Despite the positive comments I received about the initial weathering on the station building both here and over on RMWeb, I decided that it just wasn't right for what I wanted. Maybe it was seeing both the real thing and other modeller's treatment of the same sort of soot-stained stonework, but it just didn't do it for me, so I painted over it all again with a light sandstone colour, then over a period of a couple of days washed over a lighter mix to represent the mortar and once dry, dry brushed over the soot colour. This wasn't right either.
So, having seen an alternative method over on RMWeb, I painted it sandstone all over (at this stage, I'd got paint all over the windows, so they had to come out). then washed over with a watery mix of black and red with a drop of washing up liquid.. Hmm - this didn't look quite as required...so once again, I worked up several washes of the mortar mix and then set to heavily weathering the stonework.. This time it seemed to go quite well, and I was pretty pleased with it....until of course, I then decided it had gone too far and looked too black
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| you can just see on the right the very dark weathering. At this stage, with the windows removed, it looked more like a bombed and burnt out wreck |
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| more failed stonework painting |
So this weekend, has seen a renewed effort in guttering and roof tiling. I've now almost finished tiling the main building (having already finished and painted the right bay), with just the left bay to finish up.
Since removing the windows, I've developed a slightly better technique for making the windows, giving a little more relief. This time the frames are to be painted cream, so I 'll be making each window up from 6 layers of self adhesive vinyl, then spraying with undercoat and painting them cream, before attaching them to the acetate... It's quite time consuming, but they'll be the very last thing installed this time (after the 89th version of the Stone is complete ;) )
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| The roof, almost finished (well apart from ridge tiles, and flashing adjustments) Also showing another initial stone base layer on the front elevation |
One final bit I managed over the weekend too - you see on the left hand side of the steps, that little white stone cap? Four weeks ago, I knocked the model whilst getting it off the shelf, that stone cap flew off and disappeared..I've only just got round to cutting and gluing on a new one :)
I'm actually driving myself slowly mad with this project, and goodness knows how I'm going to attack the canopies!!! :) But, and this is the important bit, I'm still enjoying it immensely.
A really lovely building Lee and one that I would be proud of.
ReplyDeleteAs for your frustrations with painting Phil suggested using talc and I agree with him. In fact most of my models get a light dusting not only to lighten colours but also to blend everything together. Applying it whilst the paint is still a little tacky adds a little texture.
I also use weathering powders in much the same way, they are also useful for highlight shadow and muck under window sills etc.
Despite the project driving you mad at least you are enjoying yourself so don't despair it will all work out as you intend.
Cheers Geoff. I think, once construction on the main part has finished, I'll test paint a small section this time to get the finish required, before attacking the main build...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Geoff...I often sprinkle some weathering powder over the wall after painting to give a uniform feel to the area. From the stonework visible in the photos, it looks as if your substrate is really excellent and I am sure this will be a model to be proud of. It's also a huge project, especially tackled in the detail that you are persuing, so don't beat yourself up, you're doing great!
ReplyDeleteFeeling much more confident about the build now - especially as the ridge tiles go on to finish it off - it's really starting to come together. Thanks for the advice, Iain and Geoff.
ReplyDeleteOne option for the stonework if you're thinking of a re-paint is to maybe get some fine wet and dry 1200 grade or so and just take the top of the paint off, it will cut into the paint layer and dull it down and give it a very fine texture too. I've done it occaisionally on brickwork, so it may work on stone.
ReplyDeletebrgds
Paul
Cheers Paul - I'll give that a try too! :)
ReplyDeleteDon't know what's up - the tunnel portals I painted were pretty good.. I suppose that'll teach me to keep notes of all the colour mixes
This is a lovely building, Lee and reflects the care and effort you're putting into it. Your patience, persistence and perfectionism are truly admirable and well worth it!! Looking forward to the next installment.
ReplyDeleteHi Lee, it all sounds familiar, I also get these sudden bouts of not being able to get the paintwork right. I thought that second last shot was beginning to look really good though.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask what you do in between the failed attempts - ie do you remove the old layer of paint (and how?) or do you paint on top? I ask because no doubt soon it'll be my turn again to be in your position, so am interested in what other modellers do when paintwork on a building has to be re-done.
Cheers Mikkel, yeah, I'd almost got it right - but I thought it was a bit too heavily grey/black. I think it would help immensely if I had a colour reference in front of me, to refer to - it's mostly guesswork, based on the remnants of dirty stonework you still see around. I keep seeing buildings with varying degrees of old soot staining etc and think "ah yes, that's what it should look like" but then I'm in my car, and I can't take a reference photo...
ReplyDeleteWhat I've been doing so far is simply overpainting the failed paint layer. At the moment, that has sufficed, but as I head towards possibly the 6th coat, some of the mortar courses are starting to get a little clogged up, and that's where I'll have to re-scribe some detail back in. As I'd planned on scribing a little extra detail back into the stone texture in places where I'd been a little hasty/lazy, this isn't too much of an issue - although it's going to be time-consuming.
I think it might also benefit from a few passes of light grit wet and dry paper too...