How Did You Paint Your Rocks

[auphartz]

I have tried the "cheetah spot" method and the watered down layered spray method but neither of those seem to look even reasonable . what methods have been found to be the most successful ?

[Ember]

With a brush.

 

It would largely depend what sort of rocks you're looking to emulate. And much of it comes down to the colours you choose.

 

Mine are sandstone so the colours are lighter. Yellow ochre, burnt and raw sienna, gold oxide. With some very limited use of burnt umber for some depth. Becuase my cliffs are done with FRock there's plenty of texture already, so all I've done is rather randomly apply washes of varying colour depth and strenght. Working on lighter washes in highlight areas and stronger washes in the deeps. I was happy enough with the finish that gave me so I haven't applied any further paint, no dark wash for shadows and no light dry brushing for highlights.

 

But, again, this is largely because of the style of rock I've represented and the method I selected for making it.

 

Embs

[Obsidith]

I have used this method here on 2 tracks and works great just have to use good paints

[Ember]

To paint cast plaster rocks that represent basalt or slate (which I haven't tried) and have plenty of crevices and shadowed depth, I'd tackle the problem differently. I'd again lay the base colour with a fairly random application somewhat lighter in tone than you want for your final rocks. Blue greys and brownish greys for basalt (perhaps even some pinkish tones here and there). Green greys and purple greys are more common for slate.

 

Once dry apply a very thin wash of dark tone, to deepen the crevices. I don't like using straight black. EVER. So again chose colours that go with your rock, prussian blue darkened with a bit of black or raw or burnt umber again darkened with a little black. (Shadows are never actually black, always the opposite colour to the object casting the shadow. ie. a red object casts a greenish shadow, a yellow object casts a purplish one)

 

Have a look at it dry and see if you need to bring the texture back up. If you do, some light dry brushing with lighter tones of your base colour here and there will pick the texture and formation back up again.

 

Lastly, when surface is completely dry a little dry brushing to highlight areas where daylight falls. Again, don't use straight white. Go for pale pinks, pale yellows, pale ochres. Be very, very restrained in the application of highlights. You're really only after a touch of 'sparkle' here and there.

 

Anyway. That's the way I'd approach it. With paintbrush in hand.

Edited November 13, 2010 by Ember

[Johnnyfly41]

Based upon my limited experience, Ember has set you straight.

 

I have found dry brushing to work the best, I have not mastered the wash technique. Probably never will. Good to do to get those crevaces darkened up and if it's too much, you can dry brush it, wipe it to get it off of other surfaces.

 

More colors, less of them applied, and more passes seems to produce more subtle and realistic results.

 

In short, do whatever Ember says.

[KarKraft]

Just to add my 2c worth, and it may be too late, but what kind of rocks are you looking to emulate? Most railway techniques are for massive cuttings. Not many racetracks have that kind of scenery, although I see it used all the time. When I planned Fairmont Park I did an imitation of Bathurst, but although Mt Panorama has cuttings, doesn't have many raw rock faces.

 

 

I tried to emulate this weathered clay finish with coloured grout, then used the spotting techniques with the colours Ember suggested.

 

 

Here is a better look at the colour spotting.

 

Edited November 13, 2010 by KarKraft

[auphartz]

my main problem seems to be with the plaster actually absorbing the paints that I wash on I might have to have a try at wetting it down first with a dishwashing & water mixture to see if that helps . If that doesn't work I will give them a top coating of plaster of paris

[Obsidith]

I had a issue like that when I was using corner cement maybe this is the issue

[Ember]

When you say plaster what do you mean?

 

I wash artist's acrylic thinned with water straight onto plasterer's joint compound. A bit hard to explain the method I really use, because none of my washes are fully mixed. I use straight colour applied to a large pallette and puddle water around the edges. I also keep my brush quite wet with clean water. The joint compound will absorb quite a lot of water and will take the colour with it. Once dry, the colour will be somewhat lighter than what it is when wet.

 

This is a bit of why I started tinting my joint compound. That way I could bleed my colour washes out to a cream tone. My painting method is quite haphazard and make it up as you go along.

 

Another possibility is give the plaster a sealing coat with some very watered PVA.

 

Embs

[silver rocket]

A good technique to use is what I call dry brushing. Basically you start with black as if you look at any rocks the deep cracks etc are black.

 

Then once you have chosen your colour, most common rocks can be anything from grey to brown, ochre based as other ppl already said, so say you want brown for this example, the next coat I get the main colour I want to the rocks to be, add some black and when you paint you dip the brush in the paint but then wipe it off on a large piece of cardboard, old packing boxes are perfect, sounds crazy I know but you wipe the excess paint off quite firmly on the cardboard and then run it over the rocks, hitting everything except for the deep cracks & crevices, leave them black. You don't actualy use a normal painting motion its more like you are dusting a car door for finger prints, if you sorta dust over the rocks you will be amazed how much paint is still in the brush and the colour will build up slowly before your eyes. the first few times you do it you always have waaaaaaaay too much paint on the brush, just dip it like a nancy girl would and then wipe it all off!

