Artex for a weathered concrete finish on an embankment?

[ecgtheow]

I have built a spiral for my Darjeeling & Himalayan Railway model copying some of the concrete embankments on the prototype & clad the sides with cardboard. Now I want to simulate the weathered finish & wondered if Artex or a similar textured coating is a good option? If not, are there better options that others have used successfully?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

William

[Rumblestripe]

Depends what scale you are modelling. I would simply use a Polyfilla type filler and add some sand to give it a textured finish and acrylic paint to get a warm mid grey colour (this is useful if you later chip the filler it doesn't show up bright white), then weather with washes, drybrushing and powders. Don't forget lichen spots and mosses.

[crompton 33]

At my local model club in the past we have  used  Sandtex Masonery paint.  We used there test pots as you don't need a lot.

[Fat Controller]

2 hours ago, Rumblestripe said:

Depends what scale you are modelling. I would simply use a Polyfilla type filler and add some sand to give it a textured finish and acrylic paint to get a warm mid grey colour (this is useful if you later chip the filler it doesn't show up bright white), then weather with washes, drybrushing and powders. Don't forget lichen spots and mosses.

And at least one Buddleia....

[ecgtheow]

Thanks for these helpful replies. I want texture & the ability to "emboss" the finish with the pattern of the sections of concrete laid separately blocks which appear to be about 2' by 10'. The roughened surface should then provide a good key for lichens, mosses & other vegetation as in the prototype. I will experiment first but asked for help because Artex only seems to be available in large volume tins & is quite expensive especially if I don't end up using it on my model.

 

Incidentally it's an 009 DHR layout in 4mm scale.

 

William

[phil_sutters]

You could try mixing ordinary interior filler powder with some dilute PVA glue, with a little powdered or acrylic paint added to give it a pale background colour. If you do that, it would probably help to seal your cardboard with PVA or some left-over emulsion paint, before you apply the mix. Then the mix should adhere to the card better, especially if you are going to scribe in the blocks and/or apply washes to vary the shading.

I would try a smallish area first to see how well it works, before you mix up a load of the goo!

[ColinK]

I’ve used the paint/sand mix method in G scale, but It might be too textured for 009.

 

Would be interested in seeing some pictures of your layout.

[DGO]

There's a very good video showing how to do this for HO scale buildings on YouTube using nothing more complicated that masking tape and some acrylic paint, obviously you can adjust to the correct size panels as required, starts about 2.5 mins in.

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by DGO

[Fat Controller]

Would talc mixed in with the paint work, I wonder? I'm sure I've used that in the past.

[ecgtheow]

2 hours ago, DGO said:

There's a very good video showing how to do this for HO scale buildings on YouTube using nothing more complicated that masking tape and some acrylic paint, obviously you can adjust to the correct size panels as required, starts about 2.5 mins in.

 

 

 

Thanks to all since I last posted. I think I will seal the cardboard retaining walls with emulsion paint & then use chinchilla sand in acrylic paints like those used in the FOS Scale Models video mentioned above by DGO. There is an even more helpful FOS Scale Models video"Weathering concrete retaining walls". They are excellent videos.

 

As ColinK is interested in a photo of my spiral please see 2 attached. I had first tried a scale version of Old Loop No. 1 on the DHR, but the gradient on the prototype to get clearance where the 2 tracks cross was 1:16 & my 4mm scale 009 gauge Backwoods Miniatures Class B 0-4-0 could only haul 2 coaches up it & the DHR pacific being built for me would not be able to go round the tight curves. So I modified the plan to fit the same topography but increased the size of the loops to use the Woodlands Scenics 5m 2% gradient in a plan similar to the Batasia Loop on the DHR. The photos show the central part of what will initially be a T-shaped layout with a modified version of Darjeeling Station with the same track plan on the upper level on the left & a 4 track run through station with a turntable on the lower level on the right. If all goes well then I will consider wider hidden loops to connect each end & allow a fiddle yard under the layout.

[Jeff Smith]

I'm a great fan of instant papier mache, there are several brands but CelluClay is the one I use.  It is lighter than filler and very tough when dry, almost like fibreglass.  It does not chip and you can drill it for trees or fence posts.  The secret is to spread it thinly to allow it to dry without cracking.  I used it in combination with rough bits of suspended ceiling tiles for rock faces.  Then washed over with very diluted black emulsion paint.

 

[Jeff Smith]

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Edited May 14, 2021 by Jeff Smith
Duplicate post deleted

[phil_sutters]

The request was for a medium that could be scored into concrete blocks. I imagine that where the concrete can be seen - a lot seems to be masked by greenery -  it is largely like the bridge supports in this image. https://www.picfair.com/pics/07719415-the-darjeeling-himalayan-railway-the-unesco-world-heritage-site-is-often

There are images of more continuous surfaces. These seem to be in town or village scenes.

[ecgtheow]

Thanks for this Phil, but the Batasia loop is not typical of the rest of the line, which is 88 Km long & goes through some very dramatic scenery. In contrast the Batasia Loop is highly manicured for tourists on the Joy Train between Darjeeling & Ghum with topiary on the small trees & planted there & a memorial at its centre. I spent several days on the line in 2011 & it's the more desolate parts that I want to model, though admittedly there is a lot of greenery around the concrete terraces & embankments. Perhaps the still below from a video gives an idea of what I mean?

 

William

[ColinK]

Thanks for the pics of your layout, looks really interesting.  Hope to see more as it develops.

 

I’ve went to the DHR in 2010, amazing place.