Weathering with Pastels
MSA190
Just finished my first attempt at applying powdered pastels to highlight
recessed panel lines. Is it advisable to airbrush over this to "seal" it or to
add more weathering such as dust or dullcote?. Tempted to quit while I'm ahead.
Thanks,
M. Saunders
RLobinske
At some point you will need to seal pastels, whether you do it now or after
weathering is up to you, though if you are not going to weather with pastels,
I'd seal it now.
Richard Lobinske
TOBY JOHNSON
MSA190 wrote in message <199803240457...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
Chris Douglas
I almost always seal with a thin layer of Pollyscale dullcoat. Bear in
mind it can marginally change the character of the pastel markings,
though I've never had an adverse experience. Still, you might want to
experiment on some scrap first.
I've never tried using a non-acrylic seal, so if you're planning on
using an enamel or a laquer, I don't have much wisdom to share.
One thing you might want to bear in mind is that after you've sealed
once with dullcoat, you can apply even more pastels on top of it and
then just seal again, and repeat as many times as you want. This works
well if you're trying to build up a really heavy exhaust-stain effect.
--Chris Douglas
Rob de Bie
In article <3519E3...@io.com>, cdou...@io.com says...
>
>TOBY JOHNSON wrote:
>>
>> MSA190 wrote in message
<199803240457...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
>> >Just finished my first attempt at applying powdered pastels to highlight
>> >recessed panel lines. Is it advisable to airbrush over this to "seal" it
or
>> to
>> >add more weathering such as dust or dullcote?. Tempted to quit while I'm
>> ahead.
>I almost always seal with a thin layer of Pollyscale dullcoat. Bear in
>mind it can marginally change the character of the pastel markings,
>though I've never had an adverse experience. Still, you might want to
>experiment on some scrap first.
I have to disagree with 'marginally'. I recently had BIG problems with pastels
changing colors after spraying a semi-gloss varnish. It completely ruined a
very nice weathering job I had done. Because I liked the pastel weathering
effect very much, I invested some time in an experiment. I painted for large
pieces of plastic card in basic camouflage colors (two greys, green and
brown), and applied all my pastel colors on them. I then masked one half and
semi-gloss-coated the other half. The effects were nothing short of amazing.
Colors disappeared, colors became much darker, too much to report here. But I
found the right pastel colors for my model, which would be right only after
the varnish was applied. I repainted the model, used the 'new' pastel colors
and varnished it. I was extremely satisfied with the result. The model turned
out very realistic, since the weathering is so subtle.
It is shown on my home page, but the weathering is difficult to see on the
digital picture:
http://www.kolibri.lr.tudelft.nl/people/students/fun/rob/YF-23.htm
Concluding: please run a test like I did. It's worth it!!
Rob de Bie
"I don't know! I'm not some .. rocket .. uhhh .. some rocket ship or
something!" (Butthead)
Chris Douglas
>
>I have to disagree with 'marginally'. I recently had BIG problems with pastels
>changing colors after spraying a semi-gloss varnish. It completely ruined a
>very nice weathering job I had done. Because I liked the pastel weathering
>effect very much, I invested some time in an experiment. I painted for large
>pieces of plastic card in basic camouflage colors (two greys, green and
>brown), and applied all my pastel colors on them. I then masked one half and
>semi-gloss-coated the other half. The effects were nothing short of amazing.
>Colors disappeared, colors became much darker, too much to report here. But I
>found the right pastel colors for my model, which would be right only after
>the varnish was applied. I repainted the model, used the 'new' pastel colors
>and varnished it. I was extremely satisfied with the result. The model turned
>out very realistic, since the weathering is so subtle.
>
>...
I can't vouch for the effects of varnishes or anything enamel-based on the
pastels. But I've never had problems with acrylic coats, like Pollyscale or
Gunze. Any changes I've seen owe more to the obvious change in specularity
that comes with the coat, not anything else.
--Chris Douglas
Rob de Bie
In article <6fi1i0$8nc$1...@nntp-3.io.com>, cdou...@io.com says...
>
>I can't vouch for the effects of varnishes or anything enamel-based on the
>pastels. But I've never had problems with acrylic coats, like Pollyscale or
>Gunze. Any changes I've seen owe more to the obvious change in specularity
>that comes with the coat, not anything else.
Interesting remark. You're right in your assumption that I used an enamel
based clear coat (Humbrol enamel Satin Varnish, #135 I think). I never thought
that an acrylic clear coat would have different effects.
I discussed the effect of clear coats with an artist, and she told me that
the discoloration effect was feared also by artists using pastels. It can
completely ruin a pastel painting (?), but a clear coat is needed to make the
painting last. She said hairspray is often used.
Bruce Burden
Chris Douglas (cdou...@io.com) wrote:
: use a can of artist's fixative or workable fixative (my favorite) on a pastel
:
Ummmm, a "workable fixative"? Okay...
Bruce
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I like bad!" Bruce Burden Austin, TX.
- Thuganlitha
The Power and the Prophet
Robert Don Hughes
Chris Douglas
In article <6fu2d4$nbq$1...@news.tudelft.nl>, rob...@dutlbcz.lr.tudelft.nl (Rob de Bie) wrote:
..
>I discussed the effect of clear coats with an artist, and she told me that
>the discoloration effect was feared also by artists using pastels. It can
>completely ruin a pastel painting (?), but a clear coat is needed to make the
>painting last. She said hairspray is often used.
>
>Rob de Bie
I'm an artist myself. I suppose you could use hairspray. Usually one would
use a can of artist's fixative or workable fixative (my favorite) on a pastel
or charcoal drawing. You can get them at just about any art supply store,
but I'm not sure what either would do on a model.
--Chris Douglas