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HOW TO WORK WITH HYDROCAL
AND OTHER MODELING TIPS -

COLORING BRICK

My first brick model, to Orbisonia. PA firehouse.

Description of finishing techniques

Generally, I recommend sealing the castings first with Scalecoat Sanding Sealer and then painting them with Floquil colors as described below. Use proper ventilation and care.

Other methods might work just as well, as Hydrocal is the perfect 3-D canvas. Badger Air-Opaque, Floquil Polly-Scale, oil color, watercolor, ink washes, acrylics, artist's dry-pigments, colored pencils all work: try different things, experiment and develop your own favorite techniques.

My method of mortaring the brick is quite effective and somewhat effective on stone. Allow Floquil paint to cure. Mix a little Durham's Water Putty with a gray ink wash or lampblack artist's dry-pigment and work it into the mortar lines. Wipe off the excess with a damp cloth and polish the surface with your finger. I have received many compliments on the results.

Standard Common Brick
Various Brick Pavers

After dressing the castings and completing any and all cutting, trimming etc., brush on Floquil paint:

Red Brick- mix 3 parts Signal Red with 1 part Box Car Red.

Tan Brick- mix Earth with just a little Red Brick color.

Vary the color of your buildings. Highlight individual bricks with darker ( Box Car Red) color and/or dab with Dio Sol thinner and blot to lighten. Allow paint to cure (24 hours). Then use water putty for mortar.

Above is my first HO scale brick wall, on the firehouse.

Durham's Water Putty is a dry powder available in most hardwares.
Mix up a quarter teaspoon with a few drops of ink wash: tap water mixed about 40 to 1 with black India ink.
Rub in and wipe off as explained above. Work on a small area at a time as it will dry quickly.

Here is a brick color test panel.

I applied various mixtures and tried different techniques for the mortar.

Very wisely I wrote down the formulas on the back side of the casting.

For some reason this photo appears a bit brown and muddy.

A brick color test panel with various mixtures and applications.

CHEAP ACRYLICS

I've recently experimented with cheap acrylics like Delta Ceramcoat found at craft supplier with great success. Check out my Durango Roundhouse model. I've loaded a bunch of pictures showing these.

For more details see: DURANGO RH CONSTRUCTION