HOW TO: RECREATE CONCRETE TEXTURE
I have a number of
‘OO’ gauge building kits requiring a concrete effect finish and I’d be grateful if you could advise me on how to achieve realistic results. I have heard of mixing paint with talcum powder and believe that special spray paints are available. Any tips would be appreciated.
Duncan A. Young, by e-mail
George says: I’ve also heard about textured aerosol paints, but I haven’t tried any of them personally. However, friends tell me they can be useful for recreating the texture of upholstery in large scale car kits and dolls’ houses. They may well be overly coarse for use on 4mm scale models and there’s also the potential mess and dangerous fumes to contend with.
A much simpler and flexible approach involves adding texture to regular hobby paints, whether they be enamel- or acrylic-based.
The gritty texture that we associate with concrete is an important feature to recreate in miniature, along with the distinctive weathered appearance that the material takes on in real life. Talcum powder is a great source of texture, which will not alter the shade of the paint significantly (and it smells nice too!).
Dry pigments can also be freely mixed with acrylic and enamel paints, although they do impact on the paint’s appearance, so choice of pigment shade is important. The consistency of the paint mix can be tailored simply by the quantity of talc or dry pigment added: more dry pigment/talc equals grittier texture.
Another option is to employ a readymade textured paint, as offered in the Wilder and Tamiya ranges, although the choice of colour is fairly limited across both brands. However, the Wilder and Tamiya paints - many of which are available in fine and coarse grades - can be used as a textured undercoat, with the correct colours applied on top using regular paints.
Again, the coarseness of the finish can be tailored by simply thinning the textured paint prior to application.