Paint washes

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I’m in the process of weathering a brick structure. Painted the plastic model with acrylic paint which came out great. Now I’m doing a light grey wash to simulate mortar. I basically added paint to some room temp water, brushed it on, and wiped lightly with a paper towel. Any further suggestions for efficiency or a general “recipe” for a wash using acrylics? Next I will use an black India Ink wash which I have a definitive mix ratio for but I would like to have a good idea of wash mixtures for the future. Thanks in advance! Jeff

2

Hi Jeff, [#welcome] to the Forums.

I have read that washes are best mixed 10 to 1, water to paint, and that is what I use. i also add a drop of dishwashing detergent to make the water (and wash) wetter. For brick, paint your brick buildings different colors of red or brown so no two are alike. Try one with gloss red too. i was surprised when I did that. Then apply the light color (or dark color) wash. Vary the color of the wash too, for maximum variation between building colors. I only use an india ink wash to simulate soot weathering.

There are two ways to apply washes. (Both by a soft fine-hair brush) Set the building up right, the way it will be on the layout, and apply the wash. -or- Lay the building on it’s side and paint the wash on the horizontal surafce only. Of course that means that you will have to do each side individually. Washes that simulate weathering should be applied with the building standing up.

3

Thanks for the advice Elmer. I agree with you on the different colors of buildings. I notice even here in these old New England villages that even if the bricks were likely the same, different sunlight or different maintenance over the years always renders a different look of neighboring buildings.

4

Jeff, first of all Welcome to the MR forums!

I have used the technique that Art Curren described years ago in his book Kitbashing HO Model Railroad Structures:

Enamel based paints are thinned to a 1:6 to 10 ratio paint to thinner

Acrylic based paints thinned to a 1:6 to 10 ratio paint to water

i.e. 1 tsp acrylic paint to 2 to 3 Tbsp water

Black wash is a 1:10 ratio paint to thinner or water depending on if it is enamel or acrylic

I also follow Art’s three-step painting procedure. Regular Floquil is used first (if not leaving the kit walls the original plastic color) followed by the enamel wash. The final wash is with Polly S acrylic. It depends on the original wall color weather using a light or dark wash: dark wash over light walls; light wash over dark walls. The three kinds of paints are not compatible so none of the previously applied paint will bleed or run when a new coat is applied.

3-Step Painting Procedure

  1. Floquil used first for base wall color

  2. Enamel wash

  3. Acrylic wash

Dark walls = light wash

Light walls = dark wash

5

I found this recipe on one of the other forums. It’s very close to a mortar mix by a company called “Robert’s Products”. Works great. one part Pollyscale Aged Concrete

nine parts 100 proof alcohol

seven parts water

three drops dish soap

If you want it darker add a bit of Pollyscale Grimy Black. Mike