Coming back from holiday I have decided to try a few new techniques. One of them is the use of antique effect varnish or crackle paint. I intended to use this for making cracked earth style desert bases - mainly for the ortegas, but might come handy for latter projects too.
The instructions say I have to paint the surface with one colour, then apply the varnish, then a second layer of paint. This second layer cracks while drying showing the other colour underneath. As I never actually used this stuff before I made a few test patches on a plain 60mm base and an old blister pack. I did two sets, each of the sets consisting of 3 patches. First applying the varnish in one direction, then applying it in two layers crossing each other, then applying it with circular movements of the brush. First set is left drying slowly as it would, the second set dried under hair dryer.
The results are below; on the clear plastic left to right: one direction, cross directions, circular, all dried naturally/slowly; on the black plastic base left to right: one direction, cross directions, circular, all dried with blow dryer.
I think the best result is the cross applied and blow dried one, though the single direction slow drying one is surprisingly good too. I think the reason for that is the fact that I applied too much varnish on that one and it did not dry before I painted over it. I may have to do some more test with different amounts of varnish, or applying the second layer of paint at different stages.
Interesting stuff. I've been thinking of picking up some crackle medium after seeing a tutorial for it over on the Massive Voodoo site.
ReplyDeleteThese would look very cool for a parched desert base as you intend. Can you still drybrush or paint over the top though? I'd want to add more colour depth/variation.