I like the colour,hard to exactly put a name to it ,but it looks right.

Hi Coalyard

The way I tackled this was to give the whole thing a wash of thinned black acrylic paint which is about 80% water to paint. This will run into all the little details and bring them out. It will look a bit of a mess. Do not use too much paint in the wash. If it is too light you can do a second or even third wash. When this is completely dry you need to dry brush. This is done by using  a much lighter colour, so for a dark grey item use a pale grey etc. This paint does not want to be too runny and also make sure your brush is dry no thinners, or water on it. Then load the brush with the paint, and then wipe it all off again using a piece of tissue and keep wiping it until there is the faintest trace of paint on white paper, Now dust the model all over and slowly all the high points will be emphasised. If you get any streaks there is too much paint. If it is too dry (which is hard to do) start again. Rust is best applied with the dry brush technique too, but be very sparing in where you apply it. Do this before the light colour and the rust will blend in. You will have to experiment a bit building up the effects, but that is half the fun.

Hope this helps.

Bob

How do you manage to stop the acrylic paint drying out during this "dry brushing" period Bob ?

Whenever I've tried it, the paint has gone off almost before I've wiped the brush ……..:roll:

Thank you Novice for that very detailed reply I will be using acrylics as well so Petermac's question will help me too

Use water with it.
It thins the paint so it's easier to wipe off surplus on the brush to reach the 'dry brush' stage.

I too find acrylics difficult to use other than for painting things the colour of the paint, certainly not weathering etc. I also seem to waste a lot, having squeezed a bit onto a saucer to mix with another colour it all seems to dry before I've got what I want, and if I dilute it, it doesn't have the covering power.

Perhaps I'm just not a 'painter', I have a GWR Python kit [Parkside Dundas] to do, and I have a jar of Railmatch Stock Brown paint but I'm afeared to start painting!

Should I dilute it with enamel thinners for a first coat…

Rather than clog this thread I'll ask my questions elsewhere!

 

Doug

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

How do you manage to stop the acrylic paint drying out during this "dry brushing" period Bob ?

Whenever I've tried it, the paint has gone off almost before I've wiped the brush ……..:roll:

Hi Peter

It does dry quickly but I find if the brush is well loaded with paint then wiped you can dry brush for several minutes. As someone else said a bit of water thins it out, but you need to watch for streaks if you thin too much and the brush gets wet. Eventually with dry brushing in acrylic the brush is so clogged up it becomes useless. I dip it in nail polish remover and this cleans it off very easily. As with all painting techniques it is a bit of trial and error. I use those cheap Humbrol brushes for dry brushing and have about 10, which I use, clean and reuse when dry.

Bob

[user=700]coalyard[/user] wrote:

Thank you Novice for that very detailed reply I will be using acrylics as well so Petermac's question will help me too

I used acrylics too, in fact I use a combination of acrylic and enamel on most of my models, just need to remember which brush is used for which when it comes to cleaning.

Bob

[user=11]Novice[/user] wrote:

………………………………………in fact I use a combination of acrylic and enamel on most of my models, ………………..

I didn't know you could do that Bob :shock:

I thought it was one or the other because one causes the other to craze.  Can't remember which way round ………..enamel over acrylic might suggest some problems given that one is water based and the other, oil…………..:hmm

Thanks for the hint on using them for dry brushing. :thumbs

This is what I replied to Doof's "Painting Plastic Wagons" posting so you might find it helpful in this context too.

Ken.

[user=312]dooferdog[/user] wrote: g

I find acrylics difficult to use other than for painting things the colour of the paint, certainly not weathering etc. I also seem to waste a lot, having squeezed a bit onto a saucer to mix with another colour it all seems to dry before I've got what I want, and if I dilute it, it doesn't have the covering power. I am generally rubbish at painting plastic models wiv' a paint brush.

 

Doug what you want is a "Staywet" Pallette which you can get in an Art materials shop, however it's easy to make one as follows:-

Get an old metal baking tin and line it's base with a piece of blotting paper then cover this base with a piece of greaseproof paper.   Add a small amount of water (enough to just make the greaseproof paper damp) then place your SMALL amounts - ie., enough for the job in hand -  of acrylic paints around the greaseproof paper (I always leave a largish area in the middle for mixing).   Keep topping up the water as you go along and when you've finished painting cover the whole baking tin with clingfilm; always add water before doing this and you'll find you can keep the paint useable for weeks.   When the paper becomes too paint messy just change it and you can go on like this indefinitely.

Hope this helps, Ken.

[user=34]Ken[/user] wrote:

This is what I replied to Doof's "Painting Plastic Wagons" posting so you might find it helpful in this context too.

Ken.

[user=312] [/user]  When the paper becomes too paint messy just change it and you can go on like this indefinitely.

Hope this helps, Ken.

That is something I'll have to try, for sure, thank you for the advice :thumbs

 

Doug

Wow Ken - that sounds like one of the best tips of the year. :cheers

Never mind keeping the paint useable for weeks, a couple of minutes would be better than I've ever achieved !!! :???: