This thread was started in March 2017
Bill
March 2017 in Techniques
I stumbled onto an easy technique you might want to try that will add some depth and variety to the “junk” in your garbage and trash can castings.
If you follow the SW manual, a lot of times it will call for you to “swirl” paint onto your glass work surface. After you finish painting, you’re left with blobs of dried paint all over your glass:
If you’re like me, you clean this mess up with an old razor blade. Just scrape it and the dried paint peels and flakes right off. With acrylics (water soluble), even when dry, the paint blobs will still have a little flex to them–sort of a rubbery texture. Save this stuff:
Add a little thinned out white glue to the interior of a garbage can casting, then apply the rubbery paint scrapings with a fine tweezers.
It’s that simple! You’ll get a ton of color variety and have a garbage can that’s full of…garbage (not just pieces of stripwood)! Some things to keep in mind:
-Make sure the paint is dry.
-Keep the scrapings light and airy when adding them into the can. Don’t compact them and crush a ton into the casting.
-As you continue to clean up your glass, scrape up dried chalk and mix that in with the paint scrapings. Really bright colors stand out and are too loud–even for garbage
-A little bit of dried metallic paint will look like scraps of metal.
-Longer pieces can be formed to look like an old rag hanging off the side of the can.
-Scrape up dried glue (white & CA) and chop it into fine particles. It looks like broken glass. (A small pile would look cool placed in front of a broom casting near a broken shop window or something).
Here’s how mine turned out:
Have fun!
Post some pictures if you try this.
Comments
admin
March 2017
Superb! Trash looks just right… Love the idea for “broken glass” too, can’t wait to try it.
Bill
March 2017 edited March 2017
Thanks Brett. Really fast, and really easy. Plus it’s material we all have. But, there is downside to this entire thing:
you gotta clean up your work area!
KKarns
March 2017
Killer idea Bill! Your examples are terrific, so well done. On my list of things to do…Thanks for sharing a great idea.
brownbr
March 2017
Who’d a thunk it? Definitely a keeper.
sdrees
March 2017
Bill,
From now on instead of dumping this stuff into the prototype garbage can, I will put it in my 1/87 trash cans. Thanks for the idea.
SteveCuster
March 2017
That’s great Bill. I’m definitely stealing this idea.
Joel
March 2017
Love this idea. Brilliant.
KCSTrains
March 2017
Ok Bill - another addition to the Bill’s Tips and Tricks book!! Thanks as always. Phil
David_C
March 2017
That’s a great idea Bill, I think I’ll do that too.
NejcR
March 2017
Great idea indeed!
CarlLaskey
March 2017
I just put trash in my can.
MuddyCreekRR
March 2017
Super neat idea…
David_C
March 2017
Who da thunk we’d get so excited about putting out the trash eh?
Jerry
March 2017
Nice idea Bill.
Jerry
Geezerbill
March 2017
Bill, Just A great idea!1 thanks for sharing the tip.
Geezerbill
Karl.A
March 2017
Another great tip from you Bill. I like the paint for trash idea and will be using it.
I am however more excited about the broken glass, genius idea my friend and one I will use soon.
Thanks for sharing !!
Karl.A
Bill
March 2017
Thanks for all the nice words, everybody!
A quick reminder: all of this “stuff” will look better (or, more natural) when dulled down with a coat of dark brown chalk. The paint tends to have a flat side and a more shiny side–which is a give away. Use an old soft brush, stab the powder in place, and you’re good to go.