I have tried various methods to get mortar in the appropriate places in brick buildings with limited success.[:(!] A couple times there is an overflow of material, other times, it does not appear the correct color. I have used acrylic paints and joint compound (which worked pretty well on the roundhouse by Walthers). Any suggestions?[:$]
I use a wash for the most part.
I start by spray painting the building with a brick color after it is assembled but before I add the window frames, doors, and roof. I use a flat paint in a rattle can. I use brown, tan, orange, or any shade or color of red. The wash can be light gray, dark gray, or white. I also add some dish washing detergent to the wash mix. Each brick building I build uses a different base color and different color wash. That way they don’t all look the same.
I apply it with a wide soft brush to one wall or building side at a time. The side I apply it to is sitting flat, side wall up. That way the wash runs in all the crevices and cracks, and not down the side. So that means that it takes four days to apply the mortar, by letting each application dry over night before going to the next side.
Along with the wash creating the mortar, it also tones down the brick color.
In a the February issue of Railroad Model Craftsman (sorry Model Railroader) two methods are shown in two different articles.
In one article the modeler sprinkes on some Hydrocal after the brick is stained (a form of plaster) and brushes it into the mortor lines. Then he sprays it with a mist of water mixed with a drop or two of liquid detergent soap. Finally he washes on a blend of alcohol and ink to blend things together.
In the other article the modeler uses cosmetic sponges to get the undercolor and overcolor. There are color pictures for both methods.
Aikido,
There are two products that I am aware of for replicating mortar lines on model structures. They are both a paste like substance that you wipe on the model and then let dry briefly and wipe off the excess. I also believe that they are both removable with a damp rag but don’t quote me on it. One is EZ Mortar. The other is Robert’s Brick Mortar. Here is a link to Robert’s website. I haven’t been able to find a website for EZ Mortar.
The contact info for the EZ Mortar is; Railroad Builders Shop, P.O. Box 931, Belmont, New Hampshire 03220, phone is (603) 267-6717, email RBS4@verizon.net
I believe the Robert’s Brick Mortar only comes in one color. I know that the EZ Mortar comes in multiple colors. I bought two containers of it back around Thansgiving but haven’t had a chance to use it yet. I have concrete gray and the dusty white colors. The dealer I bought it from also has a light yellow/off white color too. I had a tough time finding someone who sold either the Robert’s or the EZ Mortar so you might have to contact either manufacturer and buy direct or find out who their dealers are.
Maybe someone else here on the forums have used either product and can provide further information as to how well it works.
Pat
I do it the other way around - get the mortar color first, then color the bricks second.
Plastic building kits often have “waves” visible in the pieces, an effect caused by the pouring of the material into the mold. Because of this, I always paint my buildings, even if they’re molded in an acceptable brick color. Also, painting the building avoids having the whole building “glow” if you decide to light the interior.
I spray primer gray - a light tan would work too - on both sides of the building walls. Then I use an art marker in dark red or brown and use it to color the raised bricks. This leaves the gray “mortar” between the bricks…and leaves the interior walls a nice light color if you’re going to do an interior for the building. I’ll sometimes finish it up by painting individual bricks contrasting shades of red, brown or dark gray with a small brush.
How are you applying the acrylic paints? I used to use water as the carrier in making my washes. I now use rubbing alcohol; it flows into the small cracks MUCH better than with water. I spray mine on with a garden plant mister. The mist is much finer than the Walmart household spray bottle.
Spray the entire structure with Polly Scale Concrete (414317) (or whatever color you want your mortar to be, let dry about two days, very important that it’s DRY, buy some red shades of Prismacolor art pencils. Spend a little extra and get the premium soft core versions intended for shading. Sharpen and keep a nice point. Hold the pencil almost parallel to the brick surface and rub back and forth to color the brick surface. I personally use the Scarlet Lake color (PC925) for the base color but also have Crimson Red, Tuscan Red, Terra Cotta and some gray shades. After the scarlet application, dull coat and let dry. Go back with the other shades and crank out all the variation you desire and then dull coat again. Derwent sells art pencils as well and I’m sure they work fine for most applications, however I’ve found them too soft for brick base colors. Use them last if needed but lay down the base with Prismacolors.
Try it…