Toy train operating and collecting

 A while back I had a page that gave really good tips on painting buildings, especially brick ones. For the life of me, I can't find it now. It involved using spackling compound in the morter joints and colored paint pens to vary the color of random bricks. It was really great. Does anyone know what or who I am talking about and can help me find it again.

Thanks

Here is the link that you provided me a ways back. Good to be able to repay the favor. Scroll down a bit and you will find you item.

http://token3rail.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

TERRY,

  STROGEY has a great site there.  There also was one done in O guager magazine a while back, I can't recall the run number.

laz57

Terry, I know this has been talked about before. Two ways I know of depend on whether your building is glued together already and what color the base plastic is.

If you building isn't yet built, I like to spray the whole thing with a flat grey plastic-safe primer, which makes paint adhere a little better. The flat grey in the cracks between the bricks will be the cement or mortar color. Then I've used red and brown magic markers to color the brick surfaces.

Another method is to use a water base grey latex paint of your chosing. Work in small sections, brushing the grey paint into the spaces between the bricks. Then using a damp sponge, wipe the suface that you have just painted. You'll wipe away the paint on the surface of the brick face, leaving the paint in the cracks to represent the mortar. You'll want to keep a couple damp sponges handy for this part, cleaning them frequently and wringing excess water out of them.

These techniques can also be used for stone bridge abutments, tunnel portals, stone walls, etc.

I start by gluing the buildings 4 walls together then spraying with a brick red primer.  Then I will coat the primer with a layer of dull coat spray.  I then take a small stiff brush and work into the mortar lines a white acrylic paint, cheapo stuff from Michaels.  I wipe the brick surface clean with an old damp t-shirt, the dull coat spray lets you wipe the white paint off without wiping off the primer.  It looks pretty nice when your finished and it is pretty quick.  I just finished this Ameri-towne building.

 And I refinished this Lionel toy store building the same way.

Paul

Great tips Brian and Paul.

Paul, I really like the building interior.  Any details on how you did it?

Don

I use pretty much the same method as Paul

I try to mess it up a little so the building looks like it's been around a while.

Ray, that is a great looking building.  How did you do the faded signs on the building, especially the one above the pawn shop?

Paul

dmestan:

Great tips Brian and Paul.

Paul, I really like the building interior.  Any details on how you did it?

Don

Thanks for the kind words Don, it was my first attempt and it was easier than I thought.  I just blocked off an area from the bottom of the building, added some doll house wall paper I printed off of the internet, I built a counter and some shelves then added some customers and a doll house sized train set.  The lights were already there I just glued a clear button to the ceiling under the bulb to simulate a light fixture and blinds to the upstairs windows.  I am going to attempt another, the Ameri-towne Burke building is my next victim.

 Paul

Paul

I started by scanning in the wall I was going put the sign on.

 Next brought that into my software which I use for my work, but you could possibly use some photo software to do it.

Then bring in the sign I want

Here is the trick, change the sign's transparency so the actual brick wall shows through

Now you can print out the faded sign and sand it thin, then align it to the bricks on the wall and glue.

Simple...

I didn't create this method but copied it from a master some time ago.

Sorry Terry, I hope we didn't get too far off topic.

raymans:

Sorry Terry, I hope we didn't get too far off topic.

Not at all. I love the tips presented here. I am very new at all of this and am learning a lot from all of you friendly and generous layout builders. 

raymans:

I started by scanning in the wall I was going put the sign on.

 Next brought that into my software which I use for my work, but you could possibly use some photo software to do it.

Then bring in the sign I want

I love the sign. Is there a good source for signs like that? Can you just scan them out of a magazine? I have a great wall that I would like to break up with a few signs. Thanks.

http://www.trainweb.org/tylick/signintro.htm 

raymans:

I started by scanning in the wall I was going put the sign on.

 Next brought that into my software which I use for my work, but you could possibly use some photo software to do it.

Does anyone know how to do this in Photoshop?