Jump to content

The Orchid Dollhouse Construction Blog

  • entries
    57
  • comments
    92
  • views
    282,176

Contributors to this blog

Finishing the Bricks


LPCullen

1,401 views

Been working on bricks, painting, etc.

We left off with painting using dark burnt umber. I finished one side, and this is where I ran out of paint on the front. Gotta mix some more paint, still using the two drops and mixing water into it.

blog-6-1159579023_thumb.jpg

Once I've finished with the front and get ready to move to the final side using the dark burnt umber, I want to again look at my corners and see what bricks I've painted on the corners with dark burnt umber so that I can continue it to the other side.

blog-6-1159579079_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579091_thumb.jpg

Remember what I told you about not worrying too much if you ran some bricks together (by getting paint in your mortar lines) because you could re-define it later with another color? Well, when I got to the final side with the dark burnt umber color, I found some. The first picture is where I ran the mortar lines together. The second picture is where I painted one of them with dark burnt umber, but the paint is wet in that picture. The third picture here shows it where the paint is dry.

blog-6-1159579429_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579466_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579478_thumb.jpg

And we're now finished with the dark burnt umber. See?

blog-6-1159579491_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579503_thumb.jpg

Next, I will be using Hippo Gray, which looks like this:

blog-6-1159579517_thumb.jpg

I again take two (or three) drops of hippo gray and start mixing in my water with my paint brush to make a wash--also go ahead and get some fresh water in your cup before you start making your color wash with the hippo gray. I'm still staying with the same scheme, meaning I make one gray brick per row on the sides, and two gray bricks on the front per row, but I decrease the amounts of gray bricks when I get into smaller areas, around the windows and at the top of the peaks.

blog-6-1159579538_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579551_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579567_thumb.jpg

Oops! I've found some bricks that I ran together, so I've used hippo gray here to re-define those bricks.

blog-6-1159579724_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579737_thumb.jpg

And we're now finished using the hippo gray.

blog-6-1159579750_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579766_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579779_thumb.jpg

The next color that I will be using is Red Iron Oxide, which looks like this:

blog-6-1159579795_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579810_thumb.jpg

But, before we get started with the red iron oxide, I want to warn you that red or orange tinted paints tend to overpower/take over very quickly, so you should use them sparingly. I also make the wash more thin than the others.

One thing I meant to tell you earlier, if you happen to get too much paint on a brick, like this:

blog-6-1159579826_thumb.jpg

Just take a paper towel and touch it to the brick to soak up the excess paint. Don't wipe it, just touch it to the brick. Very important when using a very strong color. See?

blog-6-1159579840_thumb.jpg

I will not be using the same theme, meaning painting one brick per row on the sides and two bricks per row on the front with the red iron oxide. Instead, I'll just be basically breaking up the monotony. This is again because this is a strong color. So, just anywhere that I think another color needs to be, I'll paint a brick with the red iron oxide.

blog-6-1159579853_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579871_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579886_thumb.jpg

And now we're done with the red iron oxide, and we're DONE painting individual bricks! Yippee!

blog-6-1159579906_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579920_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579937_thumb.jpg

I've discovered that acrylic paints tend to rub off if you touch them a lot, so I have a habit of putting a coat of clear coat paint over anything that I paint with acrylic paints. I covered up my windows (where the panes were already installed) and took the house outside to spray it with clear coat.

blog-6-1159579956_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579971_thumb.jpgblog-6-1159579987_thumb.jpg

This is what I use for clear coat. I usually pick it up at wal-mart, I think. I just spray the outside of the house with one coat, but I make sure that I cover it good. Be careful though, because you don't want it to run.

blog-6-1159580001_thumb.jpg

Now we're finally finished completely with the bricks.

So, what if you only want brown bricks, can you just use the brown iron oxide? Yes, you can.

What if you don't want to use red iron oxide because you don't like red? You don't have to do that either.

Can you use different colors, including just using different shades of brown? Yes, but I would still paint all of the bricks first with brown iron oxide.

Can you use funky colors, throw in some pinks and/or purples? Yep (actually I did that on Anna's Emerson Row)! It's your house! Paint them whatever color you want! It really is fun!

Compliments of LPCullen

2 Comments


Recommended Comments

Your brick walls look beautiful! I have been a bit intimidated by trying to make walls like these, but you have definitely inspired me and given me hope. Thank you very much for posting such detailed directions!

Link to comment
Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...