I you want to have your rock or mountain rocks really pop try Bragdons method. Paint with white gesso, and use acrylic washes, extrreamy thin, (artist acrlyic). The gesso is the same paint aplied to artist canvas, the this washes over it gives depth, contrast and excellent natural color.
Thanks Bob.
I think the secret to getting any landscape right, is getting all the the more subtle colours right. It doesn't matter if the area you're trying to do is pink, black or Granite gray, it is the subtle tones that make or break it on the layout. In my case I am horrible with trying to determine colour, as my wife is always pointing out. But this is where the internet can come to the rescue as it did for me. If you stare at the real thing in person or through photographs, you will see more and more shades and colours the longer you look.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Batman, Great Job!!
I don't know from the pics of your Rocks, if these are detailed castings or ? Every coat of paint, sealer or primer is going to start to hide the detail of the casting. If you are happy with these rocks and their shape and formation, and now need to color them, others have already given some methods to try. I work on castings from a different approach. I try to stain and use washes, dry brushing etc. The way I cast precolored Hydrocal allows this. Completely painting or sealing is fine, but now you are left to gain all coloring and shadowing effects py paint/ stain alone.
The troulble of that paint not taking to the Kilz, what paint are you trying to use on the primer? Generally any paint will work, one of the reasons for priming in the first place. You now sould use a thinned acrylic even house paint to recoat that Kilz. Use a base color close to the prototype of the area modeled. I would suggest Dave Frary's book on scenery, he describes as facets of scenery and all methods of coloring and weathering. He likes to wash down all rock w/ a grey/black base and then drybrush various colors and highlights on the pronounced exposed areas. I have even started by fogging spray can in various colors and at differing angles to get the base color. Artists acylics then work great for the drybrushing and highlights. The final drybrushing of light tans and Mars white to hit tops of rocks will aid in faking overhead sunlight.
These Cripplbush rubber rock castings were done this way
WS molds and broken plaster chunks set into plaster base. I glue plaster castings w/ fress Unical buttered on almost set mold and press into place hold firmly for 2-3 min and set. Remove mold/ peal off after 1/2- 1hour. saves from delicate details staying in rubber mold. These are predyed plaster
If you are really not happy w/ the outcome thus far, you can always place additional deatiled castings on the base, providing you can afford the extr thickness for track clearance etc.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
A couple of quick observations: Are you using acrylic or water colors? I use water colors for staining, not acrylic. They are different animals. Acrylic with not stain as well on unsealed plaster (in my experience) and leaves a muddy look.. Make sure you are using water colors for the staining technique.
I use a test piece of plaster to adjust colors and intensity before applying wash to the layout. It is always easier to add color, very hard to remove it. I have used the leopard spot technique and various brush methods with equal success. Make sure the colors Are correct, Raw Sienna Burnt Sienna raw and burnt umber and some sort of black (India ink, Paynes Grey) are good starting points. I have also used a red with some success as well (watch out for the pink panther).
As it stands now, it sounds like you will be using a technique closer to painting than staining the rocks. Check out Tony Koesters articles on the coal fork extension (from the 90's) or any article on dry brushing rocks if you need some tips on technique.
Leopard spots:
Brush:
Good luck with the project,
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
ollevon onecrazytrain: Yesterday I attempted the leopard spot technique but was not happy with the end results, bad colors and bad skill, so I then primered the mountain with latex kilz primer. Today I was going to try again but I noticed that the paint just wants to sit on top of the primer in a blob, and when you try to thin the blob it just is not covering. Now what should I do? Any help would really be appreciated! what you should try before painting over everything with paint is.Mix hydrocal in a very thin mix and using a paint brush, brush over everything and let dry. Start over with the color washes. Sam
onecrazytrain: Yesterday I attempted the leopard spot technique but was not happy with the end results, bad colors and bad skill, so I then primered the mountain with latex kilz primer. Today I was going to try again but I noticed that the paint just wants to sit on top of the primer in a blob, and when you try to thin the blob it just is not covering. Now what should I do? Any help would really be appreciated!
Yesterday I attempted the leopard spot technique but was not happy with the end results, bad colors and bad skill, so I then primered the mountain with latex kilz primer. Today I was going to try again but I noticed that the paint just wants to sit on top of the primer in a blob, and when you try to thin the blob it just is not covering. Now what should I do?
Any help would really be appreciated!
Sam
After painting them for a second time and not liking the results that is what I ended up doing, only with plaster of paris. I also added a little more texture by stippling the plaster instead of just brushing it. Hopefully the third time will be the charm..
Thanks to everyone for you help, Dave.
onecrazytrain Yesterday I attempted the leopard spot technique but was not happy with the end results, bad colors and bad skill, so I then primered the mountain with latex kilz primer. Today I was going to try again but I noticed that the paint just wants to sit on top of the primer in a blob, and when you try to thin the blob it just is not covering. Now what should I do? Any help would really be appreciated!
Once you painted over the plaster, you sealed it. Instead of being able to stain the rocks with washes, you will have to you straight paint and paint the rocks.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
When it came time for me to start painting I Googled "how to paint the Rocky Mountains". One really good site came up that listed all the colours I would need to do the job. So off to Walmart and picked up about a dozen or so bottles of their cheap acrylic paint. I also bought a 4 Litre can ( i have a lot of mountains to paint) of Granite Gray Latex at Home Depot for my base coat.
First I covered everything with the Gray and then proceeded with all the other colours, spotting them on and dry brushing them as I went. I then made up a few washes in spray bottles of some of the darker colours I had bought plus one with Indian Ink and sprayed away.
The next thing I did was sprinkle finely sifted dirt over it all and brushed it into the crevices ( just like the guy does in this video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1D4KBB_GC4
I then used various WS and others ground cover.
I am happy with the results considering it was my very first attempt at Foam rock work.
Good luck
I also like the leopard spot approach thiough for New Mexico mountains its more of a tiger stripe, but the idea is the same. Make it brighter at first. It can later be toned down. Also use more than one black wash at the end to get good shadows.
You have three geologcal events on the mountain. They should not be the same color. In Texas the colors could be very diffrent, as in Northern Minnesota.
I used still another method, brushed on latex base, sifted on powdered brown tempera and then AI wash .. http://www.etraxx.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=31#p358
I used both ways and for me I think the leopard spot with a brush is more realistic
I am getting ready to paint my now "rock mountain" with an acrylic paint wash, I have seen two different techniques to do this. First one is the leopard spot with a brush, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He5pM8teA-I&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL. The second one is with spray bottles, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6O5mM01S9Q&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL. Has anyone tried both? Does one way give a more realistic look than the other?
Here is a pic of my unpainted mountain: