# Not Happy With Paint Job



## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi Guy,

Done a bit of a test painting a portion of a mountain and I'm not happy with the result!! What's the best way to do it over? Or am I stuffed now that paint is on the plaster? I was thinking of repainting all of it with Watered down white latex and starting over. Is this a possibility??

Pat


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

You can certainly top-coat old latex paint with new latex paint.

I think the key to realism is to use several shades of earth tones, each stippled on with the end of a stiff bristle brush. You don't want any one shade to have full coverage, but have the collection of shades (each showing through in varying amount) offer a sense of depth, shadows, etc.

TJ


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Pictures always help.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Some start with a all dark base paint (say dark brown) then gradually step it up with lighter brown colors over the top.

TJ is right, but I say you can start with a dark base color then add in lighter shades. The paint will cover over the dark color and if you do it right the darker color will bleed through the lighter paint.

If you ever sponge paint a wall that is what they recommend to do.
All dark base color then sponge in some lighter shades. 
When I first did mine in the dark color I said to myself dam it looks like you know what, but after I added the lighter colors it came out fine.

Show a picture of what you have.


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

A bloody mess!!!! Hehe!!!










A little better but too splodgy!! Used a sponge brush for this one!!










Used spray bottle for next 2 










Wanted it looking a little bit like this yellowish with burnt umber










Although the 3rd picture is ok but need some advice as to improve it a bit

Thanks All
Pat


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

OMG!!!!!! The 1st and 2nd pics look even worse on my big monitor screen at work!! 

It looks like 4 year old finger painting!!!

My wife says i'm a kid and from this she sure ain't wrong!!!

I'm still ok with the 3rd pic but i think it needs improvement!!

Pat


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## UPBigBoy (Jan 2, 2012)

Actually they don't look that bad,from the first picture down they get better. Stand back after a while, put the amount of light you think it will get when the layout is completed and look again; it'll probably look better.


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

to me pictures 3 and 4 look very realistic!!


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

im liking your progress, I agree with saw!! nice work!


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## swiggy (Jan 25, 2010)

i agree! it looks very good:thumbsup:............after putting grass and trees down, i think u'll be very happy. not to mention, if you use static grass, what you have would make a very nice base:thumbsup:
also, u can use watered down ACRYLIC paint to add depth and color
otherwise, think its lookin good


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

First 2 pics need help... like in start them over.

The last 2 pics, I think you are close to getting it right. Bottom pic needs a little bit of a beige wash and then some ground cover. The second to last looks like it was once a pond and now you have layers of fossilized algae and mud. Looks realistic for that but maybe not what you were going for? I would wash that wish some beige and grey to get a more mountainy look instead of ancient lakebed.

Massey


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## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

Maybe a couple of washes of thinned dark paint so that the darks run into the crooks and crannies might help you, but it looks pretty good to me.

Craig


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Woodland Scenics has some videos on painting rocks and landscapes. Take a look and you may find some tips that will help you.
Yea, the first pic is pretty bad but as others said the later ones got better.

Since it is hard (near impossible) to light the dark colors repainting with a off-white latex would get you back to a good starting point.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

waltr said:


> Woodland Scenics has some videos on painting rocks and landscapes. Take a look and you may find some tips that will help you.
> Yea, the first pic is pretty bad but as others said the later ones got better.
> 
> Since it is hard (near impossible) to light the dark colors repainting with a off-white latex would get you back to a good starting point.


The first picture looks like a vein of coal.:thumbsup:

I can cover dark colors with other colors waltr if white covers it other colors will too.


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Ok done a major change!!! Got rid of the finger painting and the other colors you all saw!! Now gone with a base coat brown with a tinge of red in it!! In one of the pics below you will see a lighter section this is what I painted white to remove the bad test areas and has only the 1st coat of the base brown!! Any comments would be appreciated!!! BTW the artist in the pics is Ethan fixing dad's mess!! 




























Hope it looks better!! Be mindful this is only the base coat!!

Thanks
Pat


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## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

Looking good so far! btw, there are a few scenery videos on line as well if you just google things like model railroad scenery or such.

Craig


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Try some of the color the Ethan is using over the brown with a tinge of red area.

Don't cover the area completely just shade it in.

Try a spot down near the bottom,( in case you don't like it) you will see that the lighter color he is using WILL cover over the darker color creating contrast.

I like the spot the Ethan is working, I am just thinking about how it would look if you had put the darker color (which you seem to want) on the whole mountain then work the lighter color into it.

I still like the vein of coal you created, but I guess it would not go with your type of mountain range.
It would have looked better in a eastern mountain range.:thumbsup:

Looking good, let Ethan finish it you just take the pictures.

What is the square spot an access panel?


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

Yup it's an access panel once I have scenery on there it should cover up the unsightly seam!!! Don't worry about the color as yet it won't look that dark when finish!! I still have half a dozen colors to go on it!! 3 lighter shades of brown to lightly sponge on then some sporadic mixes of brown/yellow, brown/red & brown/black along with a very light mist of watered dark grey for a worn look at the end!!! It is far from done but a good beginning I feel!!

Pat


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Prospect193 said:


> Yup it's an access panel once I have scenery on there it should cover up the unsightly seam!!! Don't worry about the color as yet it won't look that dark when finish!! I still have half a dozen colors to go on it!! 3 lighter shades of brown to lightly sponge on then some sporadic mixes of brown/yellow, brown/red & brown/black along with a very light mist of watered dark grey for a worn look at the end!!! It is far from done but a good beginning I feel!!
> 
> Pat


Your using a sponge brush?
Or a sponge?

You do know a kitchen sponge won't do it? 
When I sponged my wall I had 3 different types of sponge. But they were for use on a large area. The different sponges produce different patterns.

There are different types of paint brushes for different effects.

I would blend the other colors in with just different brushes. Use a dry brush too. You know how to dry brush? 
I think the outcome will be better. 

It might take a little longer, if your in a hurry the sponge is the way to go.

But like I said, lighter colors will go over the darker color.
Maybe black would be best started over with a white base. But the others will blend in.

Looking good I think.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

That is quite a chunk of rock.

Amongst it's 'coat of many colors' the orangish color is about what I need to color Western Washington's "glacial till".....yep, rocky dirt.
All the good dirt was imported after the ice ages. My house just happens to sit on some of the good dirt.
Second page with Eathan doing all the work. 
Can you tell me what color/manufacture is there.....it just needs a tad more orange tint for me.


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

I'm going to use a sea sponge not a sponge brush torn into smaller pieces! It will be squeezed out and very lightly dabbed on almost like dry brushing!! I will test first on a largish cast rock I have to see my results before I have a go at the mtn!!

Pat


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Prospect193 said:


> I'm going to use a sea sponge not a sponge brush torn into smaller pieces! It will be squeezed out and very lightly dabbed on almost like dry brushing!! I will test first on a largish cast rock I have to see my results before I have a go at the mtn!!
> 
> Pat



Yes that is what you need, they come in different patterns. ( the sponges)

I have 3 different kinds for the wall, they clean well and last forever.

I never thought about trying them on a model RR mountain. 
Good idea.:thumbsup:

I still think a small brush is still better for creating some shadows.
But.....I never tried making shadows with a piece of sponge.
I am staying tuned.


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## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

I agree with Ed on the drybrushing, as a final detail some light grey to almost white on just rock edges.

Craig


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## wilson44512 (Mar 4, 2012)

looking good so far. but would look a lot better if the pictures weren't blurry lol


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## Prospect193 (Nov 30, 2011)

wilson44512 said:


> looking good so far. but would look a lot better if the pictures weren't blurry lol


Yup your right!! But I took pics on the iPhone not the Canon 7D!!! You get the gist though!!!

Pat


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