"Hi, I'd like dirt colored paint......"

[PELindy]

Yeah, that's about how my conversation at Home Depot started.

I need some kind of paint formula for a dirt color base paint. Going in and asking for dirt colored paint just doesn't cut it, evidently. (Funny looks, yes.)

Any suggestions?

 

[JeffShultz]

Paint swatches...

They've got a whole wall of color samples for you to take. I'd grab some likely ones and take them out and drop them on the dirt - the one that blends in best wins!

Also... at Home Depot make sure you look at the returns section first. You can get some good colors for a very cheap price there.

 

[hamltnblue]

What do you need the dirt colored paint for? If it's for your scenery base you could just use the woodland scenics earth tones watered down. Another thing you can do is get a small bottle of floquil or similar "Dirt" color paint from your local hobby shop. paint a sample on a sheet of paper and bring it to get matched.

 

[JeffShultz]

In my case, it was so my pink plains and pink mountains didn't stand out so clearly in photographs. That much coverage can make a quart of paint a good investment.

 

[UP2CSX]

Painting the basic layout surface with a paint color that matches the predominant color of the area you're modeling is a good idea. As Jeff said, it covers up the pink (or blue) foam color and helps when you miss a few spots with ground cover later. If you're modeling you local area, just take in a baggie of dirt and get the best match on the color chart. If it's another part of the country, look at as many photos as you can find and match it as best you can. Make sure you only get latex as oil based paints will rapidly give you a whole bunch of canyons and gullies you don't want.

 

[SpaceMouse]

Matching dirt is like matching grass. It is different every where you look. Even in the same area it varies from sun to shade, moist to damp, from one mineral deposit to another, to pollution levels, etc.

However, if it is just a base you are talking about, go with what's on sale. If you are going to make it look realistic eventually, you're going to have to use multiple colors, blend, uses washes etc to achieve a relative match. So you are going to have to paint this areas that are not covered in vegetation anyway.

 

[UP2CSX]

Chip, I think that advice is generally correct but there are some parts of the country, like Alabama, where the dirt is a very characteristic color. Although just painting the foam a non-descipt brown would work, getting a closer match to our red soil would look better if you're trying to get the right look.

 

[SpaceMouse]

Chip, I think that advice is generally correct but there are some parts of the country, like Alabama, where the dirt is a very characteristic color. Although just painting the foam a non-descipt brown would work, getting a closer match to our red soil would look better if you're trying to get the right look.

I agree, but hand grenade close is okay. I have a redish tint to my soil as well.

 

[kenw]

i used 'dirt-colored" latex to blend in with the Sculptamold to give it color thru-out. If chipped or drilled or carved, it is still "dirt". It also has the technical property of toughening the sculptamold by way of its latex as a binder.

Yep, mis-matched paint at Home Depot is where I got it.

 

[jbaakko]

What color dirt do you want?

 

[Doc Holliday]

I have a redish tint to my soil as well.

So do I.
Doc

 

[kenw]

i recommend whatever is on sale. It can be darkened or lightened with white or dark grey.

But even if you have to pay full price for a custom mix, a gallon will last darn near an eternity since you do not need to use it full strength.

IOW, dilute it.

 

[RexHea]

PELindy: I would get the cheapest brand available and try to match "close enough". As said, you only want it to be the undercoating in case something nicks our scratches through the more detailed ground cover. Don't laugh, but I like to use dirt dirt for my dirt . It's plentiful, cheap, and easy to work with. Just make sure its sterlized at 425 deg in the oven for at least 25 minutes. Then work a magnet through it. Works great!

Jim, if you think about it, our soil is more a rusty/redish brown than the red Chip uses. Besides that, the western sections of the state, from Eutaw down past Selma, the soil is near black...thus the name Blackbelt region.

 

[PELindy]

PELindy: I would get the cheapest brand available and try to match "close enough". As said, you only want it to be the undercoating in case something nicks our scratches through the more detailed ground cover. Don't laugh, but I like to use dirt dirt for my dirt . It's plentiful, cheap, and easy to work with. Just make sure its sterlized at 425 deg in the oven for at least 25 minutes. Then work a magnet through it. Works great!

Jim, if you think about it, our soil is more a rusty/redish brown than the red Chip uses. Besides that, the western sections of the state, from Eutaw down past Selma, the soil is near black...thus the name Blackbelt region.

LOL! My wife went a little nuts when she came home and found me with the brake rotor from my motorcycle in the oven. If she finds me "cooking" dirt, I'll let you know how it tastes!

I am looking just for a base color coat to hide anything that may not get fully covered later on, when I get to the detailing phase. I did grab a bunch of color sample sheets and layed them out in the yard to find something close. I'll check Home Depot later today and see what they have for returned, mis-matched paint and see what I can get made up cheap.

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

 

[grande man]

LOL! My wife went a little nuts when she came home and found me with the brake rotor from my motorcycle in the oven. If she finds me "cooking" dirt, I'll let you know how it tastes!

I am looking just for a base color coat to hide anything that may not get fully covered later on, when I get to the detailing phase. I did grab a bunch of color sample sheets and layed them out in the yard to find something close. I'll check Home Depot later today and see what they have for returned, mis-matched paint and see what I can get made up cheap.

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

Send you wife out shopping and cook some dirt! (she's probably over the brake rotor incident by now anyway ) Rex is giving you an awesome scenery tip here. Real dirt gives texture and contour to flat surfaces that looks very convincing.

 

[UP2CSX]

Rex, you're right about our soil color. Having lived in both places, the reddish soil of the West is not even close to our red clay here. One of the reasons I chose to model a local railroad (even though the UP still shows up for time to time ) is that I had all the ground cover I needed right I hand. My method was to first paint the foam hand grenade close pink, as Chip put it, and then cover the rest with soil from the back yard. I crush it with a a rolling pin first (not one I stole from the kitchen), run a magnet over it, and then put it in the microwave for 10 minutes. The oven is sacred but I can get away with dirt in the microwave as long as clean up the little explosions.

 

[PNKFLOYD]

My method was to first paint the foam hand grenade close pink, as Chip put it, .... The oven is sacred but I can get away with dirt in the microwave as long as clean up the little explosions.

Jim- you have to use little hand grenades to get little explosions!

I don't think anyone mentioned that the dirt needs to be sifted so there will be different textures to use.
I like to spinkle some dirt on the freshly painted base coat for the color shift and texture change. Easy to cover with ground foam if I relocate something later.
Mikey

 

[PartsMan]

Yeah, that's about how my conversation at Home Depot started.

I need some kind of paint formula for a dirt color base paint. Going in and asking for dirt colored paint just doesn't cut it, evidently. (Funny looks, yes.)

Any suggestions?

I got the same look at Lowes asking for rust spray paint.

 

[hminky]

First get your dirt that you want to match. Glue it down with white glue and water mixture. It will change color when glued. Some stores can match that color sample or use the little cards in the paint section.

I matched my paver sand to a paint at Walmart using the paint cards.

I use paver sand which is easier to use than dirt because it doesn't turn to mud, visit:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/gravel/

Thank you if you visit
Harold

 

[Rotorranch]

When The Kid was starting his N scale layout, he had his mom take him to the paint store to buy paint. When he got there, he grabbed a chunk of dried mud off her car, and took it into the store, and had the guy match it. He ended up with a near perfect Gawga clay colered base.

Rotor