Being very new to all this I have a question. I bought the Blair Line Pizzaland kit. Looks great but I wonder how to get a good brick wall-effect while being advised to use a spray can instead of a brush. What’s the best methode of creating such an effect? Since wooden kits are new to me, I hadn’t realised it’s better not to use a brush and I’m in the dark now.
I’ve picked up several different “red” primers from different stores. Each seems to vary slightly in color, which is great, because then I can vary the color of the brick from building to building.
Also, because it’s a primer, it’s not as thick as regular paint, so the brick detail comes through a little sharper.
Finally, it’s flat… Which is exactly the type of finish one would need for a brick wall.
Rustoleum makes a dark red metal primer that is a good red brick color.
Here’s a plastic building I recently completed using red primer…
I have had good results using spray cans when I have two cans of complimentary colors and spray at the same time in a sort of rhythm. For example, a steady spray of one shade of dark red primer with occasional bursts of the similar but not identical dark red primer can result in a very effective slightly varied look. Try on a piece of scrap first to get the hang of it. RustOleum and Ace Hardware’s house brand of spray red primer are just different enough to bring good results.
I might also mention that I follow the rules when I use spray cans. That is, I shake them thoroughly before use, often for two full minutes. I spray with the spray beginning before the work in a sideways motion; don’t start spraying on the work in case there are “burps” of paint. And I carefully hold the can upside down and spray out the paint that remains in the nozzle. I might also add that I always do this work outside the house.
Dave Nelson
After the brick-colored paint has set, applying slightly-thinned, water-based, whitish paint on the wall, using a rag (like a portion of an old t-shirt) to work it down into the grooves, can be an effective away, among others, to simulate mortar between the bricks. A hint of white on the bricks, if left there, is a nice weathering effect for a less-than-pristine wall.
Mark
All the above hints are good. One day when you get an airbrush, use an acrylic paint color called “barn red or “red iron oxide”” but in the meantime, the light rusty red primer will work well. One other tip to add realism to your building is to purchase a box of pastel chalks from walmart and use a hobby knife to shave the chalk sticks of your choice into a pile. Then use a stiff brush and weather the building with the pile of chalk shavings especially at the lower portion of the building where it gets dirtier from soot and dust in the air than the upper section of the building…chuck
Here are a couple more samples of brick models.
My brewery complex …
A close up of my warehouse …
If windows are separate pieces, put them aside to be installed later. Paint the windows before installing also.
First, decide the color of the brick. Spray can paint with flat colors will be fine. Primer paint colors are often good choices for brick. I have had good luck with mineral red primer. Hold the can far back and spray evenly with a few very, very thin coats. While the mineral red is still wet, I spray a very thin coat of tan camouflage paint evenly over the red paint. This gives a brick-like coloring and txture.
After the paint is completely dry, it is time for mortar. One material, I use for that is dry plaster of Paris. I rub it into the mortar cracks. Then I apply a fine spray of water. When the plaster is dry, I brush with a stiff brush over the bricks going just left and right or up and down. (Not diagonal or not in circles). The plaster on the bricks comes off, but the plaster in the cracks stays in the cracks.
Next I weather with watered down acrylic paints. Whe nthat is completely dry. I spray with matte spray.
You may wish to experiment with some sample brick material before working on the model’s pieces.
Thanks everybody for taking the trouble to give advice and place pics! Great help!!!
I can’t see any reason why you shouldn’t brush paint brickwork…
Maybe whoever suggested this has brush painted and tried/hoped to get a thorough cover with just one coat… in which case the paint was probably put on to thick… or was even a too thick and goopy paint…
I think that all the posts above give excellent guidance for getting a general cover over the whole of a large wall.
Personally I would then look to detailing the wall with weathering techniques in a similar way to those used for locos and cars. There have been some extremely good threads here on how to do this… try a search…
[8D]
This is an historic building (in Columbia, CA) with fake bricks. The building is actually wood-framed, sheathed with embossed metal to simulate bricks. No white mortar lines here.
Mark
In contrast, real brick (same location):
Mark
One of my favorite brick buildings (again, same location):
I believe Classic Miniatures issued a kit for this structure. Regardless, I built the kit. Since the structure used embossed paper for the brick effect, the variations on the side wall weren’t replicated.
Mark