use an acrylic pain over the enamel?!
MisterBeasley - Thanks for your help. No illumination planned at this stage, the card inside sounds quick and simple but I have used black paint in the past successfully.
ShadowNix - Thanks for the reply! I've tried using different structure types and different coloured bricks so that the stryctures don't all look the same.
You could do it the other way, too. Paint the entire wall the mortar color first, then color the bricks. I've drybrushed the brick color on. I've also used colored pencils and Pental Watercolor Pens.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
ngartshore350 wrote: Wow, more responses!Snowey - Thanks for the tip! I tried a wash over the painted surface but even when I let the enamel paint dry for a week, when I wiped the acces off it took the paint off?! perhaps I should use an acrylic pain over the enamel?!MisterBeasley - Thanks for your help. No illumination planned at this stage, the card inside sounds quick and simple but I have used black paint in the past successfully.ShadowNix - Thanks for the reply! I've tried using different structure types and different coloured bricks so that the stryctures don't all look the same.Regards NigelI don't know WHY that happened, it's never happened to me. But then, I use acrylics for both the paint and the mortar. So maybe that's the answer.Sorry I can't be of more help, but post your question on the Atlas forum at www.atlasrr.com . I GUARANTEE you'll get an answer (sometimes more than one!) the same day (or the next day)
I don't know WHY that happened, it's never happened to me. But then, I use acrylics for both the paint and the mortar. So maybe that's the answer.
Sorry I can't be of more help, but post your question on the Atlas forum at www.atlasrr.com . I GUARANTEE you'll get an answer (sometimes more than one!) the same day (or the next day)