Help on representing cream brick?

[NXEA!]

Hello all, 

 

I'm looking to paint some retaining walls to represent the typical work-stained cream brick ones found in the London area, more specifically in third rail land at stations such as Denmark Hill, but I'm stuck as to how to achieve it. I don't own, have any experience of, nor can I afford an airbrush, and I've never been particularly handy with a paint brush. I wouldn't want to resort to brick papers as I'd like good relief, so preferably I'd like to use a combination of aerosols to build it up but I have absolutely no idea of how to go about it. Has anyone here had a crack at representing cream brick with aerosols? If so, how did you do it and what sort of products and effects did you use to achieve it?  

 

I'd appreciate any help I can get on this as I'm well and truly stuck!  

 

Thanks in advance. 

[gwrrob]

I know you said you don't want brickpapers but Scalescene do the cream brick TX03 at only £2.Give it a go it might suit your needs.

[jonhall]

The warehouse on Haworthy seen here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/11520-hamworthy-dorset-coast-c1988/page-4 is cream brick, a base coat of Halfords Lada Cream, followed by a wash with humbrols white for the cement, with an all over wash with one of Humbrol's new wash colours (possibly 'dust' ) to bring a bit of variation to the colour.

 

Jon

[AngryMeerkat]

Despite owning an airbrush and many aerosols, walls are something I only ever paint with a brush. Spraying produces a very even colour, but no wall is ever a consistent colour so spraying produces the wrong effect. Not being handy with a brush is probably a good thing when it comes to recreating colour variation, so don't think your skills aren't good enough. Ideally for a wall you'll be wanting at least 4 different shades of colour, plus colours for odd bricks that are different. Follow that up with some washes and you'll create something brilliant.

 

Spend some time on youtube watching videos, the Humbrol videos on using their washes are very good and explain very well how to get a nice multi-tonal finish on walls and other surfaces.

 

Best of luck and don't be scared to have a go, paint is easily removed if you're not happy.

 

Mark

[NXEA!]

Gents, thanks for all your help. I had a consultation on my other half who is quite artsy, and she suggested the same, acrylics, and she's offered to show me the ropes on painting which will be an interesting experience for a novice such as myself. I suppose I shouldn't really resist trying new things as it's modelling and the whole point is to try something new, but certain things like this do honestly fill me with a certain level of dread!  

 

Has anyone got any suggestions for shades I should be incorporating, for example names of Humbrols shades which would be ideal? And what sort of washes should I look at using for the finished item? 

 

Thanks again as always, everyones help so far has been invaluable.