sippog
A Fixture
Miniature Grainer
Decorators have been using a tool for years to create faux (false) woodgrain effects. The effect is created by dragging a rubber stamp through a thick paint glaze, sometimes called a ‘scumble’ glaze, leaving ridges and whorls behind.
There’s a certain knack to it which involves twisting and dragging but it can look quite convincing if it’s done well. I thought it would be interesting to try and make a miniature version that would work with models. Ideally, of course, you’d carve this with very fine detail in something hard and then cast it in rubber but I thought I’d see how far I got just carving lines in a eraser.
I bought a soft one and used an engraving tool. The eraser was too soft, it broke in half, but I was able to try it on a piece of foam board. One area I painted first and then sealed with dull-cote. Another area I just did on to the bare cardboard.
I used acrylic paint and a glazing medium which leaves slight ridges like you'd get with unplaned timber. It wasn’t a serious attempt, just a quick trial ‘play’, but the results showed promise. I think, with practice, you could get quite a nice paint grain.
Decorators have been using a tool for years to create faux (false) woodgrain effects. The effect is created by dragging a rubber stamp through a thick paint glaze, sometimes called a ‘scumble’ glaze, leaving ridges and whorls behind.
There’s a certain knack to it which involves twisting and dragging but it can look quite convincing if it’s done well. I thought it would be interesting to try and make a miniature version that would work with models. Ideally, of course, you’d carve this with very fine detail in something hard and then cast it in rubber but I thought I’d see how far I got just carving lines in a eraser.
I bought a soft one and used an engraving tool. The eraser was too soft, it broke in half, but I was able to try it on a piece of foam board. One area I painted first and then sealed with dull-cote. Another area I just did on to the bare cardboard.
I used acrylic paint and a glazing medium which leaves slight ridges like you'd get with unplaned timber. It wasn’t a serious attempt, just a quick trial ‘play’, but the results showed promise. I think, with practice, you could get quite a nice paint grain.
