Postage from the UK

Hi
I have in mind to build a retaining wall from Plasticard to replace a paper covered one which was fading almost daily.

I wanted to use an Acrylic paint - enamels and I don't just like each other. I ended up on the Peter's Spares site who had a good variety of Lifecolor paints including a couple of brick colours.

Then Peter's Spares delivery rates took the wind right out of my sails. For orders up to 50 pounds to Australia the cost was 39 pounds 99. A couple of months ago it was 7.  I sent them an email and they have confirmed the price,  saying it was because Royal mail had seriously increased shipping costs. The Royal Mail site shows for say 500g it would be 17 pounds. A long way from 40 pounds. End of rant

Anyway,

I would appreciate any suggestions for a 'brick' acrylic paint from one of the the other common brands such as Tamiya or Vallejo.

Cheers
Evan

Quite some time ago there was this regulation introduced restricting mailing of liquids / powders overseas, perhaps Peters was quoting a courier based method. Would explain a higher price.


I'm still getting UK stuff shipped here for 8 GBP for under 500g


Tell me the lifecolour shade you wanted to match and I'll give it some thought and do some research. Is it UA 737 Worn Brick?

The delivery price was their new standard price quoted in their terms and condition, irrespective of content.

Thanks for any help, Colin. Worn Brick is the colour I was looking at. I have some Metcalfe terrace houses nearby and I was trying to get close. I will also be weathering the walls so near enough is good enough.

Cheers
Evan

Hi Evan

I use artists' acrylics for brick.  Burnt Orange is my colour of choice as it produces a variety of shades depending on you thickly applied.  Then washes over the top.  Both of the buildings below started out as the same colour, the heavier wash on the right darkening the bricks.



Michael

[user=2089]Ssamm[/user] wrote:

The delivery price was their new standard price quoted in their terms and condition, irrespective of content.

Ouch, they don't want any OS ex Europe business it seems.

Hi Evan,

Headmaster's suggestion appears to be a good one for your needs.

To test, I got the specifications for Pantone "Burnt Orange" colour and compared these with my readings for a posted sample of Lifecolor "Worn Brick"



What this shows in conjunction with the available Paint Specs is that "Burnt Orange" as defined by Pantone (1) is a Red-orange shade of about mid-point lightness.

https://encycolorpedia.com/c96939

The sample I accessed of the Lifecolor shade (2) has within my measure of accuracy a very similar RGB ratio but is a darker shade (= lower lightness = more towards Black).

Since Paints' observed colour is the result of a subtractive process (more pigment absorbs more light) Headmaster's comments about darkening his shade is true but only to a point. When a full coating is built up the shade will not darken beyond that point. You've reached the true shade. The surface will then be returning 51% of incident light (lightness).

What I suggest is you look for a suitable artist's Burnt orange, if possible sighting the hue and shade before purchase. If you find you need a darker shade than out of the pot, judicious addition of black will deliver that for you.

Notes: (1) be careful because no two shades bearing the same descriptor will match exactly. I could only use the default (Pantone) as my reference.

(2) while I have the PC interface as an unknown variable which may have affected the lifecolor shade I'm getting, previous work has convinced me that the method I use is quite accurate. I compared on-line shades against known specs and get reasonable agreement in RGB ratios which is the important factor here.

(3) If you want to play (learn more) about how RGB values affect outcomes then Google "RGB color picker". On this page you can manually enter RGB values to explore the outcome and then dragging the white circle, see what happens to RGB values as the shade / hue changes. Reducing "lightness" corresponds to moving down vertically.

Happy Christmas


see also my PM

 
Colin

Thank you Colin and Michael for the suggestions. There is a very good artists supplies store in Brisbane so I am sure I will find a Burnt Orange"

I was vaguely aware of the pantone system and your comments Colin have filled in some gaps.

Cheers
Evan

[user=2089]Ssamm[/user] wrote:

There is a very good artists supplies store in Brisbane 

Probably the same one from which I sourced my collection of JoSonja's acrylics.  I still have a large selection of those which travelled back from Australia with our effects in the shipping container (and which were declared) so seldom want for a shade.  

I was introduced to that brand by an artist friend - who I believe has now changed his preferred brand - having myself struggled with various enamels and failed to find a wide enough range among Woodland Scenics and other locally-available acrylics.  

I did eventually find a craft shop which sold a small range of them.  I emptied the store of the Base Colours Sky Blue and still have one of the six bottles I purchased at the time.  The "Southern Region" green paint I am using on Waddlemarsh currently - which is somewhat darker than it could be but is representing aged and weathered paint - is a Forest Green Base Colour from the same brand.  So they last well even if opened and part-used.  

The Brisbane shop I referred to is the Art Shed in South Brisbane. As a specialist art shop (hence the title :-) they have an extraordinary range

The JoSonja range is very good - I think it was Mike who first put me on to them. When I go to Brisbane I can often arrange a detour and I am gradually collecting a range of their colours

Cheers
Evan

I too have a small range of Jo Sonja's - also recommended by Mike (I wonder if he has shares …………)

I think I bought them from a craft shop called "The Mulberry Bush" in UK.  I haven't had any need for paint over the last couple of years - a house move meant no layout !

If I need any more from that range, I'll have to wait until all the rubbish over Brexit has settled down - UK deliveries to France currently wander between very difficult, non-existant and/or very expensive regarding delivery charges so at the moment, all UK purchases have ground to a halt for me.

Whilst not really the same thing, Vallejo paints are quite popular here and they produce a massive range.

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

I too have a small range of Jo Sonja's - also recommended by Mike (I wonder if he has shares …………)

They are available from an on line store here in Oz so that's a helpful tip.

the High postage charges work both ways
I just tried to order a Negative Ion generator from the makers in Australia and the postage charge quoted for delivery to the UK was around £50

The same weight item shipped to Australia was about £12

They are all at it now 

Ouch, that hurts, Paul-H.

There has to be some price gouging going on. I bought a DMU and other stuff from Hattons a couple of days ago. About 1.4 kilo and the cost was 13 pounds - a long way from Peters Spares.

As for my brick paint that I was agonising over, I haven't got to Brisbane yet. So haven't been able to try the Burnt Orange.

But I have been playing around with Colin's excellent suggestions. The encycolorpedia site has a database of brands and colours. So if I put in Humbrol Brick red I got the code 8C543D. You can then convert that to a Pantone number. Then find say a Tamiya colour that looks close and convert that. And hopefully find it's close enough

(A bit of fun for those with plenty of time)

Cheers
Evan