 

Next coat I use the main colour now say brown, this time you go lighter again and paint the main areas.

 

Next coat I add white to my base so it's light brown, the brush is delicate now mainly just hitting the hight bits.

 

Lastly you finish with white but only ever so light and only touch the very highlights.

 

It's a common technique but soooooo easy to do & looks so effective, we do ceiling roses like this for customers at work with pastel colours to match their decor & they always go gah gah over it, they love it!

 

The tricks are don't mix up too much paint at a time you dont need much & if you come up short just add another layer, the more layers it has the better they look anyway.... and remeber "dusting for prints" with the paint wiped off the brush on cardboard, try it you'll love it!

Edited November 13, 2010 by silver rocket

[Bulsara]

I stopped painting my rocks when my wife said it looked stupid.

[auphartz]

Thanks very much everyone for all of your tips ...I've managed to get close to what i wanted I just have a spot of greenery to add

 

 

[Ember]

Yup. Looks good to me. I'd just suggest a quick spray with some Dullcote or something similar to get rid of that slight gloss that has built up. But really, colour and texture is looking good.

 

Embs

[silver rocket]

Looks pretty good, do you plan to add ground cover?

 

This will help dull it... but yeah it's looking good

[GTR XU-1]

Auphartz,

 

It could be just the flash on the camera...but I would either use ground cover or even just a light spray with matt clear on those rocks.....just to give it that bit extra.....but lookin good

 

Will look a bit like a bathurst cutting when its finished.

 

Dave

[auphartz]

I'll get some dullcoat on the weekend , thanks for your help . I am planning to add a few small shrubs and a sprinkling of ground cover

[slots]

I know I'm a little late but I just used an air brush. To get different shades, I just used it from one angle and allowed the over-spray to coat the crevasses.

 

[runnin' on rails]

I dry brushed for texture then use a very watered down matt black pretty much all over but concentrating on cracks and crevices which helps to take the gloss off too, but think I will try some dullcote also... but the shadows and pitted areas look awesome...

I also lightly sprayed some light green on the flats whilst the brown underneath was still wet blending the colours somewhat- giving a wet mossy look .

Edited March 4, 2011 by runnin' on rails

[Eno the Wonderdog]

Guys here's a question I'm gonna get laughed at about I'm sure.

 

My grog Frog tank (last time I built it up) was filled with Granite shards forming in a pond at the bottom. Various plants & dirt in amongst them. Looked real.

 

Now were I supposed to be building mountains what's the problem with of incorporating shards of real rocks? After all dried mosses are still a popular way to make bushes?? The hills around me have bits and bobs of rocks hanging out. Surely the right choice of rock moss & some use with 'imitation' stuff it would be better than imaginary rocks..

 

I see the point on a mountain pass with "oo" trainsets but for slot cars??

[KarKraft]

Now were I supposed to be building mountains what's the problem with of incorporating shards of real rocks?

 

Nothing wrong at all. If it looks right to you in a 1:32 world, then use it. I seem to remember JMSWMS (Bill) used a set of Roman/Greek ruins from a fishtank on one of his Targa tracks. Best thing I think you can do is have a photo of the 1:1 thing you are trying to match and quiz yourself as to where to source the materials. Tileguy suggested saving plaster chips from scenery making to use as talus, similar to your idea Eno.

 

Edit: sp

Edited March 4, 2011 by KarKraft

[manic35]

This is how I detailed my rocks: [HERE]

 

[Go-Onslot]

Hey,

 

I build my "Rocks" with something we call PU-Foam or building Foam in German: Bauschaum

Than, - sorry i dont now the right words, purhaps, I scaratched with two Fingers in, putt some peaces out and i take a Screwdriver an putt some peaces out.

I paint from bright to dark in some steps.

But bevor you kill me for my bad english, i show you some Picture:

 

Much Foam:

 

 

MOre Foam:

 

 

First paint it with bright grey Wallcolor mixed with plaster, than with darker grey:

 

 

Then the outstanding peaces with al little bit with and athor brighte color:

 

 

then green floor (but first i colored the place green where it had to come, because if you lose thome floor it doesent matter .-) ):

 

 

 

 

 

than:

 

 

 

And:

 

 

Ready

Edited January 20, 2013 by Go-Onslot

[slot car tragic]

That looks great. It's a pretty cool layout you have, I'm diggin' that hard on the brakes downhill right hand corner at the top.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris.