Blending-in Wrong Colour Ballast?

[latestarter]

I'm at the stage in my (first ever) layout where I am painting between tracks, and at the corners of the layout, before adding static grass. The ballast I laid seems to stand out like a sore thumb against the muddy coloured 'ground'. Do you have any advice on how to blend it in? Thanks for any suggestions.

p.s. I can't take it up and start again and it's too late for research on geographically prototypical ballast.

 

[Fat Controller]

13 minutes ago, latestarter said:

I'm at the stage in my (first ever) layout where I am painting between tracks, and at the corners of the layout, before adding static grass. The ballast I laid seems to stand out like a sore thumb against the muddy coloured 'ground'. Do you have any advice on how to blend it in? Thanks for any suggestions.

p.s. I can't take it up and start again and it's too late for research on geographically prototypical ballast.

 

Perhaps tone it down with a light application of some 'Track Dirt' or similar brownish wash? Depending where it's from, colour can vary immensely.

[latestarter]

12 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

Perhaps tone it down with a light application of some 'Track Dirt' or similar brownish wash? Depending where it's from, colour can vary immensely.

 

Thanks Brian. I've got some Mig station grim paints, I'll try one of the rusty colours.

[Fat Controller]

3 minutes ago, latestarter said:

 

Thanks Brian. I've got some Mig station grim paints, I'll try one of the rusty colours.

Without wishing to put you off your lunch, the brown tints mainly are not 'rust derived', but rather more 'organic'....

[latestarter]

12 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

Without wishing to put you off your lunch, the brown tints mainly are not 'rust derived', but rather more 'organic'....

Reminds me of a video from @Phil Parker where he talks about a more accurate name for the colour of suitable ground paint. Unfortunately, I don't have any 'dog poo brown' wash.

Edited January 9, 2022 by latestarter

[Phil Parker]

Washes of emulsion will work, and be cheap. Weathering powders are also worth a try for real grot.

[ISW]

1 hour ago, latestarter said:

The ballast I laid seems to stand out like a sore thumb against the muddy coloured 'ground'. Do you have any advice on how to blend it in? Thanks for any suggestions.

Try the following YouTube video. He has some good ideas / methods for weathering track (and you can get the Vallejo paints quite easily in UK) to give you your desired 'brown' look:

 

 

Ian

[latestarter]

59 minutes ago, ISW said:

Try the following YouTube video. He has some good ideas / methods for weathering track (and you can get the Vallejo paints quite easily in UK) to give you your desired 'brown' look:

 

 

Ian

Thanks. I have probably watched everything he's done so far. He and Luke Towan are geniuses, but way ahead of my level. I used a track wash in a Mig set I have to tone it down for now.

[latestarter]

Thanks for the help everyone. I have added a Mig 'Tracks Wash' to the ballast on the right of this photo, and on some curves. It has toned it down a lot and blended in with the ground paint. I've also used it on the large area of ballast in the centre, and added 2mm static grass.

Edited January 9, 2022 by latestarter

[The Johnster]

Don't worry too much if you don't get it perfect, time is on your side.  Model ballast in my experience will fade and weather in colour so that the differences are less obvious after a while, even a fairly short while.  I ballasted my new board section of running line with new ballast, the same fine limestone type I used on the original boards, and it stood out horribly; this was at the end of November and it is barenly noticeable now. 

[latestarter]

15 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

  Model ballast in my experience will fade and weather in colour so that the differences are less obvious after a while, even a fairly short while.

Good to hear from you again and that is very interesting information. My small brain is puzzled as to why that should be, though, if model ballast is not exposed to the elements as in real life?

 

I'm wondering if it's perhaps more to do with the eye getting used to it and the brain compensating for the contrast in tones?

[The Johnster]

I have no idea, but it could be down to light exposure.  If you think it's to do with your eyes getting used to it, this can be diproven with a photograph, which shows up any anomalies in bright flashing dayglo neon at full volume.  It's a good idea to take the odd photo of areas of your layout now and then, from about a foot or two away, in order to look for mistakes and anomalies that can be corrected, telegraph poles out of vertical (prototypical but looks totally wrong), that sort of thing.