what colors do you use for steel, and for wood?

My favorite for wood tool handles and blocks,is MM Acrylic Wood.I also wash it with a brown wash to hilite the grain.

For metal scratches and such, I usually use a silver artist pencil. Not as shiny as paint.

For wood, I usually use a base coat of Tamiya Tan or Buff. Then I use brown color oil paint on a cheap brush and streak that onto the plastic. You can play around with the 'graining' until you think it looks good.  Just make sure you leave it alone for at least a day after you get it looking right.

Here's the technique on a wood prop to replicate a laminated piece, its 1/48. This was followed with a light coat of future very lightly tinted with the base buff color to give shine and tie everything in.

Same technique on a 1/48 softskin's wooden oar. This was coated with flat to give a more weathered and dirty look.

One trick I use for steel is to prime the part with a dark gray, such as Krylon primer.  Any very flat dark gray primer works.  Then dry brush a slight patina with Testors "steel" enamel.  That works great for shovel blades or any bare steel part.

For dry brushing I keep a good supply of old business cards. After dipping the brush into the paint I wipe the brush on the back of the business card, drying it even further before painting the part.  Instead of going back to the paint jar when the brush has no color left, I pick up some fresh paint from the splotch on the card.  I can do this several times before I have to put a new splotch on the card.

Like transparent overcoats with an airbrush, dry brushing takes patience.  The color/tint builds up slowly.  It is not an instant thing.

Don Stauffer

Like transparent overcoats with an airbrush, dry brushing takes patience.  The color/tint builds up slowly.  It is not an instant thing.

That is one thing I must keep in mind!  I am sure I expect to see great results the first time I hit the part.

What kind of brush do you use when dry-brushing?  I still seem to have trouble getting the right feel, and the right amount of paint in the brush, I have too much, or I think I do not have enough, though that is probably more likely due to my lack of patience.

This clip shows a guy using a blusher brush, which I have not seen before.  Have you ever tried using a brush similar to that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F1posZyE74

Thanks for all the replies, they are appreciated.

mgh

 

Don Stauffer:

 

Like transparent overcoats with an airbrush, dry brushing takes patience.  The color/tint builds up slowly.  It is not an instant thing.

 

 

That is one thing I must keep in mind!  I am sure I expect to see great results the first time I hit the part.

What kind of brush do you use when dry-brushing?  I still seem to have trouble getting the right feel, and the right amount of paint in the brush, I have too much, or I think I do not have enough, though that is probably more likely due to my lack of patience.

This clip shows a guy using a blusher brush, which I have not seen before.  Have you ever tried using a brush similar to that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F1posZyE74

Thanks for all the replies, they are appreciated.

No, I have not used a brush like that. I just use regular paint brushes.  However, since dry brushing is hard on the bristles, on the small sizes I use for dry brushing I keep two of each size, one for regular painting and one brush specially for dry brushing. Worn and bent bristles don't seem to bother dry brushing.

For wood i have found this really neat thing online:

For a base coat use something very yellowy or beige in nature. I like to use yellow ochre in acrylic. After that has dried. Apply a generous coat of dark umber oil paint.

This oil paint in general takes several days to dry giving you more than enough time to work with it. I personally use a honey grate kind of style of sponge to just streak that topcoat after say, 24 hours. It will give your part a very lifelike woodgrain type of finish.

Just let it sit for a couple of days and apply a coat of dull or satin with your airbrush. Mission accomplished.

Richard

Sorry for the double post.....

Mr. Stauffer,

Drybrushing in general (according to my experiences) works best with enamels. Rule of thumb: when you think you have wiped off all the paint on your brush, wipe some more as it is probably not enough.

Richard

kermit

 Apply a generous coat of dark umber oil paint.

Richard

Just to be clear, are you meaning artists oils, as in the thick stuff that comes in tubes?  If so, then do you thin it with mineral spirits to get it to a consistency that you can brush on?

Thanks for the help.  I would like to try this technique.

mgh

 

kermit:

 

 Apply a generous coat of dark umber oil paint.

Richard

 

 

Just to be clear, are you meaning artists oils, as in the thick stuff that comes in tubes?  If so, then do you thin it with mineral spirits to get it to a consistency that you can brush on?

Thanks for the help.  I would like to try this technique.

You got it!. I just thin with a tiny amount of mineral spirits, just to get the consistency of thick paint.

kermit

Sorry for the double post.....

Mr. Stauffer,

Drybrushing in general (according to my experiences) works best with enamels. Rule of thumb: when you think you have wiped off all the paint on your brush, wipe some more as it is probably not enough.

 

Richard

Yep, I think that is a good rule- I agree with it.  And, I also do my dry brushing with enamels.