Painting brick walls - looking for advice

[DKS]

My preference for mortar effects is a little different. First, I mix a color of mortar using white gouache paint with just a touch of yellow ocher, then add some water to thin it about 50%. I brush 1-2 coats onto the painted brick surface; when it's dry, I wipe off the excess with a barely-damp paper towel.



The advantages are that, first, you can't over-apply the gouache, and second, since gouache is water-soluble after it dries, if you don't like the finished effect, you can simply wash it all off with water and start over. Once you're happy with the results, you can add a coat of flat clear, but that's really only necessary if the model will be handled.

Gouache paint is available at any art supply store, such as Michael's, or online.



Also... you can use the same technique for weathered woodgrain, rusty metal, or other patina effects using different colors of gouache.

 

[thomasjmdavis]

Something that is that is often missed is that on many buildings, the "front" (streetside) of the building will have brick that is carefully matched for color, often with dry pigment mixed into the mortar to (more or less) match the color of the brick.  The sides and back of the building are most often made with "common" brick- which varied more in color, and white/sand/gray (depending on sand color) mortar. 

Different colors of brick may also be used on building fronts to create artistic or geometric patterns- a simple way to make a building stand out by using a small paint brush and an "off color" brick.

Everything you want to know about bricks (and lots of inspiration in images ) from public TV in Chicago-
https://news.wttw.com/2019/06/27/chicago-architecture-history-brick-buildings

[peteski]

I think you must have missed the part where he said he sealed it with Dullcote . . . fifteen years ago.

DFF

I did not miss it - I was just generalizing about using food stuffs for modeling.  I understand that the Dullcote obviously seems to have sealed the perishable "weathering powder". And if he lives in a dry climate, that would also aid in preventing mold growth.

[wazzou]

Do you live in a dry climate? Mold (on food stuffs) loves dampness.
Speaking of using food for modeling, many years ago there was an article in the N-Scale Magazine about using dry uncooked pasta for modern street lamp posts.  Made me roll my eyes. Not only I imagined it getting moldy on some damp basement layout, I also thought that uncooked noodles are way too fragile to make good lamp posts.

No, I live in Washington, in the Pacific NW.  I can take a picture of it today, if you wish.   

[peteski]

No, I live in Washington, in the Pacific NW.  I can take a picture of it today, if you wish.   

I believe you.     Dullcote much be a wonderful preservative/encapsulant.

[Roger Holmes]

I have never been a big fan of light colored mortar lines in part because my attempts were lousy but also because the lines look too big to my eye.  Many older buildings in the real world have mortar that is well weathered and dark.  Our bright white N scale mortar can make it look like every building on the layout has just been tuck pointed.

Feel free to correct my math if I am wrong but applying the three foot modeling rule to the real world means we are looking at a brick structure at a distance of 480 feet.  Try that out the next time you are outside and see how much mortar you can see at that distance.

I have always used the typical India ink dissolved in rubbing alcohol solution as a wash and have been happy with the results.





I've got to paint that sidewalk one of these days.

My mortar opinions  should not be seen as disrespecting the many great techniques that have been shared in this thread.  Particularly in artistic projects,  everyone's mileage may vary and that is one of the great aspect of our shared hobby.  Just my $.02 reduced to $.01 to adjust for market fluctuations. 

[rgengineoiler]

I use, "Roberts Brick Mortar", found in most hobby Shops.  Quick, done and let Dry.  Wipe off with wet clothe.  I have many brick models and it will do anything you want to make it new or old.   Doug   

[rslaserkits]

I use good old plaster powder for my brick. Rub it on the brush off the excess and set with dollar store hair spray,
Photo is in Z scale .
rich

[nickelplate759]

I have never been a big fan of light colored mortar lines ...



......

Holy Historic Structures Batman!   Is that a condensed version of the Merchandise Mart?  It's fantastic!

[Roger Holmes]

George--It is a Red River Models Ft. Worth, Texas T&P station.  I'm glad that you also saw the resemblance to the Merchandise Mart which is why I bought the kit.  It is no longer on Red River's website for sale.

It was an amazing kit to build. MDF etched walls with laser cut acrylic overlays.  I made a few modifications to get more of the Merchandise Mart feel. It's massive size called for construction techniques that I wasn't used to in N scale.  And I do have to get that sidewalk painted!

[davefoxx]

I've got to paint that sidewalk one of these days.

And I do have to get that sidewalk painted!

Perhaps you should just go ahead and paint that sidewalk.    Just kidding.  I guarantee that few procrastinate on model railroading projects like I can!

DFF

[chuck geiger]

I use, "Roberts Brick Mortar", found in most hobby Shops.  Quick, done and let Dry.  Wipe off with wet clothe.  I have many brick models and it will do anything you want to make it new or old.   Doug   

[robert3985]

I have never been a big fan of light colored mortar lines in part because my attempts were lousy but also because the lines look too big to my eye.  Many older buildings in the real world have mortar that is well weathered and dark.  Our bright white N scale mortar can make it look like every building on the layout has just been tuck pointed.

Feel free to correct my math if I am wrong but applying the three foot modeling rule to the real world means we are looking at a brick structure at a distance of 480 feet.  Try that out the next time you are outside and see how much mortar you can see at that distance...

The "three foot modeling rule" is actually "the three foot excuse".   If a modeler doesn't want to model accurately, doesn't want to apply close to scale sized details, doesn't want to use finer flanges, doesn't want to apply paint in a sharply defined manner, doesn't want to use track that appears more prototypical, doesn't want to assemble kits with the seams between parts properly aligned...or doesn't want to do any other time-consuming, close-up work...then that modeler excuses his/her lack of interest in those aspects of the hobby by quoting some "rule" that states "if you can't see it at three feet then it's not worth doing."

Sorry, but I'm not buying there is any such "rule", but only an excuse for not taking the extra effort to make models that withstand close-up photography and observation with Optivisors or high-powered reading glasses.

If a modeler has other interests in the hobby than detailing his/her models, that's fine, but there's no "rule" about a magical 3 ft distance to observe models at...only an excuse.

Try putting your engines and rolling stock on the track at three feet.  Try winning a modeling contest at your local NMRA show with a model or structure built to the three-foot excuse standard. 

Even manufacturers are realizing that N-scale models can be built to reliably run and be highly detailed without parts breaking or falling off...it's the trend, and the price isn't too bad either.

And Roger @Roger Holmes , when looking at your modeling in the photos you've supplied, I don't believe for a second that you REALLY build models for your layout that only look okay if you stay three feet away!

Pet peeve of mine...done

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[nuno81291]

I’m sorry Bob but I take issue with some of your statement. Some of us aren’t trying to win an NMRA award with our layouts or models.Some of the tooling of these kits are 40+ years old with grossly out of scale brick/mortar detail. There is nothing wrong with putting lipstick on a pig of a model and doing your best to make it look ok, and there is nothing wrong with having a “good enough” mentality. If those of us with any sizable layout treated every single element as a piece that should win an award we would just about never have a relatively completed layout. Maybe you want every piece of rolling stock to be a 40 hour project, plenty of us do not. I’ll end it with I’ve seen many efforts that look great to the eye when looking close to a model, but when subject to macro photography don’t hold up. Some of those efforts are amongst the best layouts I’ve witnessed.

[MK]

Bob, for some it's a hobby and not a job!