Tinting hydrocal has anyone done it?

the issue with tinting Hydrocal or any plaster or any like substance is that it gets absorbed.

Your tinting after looks great why fix what isn't ....

I often throw in some acrylic paint to soften the stark white color. It helps if there are ever chips or other exposed raw plaster. But I agree that it is an inefficient way to attempt to get to the final target color. It would take way too much paint and would involve a lot of guesswork to get it right.

You can do a lot with different light acrylic washes.
Note the white spot, I had to remove some material so that a couple of locomotives would clear on this curved grade. Kalmbach Publishing Model Railroad Scenery was our main source for this rock wash application.

Early installation of the hydrocal pieces.

That's a very good point.  I am very happy with the final appearance as it stands, I was just curious if there was any benefit in doing it.  But you're right...if it ain't broke...

 

 

I can see what your saying, the amount needed would be a waste as opposed to spraying the surface area.

Mike I have always liked your rock work with subtle color variations in there.  The overall effect is very realistic...I think I may do some experimenting with some washes myself and see if I can get some more variations into my rocks. 

 

Well thank you all for the input, I appreciate the fresh perspectives. 

Thank you

Here is a link to another thread on rocks that has some of the Kalmbach Scenery wash information.

 

Be careful adding coloring agents to wet plaster. Some of them can cause the plaster to set much more rapidly than normal. Ask how I know this....

Tinting the Hydrocal may be OK to achieve a relatively close color of the rock you want to create. It's kind of like tinting primer; it makes the finish coat cover better. However, there is no substitute for the shade variations that occur naturally, and are what the modeler strives to recreate. The tinting would also be helpful in instances where the surface may get chipped, making it look like a more realistic shearing of the rock, as in frost fracturing, or a piece of rock falling from above, or even human intervention.

Always test your mixture, to make sure it reacts as desired. Somewhere in a post on another forum I'm a member of is the formula for Hydrocal. Maybe I can ask the original poster to resubmit it.

Don

Extensively on these mountains

 Excellent information, thank you.

 

 Uh Ohhh....I didn't know that, thank you for the tip.  Sorry to hear you had that experience.  

 

 Oh exactly right, nature can not be substituted...but I sure like trying.  That would be great if you could get that information. I would appreciate it.

Erik, great photos.  Thanks for the heads up I didn't realize that those were colored that way.  They look fantastic and sure do capture the real world "look and feel" wonderfully. 

Thanks Chris-- it's too bad really they currently reside in a Denver area landfill.

I couldn't agree more.  I still can't believe that it's all gone now, so much history, such wonderful modeling...what a huge loss to say the least.  Thankfully it lives on in your photos. 

http://www.hirstarts.com/casting/dental.    http://www.trainorders.com/dis...on/read.php?3,421019

These are links for alternative products instead of Hydrocal. My friend replied to my e mail about the formula, and I must have deleted it by mistake. Hydrocal is basically Plaster of Paris. He said he uses setting compound, which achieves the same hardness, but is lower in cost and has a longer working time.

Don

There is a long long history to coloring wet plaster. The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo painted onto the damp plaster using a wash technique to apply broad areas of color.

 

So if it was good enough for Pope Sixtus IV it's okay for us.