Easy trick for realistic brick walls
#1
Hi,

I've been experimenting since a while with weathering brick walls to make them look realistic. Too often, they look smeared by the mortar mix just as if they were wiped with white (which is often the case). Also, too much contrast between mortar and brick colors looks toying too.

I elaborated my technic in such a way it is replicable and give constant results. Changing few colors to suit your taste or prototype may achieve totally different results. Also, all the steps are easy and don't require an high level of artistic skill.

1) I start by priming the wall with Krylon brown primer. It's a good base color and it insures us a consistent ground to which apply our weathering.

[Image: IMG_3118b_zps37b6f7cc.jpg]

2) Make an acrylic brick color mix of your choice and color the entire wall. At this point, you can use different color variation to bring some life to the wall. However, don't overdo it.

[Image: IMG_3119b_zps926815a7.jpg]

3) Make your mortar mix using oil paint and mineral spirit. No need to make it too thin, you want it strong enough to "grip" in the mortar lines. Completely cover your wall section with the mix, let it set for a minute then white the excess with a clean clothe, making sure you leave enough mortar in the cracks. I like to wipe diagonaly, that way, I'm not stripping paint from horizontal or vertical cracks. A good mortar mix should follow real life recipe: Titanium white for lime, some Lamp black to get a greyish cement look and finally Raw Sienna for the sand. Raw Sienna is the key ingredient has it makes the mortar looks more realistic.

[Image: IMG_3126b_zpsd73b9f2c.jpg]

4) At this point, dullcoat your model to seal the oil paint. It gives a nice porous finish that will help color to stick to the wall in the next step.

5) Using color pencil, the same you used as a kid, color your brick to bring back some life to the wall and correct places where too much mortar is visible. Use again a diagonal motion to ensure you aren't putting color into crack. Use flat or rounded point, it works better and don't leave color in crack. I suggest you use at least three different color of brown and red. It gives realistic variation in the brick. Except modern brick, most older building were that uniform because of variation while drying in kiln.

[Image: IMG_3125b_zps7e134dd0.jpg]

At left, the brick was colored with color pencils. At right, a wash of Raw Umber have been applied (see next step).

[Image: IMG_3127b_zps8a67f15f.jpg]

6) At this point, you only need to bring everything together with a wash. It will tone down the mortar, blend it with the brick and merge pencil colors together. I recommend using an oil paint wash to have time to work the color around and adjust things. Depending on which color you will use, a similar wall will look very different. Burnt Umber or Burn Sienna give a well weathered look. Using Raw Umber makes mortar line more contrasting while giving a more clean look. Also, if you wipe out the wash, you can obtain different results.

[Image: IMG_3128b_zps9fb754ea.jpg]

[Image: IMG_3129b_zpsc8d958a1.jpg]

7) When you brick wall is completed, you can weather it as needed with pastel chalk or additional India ink-alcohol mix. You can then seal your work with Dullcote is some shining areas are still visible. If not, just leave it as it is.

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#2
Matt, that looks good. Thanks for posting.

I think larger spots of white shadow are not overdone mortal but shall be saltpeter. Low cost bricks get that white face after some time. It is very typical for sidewalls etc. Expensive bricks used at the front do not have that problem. I use it sometimes with that intension.
Reinhard
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#3
faraway Wrote:Matt, that looks good. Thanks for posting.

I think larger spots of white shadow are not overdone mortal but shall be saltpeter. Low cost bricks get that white face after some time. It is very typical for sidewalls etc. Expensive bricks used at the front do not have that problem. I use it sometimes with that intension.

You're absolutely right. It also happens a lot on new building when too much rain water and humidity is trapped in the brick veneer during building process.

That's an other "special effect" that can be achieve easily. I think the color pencil gives enough freedom to decide at which point you leave mortar traces to simulate that effect. The idea is more about getting rid of any unrealistic smeared effect.

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#4
Nice work dude I like the way that looks just a little time makes all the difference.
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