Hello - I would like some info. on painting mortar on a painted brick buildign facade. I read information on uisng a wash of light grey and then rubbing it off, but my model is painted and I am afraid of a thinner wash pulling the painted brick color off too. Any suggestions - maybe I will be OK with the thinner wash. But I wanted to ask before I mess up my model. Thanks!
Under normal circumstances it would be unusual for the base coat of paint to pull off. Is there any particular reason for your concern? What type of paint did you use? What material is the building made of?
Most of my buildings are plastic and I use Floquil solvent based paint. After letting it dry for a day or two I paint full strength Polly Scale dust over the bricks, wait a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp (rung out well) rag. You can vary the interval between painting and wiping to get very faint mortar lines or well weathered brick.
Good luck!
I used Testors on plastic. This morning I tried the thinned wash and it pulled the base coat off. I tried white chalk and that works, but I can’t “fix” the chalk - I tried fixitif and that just colors the chalk the same as the base brick color. Thanks, Mark
Mark,
By Testors, I assume you mean anamel, using paint thinner or mineral spirits for thinning & clean up. What type of paint did you use for the mortar wash? What type if thinner for that? If using enamel and paint thinner for the wash, it sounds like the base coat had not fully cured and the paint thinner “attacked” the uncured base coat. One may need to let the base coat fully cure for at least several days. better yet, use an acrylic water based paint for the mortar wash. It should have no effect on the enamel.
Roger
Mark, I am in the same position. My approach is not an expert Model "Railroader’ or builder. But my knowledge on paints can / might be helpful. It might spring forth new ideas for you or any other reader. I am in means an expert.
My attack plan… is to use… ‘Craft Paint’ as in ‘Doc in CT’ thread. Doc gave a nice demonstration on doing the mortar. But as far as your case… and mine… I figure if I use the Craft paint (water soluble) … in a water down base… I should be able to lightly give a mortar… weathering finish. My approach … although you didn’t … is to preserve the original finish… by using Testors Dullcote. Once that is on, as far as I am concerned… even if I do the Craft paint wrong, I can lightly wipe it off. After I am finished with that particular coat of a watered down mortar finish… I’d probably put another light coat of Dullcote … to protect that application. Then if you want to go back and do some more… or add various colors to give more depth to the bricks… you can do so… and if you don’t like… wipe it off lightly. Then when all done… apply the last finish of Dullcote. One thing I didn’t mention, I will ‘mask’ off the windows…and other things… that the Dullcote might ruin. As far as masking tape… I use the green painters tape… instead of the blue. The green is a finer tape… with no ‘crinkles’ like the blue painters tape. One other thing… Doc in CT thread… he uses the craft paint … thick… and with a jabbing motion… pushing … and shoving the paint into the cracks to produce the mortar look. He lets that dry and then rubs it off with a alcohol swab… very little water… and erases the excess. I would like to give you a photo… of one I need to do… but right now… I am working on 3 models. Here is my first attempt on mortar.
Keith, what thread was that?
Sounds like the technique of Nick (nbrodar) in this thread: http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/162279/1787636.aspx#1787636
I’ve never used this approach (more of a thin wash, dry, and wipe method).
Alan
(doc-in-ct)
Awesome!! Thanks!
Roger- Thanks. The acrylic paint is working great! I thought a water-based paint would bead up on the enamel - but it is working! -Mark
Better yet use a watered down white waterproof ink and wipe off the excess. It will dull the brick a little also and be permanent.
Tom, and right you are… this is the thread… didn’T have time to check it to see if its the same.
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/162279.aspx
I saw your name at the bottom… thought it was your thread. Sowry.