Some time ago, someone reading this blog looked at the Bantam tug photos and suggested that a textured spray paint would be ideal to represent the safety coating on the prototype deck.
This sounded good to me so after a trip to Homebase, I've shot a coat of Rusto-Oleum textured finish over a heavily masked model. Colour chosen was Desert Bisque, biscuit colour, so I'll be repainting it with grey later, but the effect is very good.
I would advise practising with the paint before you try it on the model. For a start, the can seems to have about twice the pressure of a normal aerosol. Even after 5 times as much shaking as required, the paint at first seems to be very watery. Efforts to build up a dense layer result in lumps. The deck hatch was wiped clean as I managed to lose it while painting.
Left to dry overnight, the finish settles down to a lovely opaque and consistently gritty effect. I'm very pleased with it.
Of course, I now have a can of texture spray to finish up. I wonder where I can use it next?
Would it be suitable for representing sand in 4mm scale I wonder (suitably overpainted)? Or would it be too coarse? I'm thinking quarries and beaches.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty fine - better than much real sand. I'd suggest using it as a base coat, finishing off with chinchilla dust. With practise, I think that realistic blown sand effects could be achieved with the spray - lots of potential.
ReplyDeleteTarmac roads? Pebble dashed walls? Combined with washes as damp patches on buildings. Must get some to try out.
ReplyDeleteToo coarse for tarmac roads, at least in 4mm scale. Pebble dash walls though - perfect!
ReplyDeleteThat might have been me...
ReplyDeleteIt works really well for 16mm industrial stock. I've used it as the basis for platform and goods yard surfaces in 4mm, but yes it needs layering with other finishes to look effective. Like Phil I think it has potential to be explored further> Part of the charm is the random effect but by its nature that doesn't always work. Their whole range of finishes is interesting.
Incidentally, and I might be biased because I work for TATA, I find paints designed for use on Land Rovers to be quite useful as well.