1/2" Scale project still in progress (somehow)

[shropshire lad]

Thanks for the link, Chuck. I've seen that, too, but didn't he use some obscure brand of crackle-stuff
that was only available in Europe?  I might be wrong on that source, but my experiments with craft
store crackle paste have never turned out results like THAT

  Ken ,

   The aging and cracking fluids that Stefano used are made by Maimeri , an Italian company , and I would guess may not be readily available in the US .
   The ones I have are made by a French company called Lefranc & Bourgeois , but I'm not sure that they are exactly the same sort of stuff . I did try experimenting with mine but didn't get very far .

  I think "cracking" and "crackle" are two different effects . In order to achieve cracking you need two different fluids the second of which reacts to the first when it dries . After it has dried a  wash of dark oil colour highlights the cracks .

  Nick

[Franck Tavernier]

Chuck, nice vent pipe finish!

Franck

[marc_reusser]

Vallejo makes a cracking/crackle fluid specifically for model use.

Marc

[Chuck Doan]

I'll look that up, thanks!

[Ken Hamilton]

Me, too.
Thanks Marc.

[TRAINS1941]

Chuck

Not much one can say about your work and the detail you put into it!!!  Just outstanding.

Jerry

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks Franck and Jerry!

I found a couple of forum sites where they discuss the Vallejo crackle. Seems like it it hard to get consistant results. Saw something about using thinned PVA as a base coat...

[marc_reusser]

Crackle mediums will probably work better (don't know about consistant....but then what the hell in nature ages in a consistant fashion) if you use a paint that dries hard(er) over it.  By this I mean something like Floquil or maybe the Tamiya acrylics...and applied in a thinner layer/coat....the process depends on the shrinkage of the crackle medium, to be different from the shrinkage and expansion properties of the paint....so a paint that shrinks less, and is less flexible, should tend to crack more, whereas the more flexible acrylics like Vallejo or Pollyscale, might not do as well, because they can stretch/move in conjunction with the medium.

......basically something to that effect.

Guache would likely work well as it dries pretty hard/stiff.


Something to be very careful of (and test first) when working with a crackle mediums, is that they (at least the ones I have used/seen) tend to "reactivate" when paint is applied over them....especially when it is brushed, applied too wet, or "worked" too long. This then starts to lift/blob/smear/intermix the medium...and this cause a potentailly unwanted surface finish or goopy mess, which will likely not react as you wanted it to. This may be desirable for some finishes at certain scales...or at 1:!...but can more often than not be detrimental to a scale model.


Marc
(FWIW, my limited experience with crackle mediums comes from doing 1/1 scale furniture and wall paneling finishes/effects....have not really pursued it much on scale models.)


BTW. Chuck.....as always, the work is most stunning...haven't said much, because it has all already been said, and I really don't know what to add to them.  Thanks for the SBS's...they are inspiring, great fun and really helpful.

[HOn3_rr]

As with all your work, they say not to try to model a model...  but I really have to question that saying with your work.   True eye candy.

[Ken Hamilton]

Something to be very careful of (and test first) when working with a crackle mediums, is that they (at least the ones I have used/seen) tend to "reactivate" when paint is applied over them....especially when it is brushed, applied too wet, or "worked" too long. This then starts to lift/blob/smear/intermix the medium...and this cause a potentailly unwanted surface finish or goopy mess, which will likely not react as you wanted it to. This may be desirable for some finishes at certain scales...or at 1:!...but can more often than not be detrimental to a scale model.

That's very true, Marc.  Last night I started playing with "Folk Art Crackle Medium" (readily available is just about all craft stores) and "Jo Sonja" acrylic paints (my favorite dead-flat tube paints).  You really do have to put it on quick, not work it too much and keep the water content under control or you DO end up with a mess.  Several areas turned out pretty well - now I need to figure out how to duplicate those results.

It appears the "cracks" follow the direction of the brush strokes used to apply the crackle medium, which is great for wood.  Since I'm trying to duplicate spiderweb cracking on metal surfaces, I'm wondering if the cracks would be more random if the crackle-stuff were stippled onto the surface.  That's tonight's experiment.....

[marc_reusser]

Ken,

I have considered...but not gotten around to trying it....of slightly thinning and then airbrushing the crackle medium using one of my cheaper airbrushes.

From my experience/observation, the "following the brush stroke" issue with the medium seems to be due to the different thicknesses and density (even minute ones) in the thickness of the medium left by the brush strokes/bristles. This can be exascerbated by the brush strokes/thickness of the paint (and reactivation of the medium) as well.  I have found that Airbrushing the color/paint over the medium helps a bit with this issue, so does slightly diluting the medium to get a more even/smooth/thin application.....but on larger areas/surfaces it still could be an issue.

Since these mediums are really meant for "art" and "craft" applications where scale is not generally an issue they are on the heavy and thick side, and are applied fairly thick (in comparison to our model needs)......and for art and craft projects brush strokes are not really considered an issue. The thickness of the applied medium also directly affects they type and quantity of crackle....so we really need to be either thinning/modifying this stuff to a more scale material/medium, or trying to find one that is maybe meant for very special high end (museum quality use).

I am sure that there are other materials/ways that can be used to create this effect in scale, as it really is just a matter of disparate shrinkage between the under and over coat ....one might be a ble to get a sim and finescale effect by say using a standard more flexible acrylic paint for the base layer, and then shooting something more hard and rigid for the top layer.....maybe placing it under a heat source such as the a desk lamp to dry for a short ...or longer...period...thus causing the materials to dry, shrink and react in their different manners........just a thought.

Marc

[MrBrownstone]

there is this method.. one could try...using just plain old thinned out laqur paint on top of an enamel base hold under heat lamp for a couple miniutes and watch it crackle as it dries......

I do know there is a hardner that can be added to automotive paint...add to much and you end up with that checking/cracked paint job (due to the exspanding and contracting of the metal base surface) maybe there is one for acrylics and such?

Mike

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks MArc! I'll be intrested to see what you all come up with...what this country needs is a good scale crackle. And then its just a short step to alligatoring!

[Chuck Doan]

I fired up my lathe (Foredom drill press laid flat) and turned a "porcelain" light fixture from Plastruct styrene rod, and a bulb from clear sprue. Before I parted off the bulb I chucked it in a Makita drill and tranlucentized it with my soda blaster followed by some thinned gwosh and a coat of semi gloss spray. Dusted the top side with pigment powders. Briefly considered lettering the end with "Sylvania", but I let the moment pass. "GE" was much easier.










Not as impressive as a working Corliss, but more my speed!

[Ken Hamilton]

Chuck, that light bulb detail just made my day.  You're amazing.
Could we get a close-up of that fixture?

Beautiful job!

PS:  If you letter that bulb I'm going to throw myself out a window.