Mud techniques

[Guest]

Morning!

Anybody fancy posting a mud tutorial? I have a few diverse ones bookmarked from YT, but am really interested in folks techniques here.

Cheers

John

[Alan 45]

I use Vallejo plastic filler on tank tracks and side and front/rear armour then paint it in dark earth and finish off with a dark earth wash

For conventional tyres I use revells dark earth as its very thick and I just put blobs of it on the edges of the tyre then a dark earth wash

[Guest]

Personally I wouldn't use filler - what do you do if afterwards you realise you've put too much on? It's hard to remove!

For me, I mix the old faithful, Bicarbonate of Soda with PVA glue & a paint colour that matches the season/theater being depicted. Smear it on in small amounts until I have the desired look.

It can also be done in stages with different shades to show older, dried mud with fresher mud on top. A touch of gloss medium helps to give a wet effect.

[eddiesolo]

Bicarb and PVA does work a treat. I also use two part epoxy resin with a oil paint, this leaves it shiny (see pic below), downside to this is that it is not practical for large areas due to cost.

Si

[Guest]

For rubbly ground, or crumbly rocks, I coat with PVA then sprinkle silver sand, pressing on gently, then painting. Silver sand has no big lumps nor rubbish. Unfortunately it is sold in garden centres in a sack (or by modelling suppliers in tiny amounts). Perhaps bicarb does the same, for very fine crumbly bits.

[spanner570]

Tile adhesive. Mix it up, spread it on, shape it, add what you want - Tank track marks, footprints, stones, grit, anything.Then paint.........A 10kg powder bag around £5, lasts for years!...Job done!

I think there is a mud 'how to' somewhere in the vaults...don't ask me where though!

[Guest]

Thanks for these folks - food for thought. Ive seen a number of references to Bicarb and also Tile adhesive. I guess Im gonna make some dummy runs on the same water bottle I practised hand-brushing tamiya acrylics on! Will report my findings as and when…

Cheers, John

[Alan 45]

Here you are John this is the effect you can get with plastic filler [ATTACH]96700.IPB[/ATTACH]

I applied it with a brush so you have total control

[saguy]

this is excellant ... i am presently building a js1/2 with a diorama .... going to give the bicarb / pva glue technique a go ....

[Guest]

Nice one Alan! That really looks muddy, and what more can we ask for? I guess the secret is (as ever) build it up in stages. I'm inwardly laughing at myself getting all obsessional about creating crud, but it really does make a difference, and the bloke I'm building this scorpion for used to drive (and clean) a real one. He reinforced the point to me, and I quote: "they existed in two states, pristine and sparkling, ready for inspection, or completely covered in s**t!" He wants the latter state, needless to say!

[Ian M]

Airbrushed pigments mixed with varnish, gives good control and can be put down from the finest "dust" to building it up into thick caked on mud.

For really heavy mud you can mix the pigment poweders with varnish into a thick goop and brush is out onto the 'victim'.

Ian M

[Guest]

I use the real stuff ground down and then sieved through an old pair of tights. This gives a very fine powder that is then mixed with Vallejo gloss/ semi gloss varnish. Using the real thing saves a bit of money and is always on tap no worry about running out half way through a job.

[monica]

well most has been covered, but i just use dirt from the garden mixed with thinned down PVA glue and cheap, paint,

once,s thats dry use some ground pastels,to refine the look in diffidence shades,then a coat of matt for a dry look over brushed

with a power to tone any shine off,

for a wet look use a gloss coat ,to hopefully show a wet look,

but like the way Si,did the wet mud on the walker,but would be scared that the resin would not set mixed with paint

[Guest]

I have a good mud tutorial which I used on the recent staghound build. Would it be best to put it here or make another thread?

Stuart

[Guest]

I think the topic "Tutorials and how to's" , under "Modelling", would be the best home.