The wife's HO Atlas layout...


most chalks will get toned down with a clear coat, thats why some people say to overdue it if you are going to clear coat over it. i have seen some where they also use that same technique, but use a colored pencil instead of chalk. if you have a spare kit, or a small wall it might be worth a try.
 
wright,

Thanks mate, I do have a few yet to be built kits so I will try on one of them. I knew I was doing something wrong, just didn't know what. I like the colored pencil idea too, perhaps Artists Oil Pencils would or could work best.
 
i havent gone back and read the last couple pages(just looked at the pictures), but what are you using for a wash? is it something thinned way down?
 
I use thinned down (with 91% alcohol) acrylic paint for the basic wall wash and coloring. Once dried, I tried a couple of things for the mortar wash, firstly woodlands concrete watered down and secondly, when that attempt didn't work as expected, I tried the same thing with acrylic paint with the same results.

I think, I may have had two issues, one being the paint was thinned too much and secondly, I only used one "coat" of the wash and haven't built it up. The other problem I discovered was the paint wash not only settled in between the bricks, for the mortar, but also left a wash over the bricks themselves. Only way I could see of getting that off was to wet it down and gently dab and/or rub the color from the bricks. When I did that, I found I was also taking out the "mortar" between the bricks as well. So when I was done removing the wash from the bricks, I'd also removed it from between the bricks and was back at square 1.

That's when I tried the chalk and dullcote method.
 
the wash should have been ok. might want to try and use q-tips just slightly wet, and work from top to bottom just dragging it. ive had times where its taken two or three times for the washes to work.
 
Maybe this will give you an idea of what I do and what I get. This is using Chalk with dullcote:

Before:

IMG_1178_zps6fac8a04.jpg


Applying the Chalk:

IMG_1179_zpsb2e51aa3.jpg


Applying the Dullcote:

IMG_1180_zpsd34f6f88.jpg


Once the Dullcote is dry:

IMG_1181_zps144024b9.jpg


Rubbing of the excess (right side done with alcohol, left with water):

IMG_1182_zpsc3aa1d55.jpg


Close up of the result:

IMG_1183_zps88e3df6e.jpg


Hoping this will give you or someone an idea of what I am doing wrong.
 
wright,

Sorry for the delay - this is a picture of one side of the same building. Each of the four sides look the same so hope this gives you an idea if nothing else:

brickwork_zpsee672942.jpg


I'll take a picture of the specific side I used to test the various methods though and post them later today.

Just saw your "q-tip" post and will give that a try as well.
 
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I use thinned down (with 91% alcohol) acrylic paint for the basic wall wash and coloring. Once dried, I tried a couple of things for the mortar wash, firstly woodlands concrete watered down and secondly, when that attempt didn't work as expected, I tried the same thing with acrylic paint with the same results.

.

Just checking out your progress and I think you can use straight (unthinned) acrylic paint (I use antique white) or with a little gray added and put that on with a brush and while it is still wet, like within 5 minutes, use a kleenex to wipe off the top and will leave mortar between the bricks.

Some of this will depend on how deep the spaces are, the more expensive hydrocal buildings have the best opportunity for the really deluxe mortar. However, I think even on the cheaper plastic kits the effect with this procedure looks fine, especially from a normal viewing distance.
 
lasm,

Thanks mate, I didn't think about using a Kleenex. All of my models are either Woodlands Built ups, Woodlands Pre Fab (such as the one in the pictures above) or DPM so I think they have pretty good definition when it comes to the brick work.

I also use similar colors for the mortar as you, but have tried a few combinations as well. Haven't tried using unthinned paint though. I'll try that now, and see how I go with that. Sooner or later I HAVE to have some sort of success with all of the advice and suggestions I am getting. At the end of the day though, it all comes down to me being able to put that advice into practice :)
 
Okay, brick and mortar update. I think I have worked out the way to do this, and it was as wright suggested. I painted the brickwork with an acrylic paint, let it dry then used a wet q tip to wipe it all down. It has taken around 8 "wipes" to get to this point:

This is the entire test wall with a light grey paint used on the left and a cream on the right:

IMG_1184.JPG

The grey result:

IMG_1185.JPG

The Cream result:

IMG_1186.JPG

To me, even in person, the wall goes from that really nice brick red color to looking washed out by the color used for the mortar. As said, I have gone over this with a wet q-tip about 8 times and while it seems to be getting better, it still seems to effect the over all appearance.

Am I just being way too finicky, or is what I am seeing the same as what you guys are seeing?

PS, sorry for the small pictures - Photobucket is down for maintenance :(
 
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Okay,

Have also been working on the area in the top left corner (behind the ton center). Have put in a road leading up from the town, crossing the tracks and heading of into oblivion. Hopefully you can pick it out as all I have done so far is formed it:

IMG_1187.JPGIMG_1188.JPGIMG_1189.JPG
 
Tony, I came across this video today for creating brick motar. Looks fairly easy, not sure how good it actually is. I'm sure the washes give a more realistic look, but this is just an idea.
http://youtu.be/MUdwGl4wLTI
 
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Looks like you are making a lot of progress. I like the DPM structures you are adding. What paint are you using for the brick color? I also like the new road and bridge. Can't wait to see the finished town. I really need to get back to work on my own layout. I was hoping to finish mine before you finish yours.
 
The mortor paint shouldn't stick to the point of not being able to thumb it off the brick surface. Question did you wash the walls with dish soap and water before painting ? This would make a difference , its just like castings as you should wash them first. I wonder what some A/I would do to the wall? Your not being to finicky.
Your hill work looks good.
 
Looks like you are making a lot of progress. I like the DPM structures you are adding. What paint are you using for the brick color? I also like the new road and bridge. Can't wait to see the finished town. I really need to get back to work on my own layout. I was hoping to finish mine before you finish yours.

Hey Jim,

I use "craft smart acrylic paint, Brick Red" straight from the bottle. It does look good when it first goes on - very natural by looking at some of the buildings around my area.

I battled with the idea of the road for along time as I couldn't see how I was going to make it fit without looking ridiculous. I think where it is running does look realistic and is similar to the way a road runs (from a more major road) not far from us. How it is going to fit into the mountain itself is anyone's guess. I don't like how the mountain stands at the moment though and I can't see where it is going either, that makes it worse.

The mortor paint shouldn't stick to the point of not being able to thumb it off the brick surface. Question did you wash the walls with dish soap and water before painting ? This would make a difference , its just like castings as you should wash them first. I wonder what some A/I would do to the wall? Your not being to finicky.
Your hill work looks good.

I washed everything when I first started painting this kit and before I decided to use the back wall of it as a testing block. A lot of paint and grimy fingers have been all over the thing so that could have a bearing on it. Running another wash of I/A mix over might tome it down a little - I didn't think about that but will try it and see what happens.

This is the closest I have come to getting anything that remotely looks anything like brick with mortar though, so that is a plus.
 
If you want to enhance the contrast/sharpness between the mortar and the bricks you could drybrush the bricks with some brick color after the wash, that would negate the washed mortar effect that overshadows the original brick color and actually it should bring back the original brick color. (i am looking at the pictures of the brick walls at post 490). Just a thought and i hope it helps! Congratulations on the progress of the layout!
 



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