Syren Ship Model Company News, Updates and Info.....(part 2)

[dvm27]

2 hours ago, Chuck said:

I was asked to show the color of the wheel on top of some boxwood.   This is an even better way to see it in its actual environment.   Dont look at the dust.  When you see dust build up on your model like this that means you really need to do more actual model building, LOL.   The wheel on the left is how you will get it and can use it straight out of the bag.  It looks great.  The one on the right has the wet on wet burnt umber wash.   I will have the ten spoke 1/4" scale boxwood version in stock today.  Its 1 1/4" in diameter.

 

Its a very subtle difference dont you think.  Too often I see folks over-do the application of a wash or weathering.  You really just want to give it some tone.

 

Chuck

 

I hadn't noted those oxagonal (?) mast coats previously. They look amazing are are faithful to the prototype model.

[Chuck]

4 minutes ago, dvm27 said:

I hadn't noted those oxagonal (?) mast coats previously. They look amazing are are faithful to the prototype model.

Yes they are pretty close.  The ones on the model are really really tall.  I cut them down in height just slightly.   

 

Chuck

[Chuck]

A wet on wet wash is just what it says.   The opposite of a dry brush technique.

 

The surface to be painted is wet down pretty good before you start with just water.   I work on a third of the wheel at a time to avoid it drying out.  Then take another brush....smallish with a point so you can apply some very thin and wet paint to the already wet surface.  It will spread out through the already wet field and not be very opaque.   Brush it around in areas you want to hilight with a darker color like in the grooves.   Then before it dries still, take the original brush which is clean hopefully and while it is dryish...just damp from being wiped on a cloth, run the brush over the areas you want to erase the darker color.  It will soak up the unwanted brown color and reveal the brighter resin under it.   Easy Peasy....but yes you have to first try it.   Then you will know.   

 

Its an alternative to weathering powders or even the gel stain.   There are so many ways to achieve what you want as a finish on these items.

 

Chuck

[Chuck]

And while we are discussing finishing techniques.  Many of you have seen me use weathering powders for a million different things on a ship model.  
 

weathering powders are great but they are ridiculously expensive.  I still use traditional weathering powder sold in small jars.  But for several years now I have switched to artists powder pastels.  They can be quite expensive too.  But a medium quality set works just as well for our applications.  
 

I use a sanding stick as my palette or a small square of sandpaper.  The pastels will last you forever and come in a much wider range of colors suitable for our ship models.  Look at all the variations of browns and yellows and ochre shades.  I use them everywhere including on my 3d printed parts so they can look like wood.  
 

just rub the pastel on the sanding stick.  You would be surprised how much fine pigment powder this makes.  
 

Then use a dry paint brush or “stomp” to pick up the powder and apply to your part.  
 

Yes you can even dip your brush in some water to give it a more painted or different look.  This also helps it settle i to the grooves and cracks much like the wet on wet acrylic technique.

 

sorry for the long post I I hope you find this useful and might try it some day.

 

This pastel set cost me $20 on Amazon.  It comes with about 75 colors.  Try and buy that many jars of weathering powder and see what it will cost you.

 

[glbarlow]

I love the effect of weathering powder, especially on turning resin cannon to a realistic gun metal color, oddly using Rusty Brown ( a Chuck trick I learned building Cheerful).  However it’s messy and at least in my case has to be applied to parts off the model. This approach would seem to allow a more ‘target specific’ alternative and maybe not end up everywhere like, again for me, the jar of powders do. 

[Chuck]

And finally....those pastel weathering powders can be applied to good effect.  On that very same test wheel with the wet on wet wash.  I then applied some white and gray pastel powder to two of the spokes.   I am sure you have seen those wheels on contemporary models where the spokes are made from ivory but the wheel rim and center drum are boxwood.   This is an easy effect to make with weathering powders or even paint if the wheel is a decent shape and color to begin with.  I have no idea why most companies who sell 3d printed parts insist on using that battleship gray color.   So many more possibilities when you use a tan or wood colored resin to begin with.

 

Can you imagine what this wheel would look like if all the spokes were treated to look like ivory.  Its a little blown out in the photo because of my bright lights on the work bench.  But you get the idea.  This took me about 2 minutes.  You just have to be careful not to get the powder everywhere else and blow it off.  Dont brush it off the areas you dont want weathered.  

 

 

OK I guess I have to make more rope and blocks now and stop playing around and procrastinating.   UGH!!!

 

17 items out of stock today.

[thibaultron]

Bragdon Weathering Powders, are more expensive, but are made from finely ground real materials, like the Rust is finely ground rust. They also have a pressure sensitive adhesive, so will stay on the surface, and be less susceptible to being rubbed off after application. With any of these a light coat of flat clear should be concidered to lock the powders in place.

[Thukydides]

2 hours ago, glbarlow said:

For those of us that failed art class please explain this😀

A very watered down paint, often with additives that help it flow into the recesses. It pools in the recesses increasing the definition of cracks. You can build it up in layers to increase the contrast. Often the second stage in the (very simplified) model painting process: base layer -> wash -> highlight.

 

Edit, it seems I should have read all the subsequent posts before I answered, chuck beat me to it

Edited 4 hours ago by Thukydides

[Kusawa2000]

8 hours ago, Chuck said:

Oh thats great.  I havent tried the Minwax version.  Any warm

brown or will do according to your tastes.  You really have to experiment.  

Chuck: I decided to do some more digging for that Old Masters gel stain and apparently Amazon does sell it.. and its on its way from the sunny Canadian South.. problem solved. And thanks for the finishing tip.. Im just getting my hull full planked. Finished my Woody Joe temple model and now getting the planks on the hull full steam. I will be glad to get that chapter done and move onto the stern galleries. 

 

Mike Draper