I’m building Walthers Wooden trestle (actually two kits combined to make one long one) and want to minimize the plastic look. I suppose I spray all the sub-assemblies first with dull coat, but I wondered if there was a spray paint out there that would give me a better result. “Someday” I might replace it with a trestle made of real wood but that will not be anytime soon–if ever. I want it to be credible but I have no illusions of fooling experienced modelers. Any ideas on how to finish this model out? Thank you for your ideas.
Georgia Observer
For my plastic kits that are to simulate wood, I do the following:
1- Spray the completed building with a rotten gray color.
2- Then spray it with Wood Tan.
3- Next step is to paint it with acrylics with a brush.
4- Then apply a black wash.
5- Then I use a small fiberglass brush and scrape through the paint layers in various places as if the paint were peeling and the wood was out in the weather a long time. I don’t go through the gray layer though.
The spray paint is Model Masters in a spray can.
For your trestle, I would spray it with the Wood Tan, then use a heavy wash of Roof Brown acrylic. A wash is usually 1 part paint to 10 parts wet water. I would add more paint than a normal wash. If you have an air brush, use that to apply it to the trestle. If not just brush it on. You don’t have to get it perfect. Use a large brush to hold more paint. The wash should run off the trestle, so take precautions for drips etc.
The effect should be light and dark streaks on the simulated wood parts. You may have to apply a second coat of the Roof Brown wash after the first application dries.
Hope this helps.
This sounds “do-able” for someone of my limited talents. Sounds like the effect I’m looking for. I appreciate your input.
Georgia Observer
I use a very easy method to simulate wood finish on plastic kits. I paint the entire structure with PollyScale Earth and let it dry overnight. Then I use a wide flat brush and put a wash over it using india ink and 70% isopropyl alcohol. Use long vertical strokes following the direction of the ‘wood’ as this will actually stain the paint. When this is dry I go over it with other washes using water and acrylic paints but this time I use a makeup foam wedge (from my wife’s supply) which has a wide and smooth surface in contact with the model. You can get some very unusual and realistic results this way. I would try to practice on a scrap or unwanted model to get used to what you can accomplish this way. I attached a photo of a recent ‘Wood’ coal tower I did from a very inexpensive plastic kit.
Good luck and let us see what you do with the bridges.
Bob
