For years I've used spakling paste or white acrylic paint for mortar lines. Several buildings turned out nice, but I've come to notice that the white color stands out too much. Real brick mortar has a sand-color to it and looks subtle than the white I've modeled.
Has as anyone used a concoction of brown or tan colors to make a more realistic brick mortar?
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In the real world there is a good selection of different mortar colors. Red and Black mortar seem to be common. Actual color often depends on the sand used, Colored mortars, often are available in pre-mixed bags, dry sand and mortar, which would tend to keep the color uniform.
I've used a gray acrylic paint diluted to a very thin wash. So dilute, I've applied it several times to get a good mortar line detail. Easier done, before the wall panels are assemble, laying flat on the work bench. IMO.
Mike CT
Walther's model.
OGR buildings.
As posted above in the real world mortar can be various shades of white, gray and tan. It will be different from building to building. i just use whatever acrylics are easiest to reach on the shelf over my bench, mix them together on a scrap of cardboard, and wipe them on whatever building i happen to be working on at the time. No special formula or technique involved.
jackson
As posted above in the real world mortar can be various shades of white, gray and tan.
Mortar on the chimney at my place in PA is pink; that's what my Grandmother wanted and so that's what my Grandfather used.
Black, grey and tan color are OK.
white is fine but structures with the time get dirty.
Now the big problem using white as a mortar is the haze. Some techniques are ok but the haze is inherent. A nice white mortar lines look nice if the haze is not present.
Black mortar lines are ok for old brick buildings close to the tracks of facing a industrial area. tan mortar lines are better in downtown.
Yes, I totally agree. I typically, not always, see a whitish haze over the bricks themselves in almost every picture that I've looked at. The ones shown in this thread are obviously not in that category! My compliments to these modelers.
I've tried to create mortar lines on my structures and just couldn't figure out how to keep the bricks from assuming that slight overcoating of the mortar color. I've read an read everything but none of the techniques, which all showed excellent results, worked for me. 
- walt
I agree re the white vs. 'sand' color....
Two solutions (pun intended) that I've tried with some success.... But, first, they both use DecoArt Americana craft paint (Michael's, JoAnn, etc.) in the color Bleached Sand, stock #DA257.
First 'solution'....Thin this paint, add a drop of detergent, flow it on the brick, wipe off the excess with a clean low-nap cloth after it starts to dry.
Second 'solution'...Mix some of this paint with the white acrylic spackle to give it the color, add some water to thin it down, apply it, wipe off the excess as soon as the haze begins to form on the brick surface.
Both of these have worked well for me.
One of our customers has used Woodland Scenics Top Coat, Concrete (ST1454), thinned as a wash over the white spackle mortar after its dried. I've not tried that myself, yet, but it has some sensibility. Like most of WS's coatings, they have no binder...they're intended to add color by soaking into a porous base...like plaster. The customer claims that dried acrylic spackle has sufficient porosity to absorb some of the concrete wash color. The customer's experience is with plastic brick walls, though, and the excess concrete wash when dry simply rubs off the brick. Structures made of hydrocal castings or laser-etched wood/mdf brick detail might need to be sealed first....maybe?
FWIW, always...
KD
Thanks for the help, guys. I have an IHC engine house and Walthers downtown building kit I'll be starting on soon; I might have an old HO kit around to do some coloring experiments.
Here's what I've done in the past with spaklin' paste and weathering with chalk (which I'm not good at). I'd like to get a more realistic mortar color and not rely on chalk to tone down the white color.
I think what you've got there looks pretty good. I like to use the white mortar lines, cleaned up good, followed by a good grimy wash like laidoffsick suggested. I like the spakling and how it fills the mortar lines well. Then I can chip away or not fill as much some of the lines to make it look as if the mortar has fallen out. I think the wash on top of the spakling makes all the difference.
For years I've used spakling paste or white acrylic paint for mortar lines. Several buildings turned out nice, but I've come to notice that the white color stands out too much. Real brick mortar has a sand-color to it and looks subtle than the white I've modeled.
Has as anyone used a concoction of brown or tan colors to make a more realistic brick mortar?
You didn't complete the process.
Wash it down with Linen. When dry, wipe off the surface haze.
In city area buildings, use watered down black.
Wal-mart and crafts stores carry all the acrylic Folk Art, Apple Barrel colors for a buck.
Notice the contrast between the new bricked up window and the older brick bldg.
Give it a try...
That's perfect, SIRT - exactly what I'm looking for!
In that example, what did you use for the overall weathered look? It also looks like you painted a few bricks in a darker shade.
Yes, I totally agree. I typically, not always, see a whitish haze over the bricks themselves in almost every picture that I've looked at. The ones shown in this thread are obviously not in that category! My compliments to these modelers.
Here are, I think, 2 perfect examples, especially since these images were in OGR. So you would think that the BEST image of 'x' number taken was used.
One was in an ad:
The other was the ending photo in the 2-part Jim B. article on "Barrettsburg Tool & Die" construction:
All the more reason why I wanted to compliment the artists who did the work in the photos shown in this thread!
- walt
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