Matching Deck Colors

[hof00]

Hi All,

I'm trying to match wooden Decking with PE Decking that needs to be matched to the Wood.

My preference is "Vallejo" as it is available in NZ and I also like the product.

 

I have had a look on-line and the closest match is Vallejo Yellow Ochre, don't know really....

 

I am hoping that someone out there will have experience in matching Wood to Paint?

 

A photo of a couple of pieces of decking attached....

 

Cheers....HOF.

 

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by hof00

[wefalck]

I don't think that you can achieve the look of wood with a single colour of paint. I start with a suitable base-colour and then apply washes of burnt umber, other beiges/yellows and/or white; finally a couple of coats of satin varnish and for a deck final-final coat of matt varnish sprayed on (otherwise it does not become really matt).

 

Judging colours from pictures (on the Internet) or even what is printed onto the lables is notoriously misleading. The only way to find out is to paint a sample.

 

Here is a recent example from my own production: 

The following procedure was used: The piece of decking was given a base-coat of Vallejo Model Air 71075 ‘sand (ivory)’ using the airbrush. In a next step single planks were randomly given a light wash with Prince August 834 ‘natural wood transparent’ or Vallejo Model Air 71023 ‘hemp’ (which turned out to be a bit too dark actually). In a next step randomly selected planks, particularly those ‘hemp’ ones were given a very light wash with Vallejo Model Air 71288 ‘Portland stone’. Another very light wash with Vallejo Model Air 71041 ‘armour brown’, toned down with yet another very light wash using Vallejo Model Air 71132 ‘aged white’, pulled everything together.

 

 

[hof00]

4 hours ago, wefalck said:

I don't think that you can achieve the look of wood with a single colour of paint. I start with a suitable base-colour and then apply washes of burnt umber, other beiges/yellows and/or white; finally a couple of coats of satin varnish and for a deck final-final coat of matt varnish sprayed on (otherwise it does not become really matt).

 

Judging colours from pictures (on the Internet) or even what is printed onto the lables is notoriously misleading. The only way to find out is to paint a sample.

 

Here is a recent example from my own production: 

The following procedure was used: The piece of decking was given a base-coat of Vallejo Model Air 71075 ‘sand (ivory)’ using the airbrush. In a next step single planks were randomly given a light wash with Prince August 834 ‘natural wood transparent’ or Vallejo Model Air 71023 ‘hemp’ (which turned out to be a bit too dark actually). In a next step randomly selected planks, particularly those ‘hemp’ ones were given a very light wash with Vallejo Model Air 71288 ‘Portland stone’. Another very light wash with Vallejo Model Air 71041 ‘armour brown’, toned down with yet another very light wash using Vallejo Model Air 71132 ‘aged white’, pulled everything together.

 

 

Hi Chap,

Thank you for your response, appreciated. (Your example looks really good!!)

I'll have a think regarding your procedure, bearing in mind that I cannot airbrush as the PE Decking is "Intimate with Railings, Etc.

Whatever I do, I am reduced to careful "Hand" painting, I guess that's why I'm after "Good Match." 

The subject is a 1/200 Bismarck.

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

 

[mikiek]

As Welfacks photo shows, you will want to put some color randomness on your sticks. Nothing ever comes out perfectly in one shade. You'll want some sticks darker/lighter than others.

 

I also agree, you'll need to mix several colors to get you closer to what you want and it may be literally just a drop or two of some of the secondary colors. Keep good notes on how much base you started with and how many drops of additional colors. You may have to make another batch down the line.

[wefalck]

A couple of additional observations:

 

- I try to avoid mixed paints - you will hever hit the right shade again, particularly, when you work with small quantities only; in the case of decks this is also not necessary, as one can very well work with washes to arrive at a convincing colour.

 

- I don't know what your kit designers did, but one would normally design the parts (including PE parts) in a way that allows pre-painting parts to achieve a clean colour separation; I designed my decks so that they can be pre-painted and then installed; this means one has to think carefully about the sequence of assembly and not put everything together and then wonder, how to paint it.

 

- It is a lot easier to brush-paint in particular PE-parts, when there is already a sprayed coat of paint on them.

 

- If it was me, I would not bother with colour-matching the painted decks to the wood veneer; this is an opportunity to make the decks look more realistic: lightly sand the wood, apply a thin coat of sanding sealer and then lightly sand again; this gets rid of the far too coarse wood texture and surface structure; then paint in the same base colour as the PE-decks; pick out different planks in different shades etc.; apply a coat of satin varnish to seal; with a black pigmented 0.05 mm 'fine-liner' follow the laser-engraved/etched plank seams, wiping off the excess immediately; apply a light wash of a cream paint; seal with two coats of satin varnish and then with a light coat of matt varnish. It will look a lot more realistic than these awful 'real wood' decks.

 

BTW, the example above is in 1:160 scale, so not too far off from your 1:200 scale.

[druxey]

Washes over a base coat as wefalck describes is really the only way to imitate wood. Again, techniques will differ slightly depending on the scale that you are working at. His radial planking at miniature scale is exceptional.

[hof00]

Hi All,

Thank you very, very much for your experience and considered responses.

I have learnt allot and it will soon be time to experiment.

I'm unsure how much I will be able to achieve in terms of realism at 1/200 but I'll try my best.

 

Time for me to have a "Play." 🙂

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

[mikiek]

Hey Wefalck - just so I'm clear, when you say "wash" in your process what exactly do you mean?

 

Thanks....

Edited May 12, 2022 by mikiek

[druxey]

Washes are very thin transparent coats of paint thinned with either water or a solvent, depending on the type of paint used.

[wefalck]

Exactly !

 

There are also various 'tutorials' around on YouTube etc. for both small-scale shipmodelling and railway modelling on how to represent wood in that way.

[ubjs]

Vallejo has a kit for wood and leather, 8 bottles and a guide, ref no 70.182.

Colors are 847, 923, 981, 983, 872, 828, 939, 950.

https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/product/hobby/sets/effects-en/wood-and-leather-70182/

Edited May 12, 2022 by ubjs

[mikiek]

Are the washes applied by brush? I seem to remember using a paper towel or a rag. All of the above?

[wefalck]

We are not in house painting, we are in artistry   What you were talking about is 'ragging', technique used to create a spotty and distressed looking surface in house painting. Of course this technique could be used also in modelling, but people then tend to use small pieces of sponge.

 

No, washes are applied with soft brushes.

 

The nicety about acrylics is that you can work fast, as fast as the paint/water dries. So you can apply very dilute washes, wait a few minutes and then apply the next wash, and so on. This makes the process very controllable. If you applied too much, you can also soak it up again with a dry brush or a piece of tissue (use a folded edge in order to not leave loose fibres on the surface).

 

As always, don't ask too many questions in advance - just try on a sample or two.

 

[Gregory]

Vanguard models has a nice tutorial in their ship's boat instructions for making PE look like wood.

 

Go to page 4 in this one.

 

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/admirals-barge.pdf

Edited May 13, 2022 by Gregory