barrowroad's Blog

Fascinating Robin - it looks like you simply use these crayons straight on a base of sprayed-on grey primer?

Fascinating Robin - it looks like you simply use these crayons straight on a base of sprayed-on grey primer?

 

I certainly do - Halfords grey primer is the base coat on the exterior walls whilst their white is used on the interior. The crayons work well on the mdf but are less effective on the 'Rowmark' plastic where I have used Badger opaque airbrush acrylics. - Does anyone know whether these are still available?

Hi Robin,

 

I'm having a bit of bother finding the Faber Castell crayons locally in Devon - is there a retail outlet in the Bristol area that I could visit for some, when I'm next up that way, please?

 

Edit Sat 31/7/10 - I'm going to try out some alternative pencils from my local art shop in Totnes this afternoon...

 

Also, I was pondering on the method of application - presumably it's to do with having the crayon/pencil sharp enough to colour one individual brick in one quick stroke, and to build the colour/overall effect up cumulatively, as you do each brick with whatever colour you are using in the range?

Hi Robin,

 

I'm having a bit of bother finding the Faber Castell crayons locally in Devon - is there a retail outlet in the Bristol area that I could visit for some, when I'm next up that way, please?

 

Edit Sat 31/7/10 - I'm going to try out some alternative pencils from my local art shop in Totnes this afternoon...

 

Also, I was pondering on the method of application - presumably it's to do with having the crayon/pencil sharp enough to colour one individual brick in one quick stroke, and to build the colour/overall effect up cumulatively, as you do each brick with whatever colour you are using in the range?

 

Hi Tim,

 

Sorry for the delay in responding but I've just got back from a holiday in Canada.

 

The best place to buy Faber Castell crayons is from Hobbycraft who have a shop at the Mall, Cribbs Causeway, near Junc 17 on the M5. I believe you can also purchase online.

 

As to the method of application I tend to randomly colour blocks of bricks - see photos - using the colours in the order shown. You do need a sharp crayon for getting into the edges adjacent to the engineering brickwork but otherwise a reasonably pointed one will do. For the final colour and the weathering I use the crayon on it's side to lightly add colour.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Robin

Thanks for that, Robin, I've found the Hobbycraft website, looks promising. In the meantime, I've obtained some Derwent coloured pencils from my local art shop and have done some experimentation, but this is on embossed plasticard brick, primed with Halfords grey primer. Not too sure about the results so far, so I was wondering whether you specifically went for the Faber Castell product, rather than any other type of pencil (ie. did you buy the Faber product, because that was what the shop happened to have, or did you know that this was the right product?).

 

I'm finding the Derwent pencils a bit waxy, and I note from the Hobbycraft website, that the Faber Castell ones are not meant to be thus....

Thanks for that, Robin, I've found the Hobbycraft website, looks promising. In the meantime, I've obtained some Derwent coloured pencils from my local art shop and have done some experimentation, but this is on embossed plasticard brick, primed with Halfords grey primer. Not too sure about the results so far, so I was wondering whether you specifically went for the Faber Castell product, rather than any other type of pencil (ie. did you buy the Faber product, because that was what the shop happened to have, or did you know that this was the right product?).

 

I'm finding the Derwent pencils a bit waxy, and I note from the Hobbycraft website, that the Faber Castell ones are not meant to be thus....

 

Hi Tim,

 

My first use was colouring the pit of the Brinkley turntable made by Morgan. These crayons were Berol which are no longer available. The Faber product was the best substitute for Berol.

The use of crayons on mdf or card, both have relatively soft surfaces, works well however on plastics especially the hard Rowmark on the roundhouse is not very effective. I now use acrylic paint.