I've got about 7ft. of modular retaining wall panels to install. I've spray painted them with flat grey primer. Do I detail each panel individually? With what? Am thinking of ad posters on a few; covering others with replicas of vine growth. Any other tips or suggestions? Thanks
Hmm, 7 ft of retaining wall. That's like 700 scale feet in HO, a long retaining wall. Light grey primer is a good way to start. Floquil and Polyscale used to make a "concrete" paint which was basically gray but with a yellowish cast to it and some other indescribable tones. It did look more like cast concrete than just straight gray primer. Dunno if you can find "Concrete" paint anymore, but if you could, it would look better. I assume the modular retaining wall represents concrete. What comes to my mind is long vertical streaks of black dirt washed down by the rain. A black wash of india ink in alcohol allowed to run down the concrete might do. Ivy and kudzu is good. Somehow I just don't remember seeing advertising posters on concrete retaining walls, don't know why, but just cannot think of anywhere I ever saw any. Graffitti I do remember.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
This is what Walthers has for 'concrete' paint.
The Testors Model Master is similar to Floquil. Poly S is the acrlylic verson of Floquil; limited supply. Scalecoat is all out of stock, probably waiting for the new ownership to get up to speed.TruColor paint is good quality; it's a solvent paint. Note that coles both in gloss or flat.
Aged Concrete is more yellow or buff color
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Paint&scale=&manu=&item=&keywords=concrete&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
Woodland Scenics makes a concrete "liquid pigment" which is like a washhttp://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/785-1217
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Georgia FlashI've spray painted them with flat grey primer.
As George mentioned, aged concrete tends to be more tan than gray. It's also not one solid color.
On a few occasions I've described a technique I call 'speckle painting.' First spray the parts an off-white color such as "bone" or "putty." Then cover the floor of your workshop or garage with newspaper and lay the parts down. Use a couple of shades of light and medium brown spray paint. Hold the cans about 4 feet above the parts and give a few bursts of each color. The paint particles will settle onto the parts and give them the speckled look of concrete. You can dip the parts into a wash of alcohol and India ink to weather them and give them a bit of gray.
Steve S
Georgia FlashThen added Woodland Scenics "blended grass" and clumps at bottoms to simulate weed and vine growth.
Be careful with such details.. I've seen real retaining walls that was almost void of any vines or weeds..Down in the Southern states they have a creeping vine that covers everything that doesn't move. I forget the name.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Kudzu.
dstarrKudzu.
Gesundheit.
Whatever's near the retaining wall informs what happened to the retaining wall.
For instance, the longest concrete retaining walls around me are trenches that Metro runs in. They're relatively inaccessible, so the only thing on them other than the haze of general dirt is the occasionally streak where a drain pipe outlet is.
dstarr Kudzu.
Ah yes that's it..Thanks David.
There is no Kudzu on it, but here is another retaining wall.
Happy trails
Lee