Could we please talk about the hair spray technique a bit?

[marc_reusser]

I pretty much agree. Tamiya will give you the "finest" chips. I have though had some equally fine results with some Game Color paints...who would have guessed.

Marc

[sante_candia]

Just a small contribution to this very interesting post.
Here are some shots from a test I have performed on a Steyr bonnet.

The washed piece.


Uniform application of the base (Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black).


Application of the 'rust' layer (Tamiya XF-10 Flat Brown).


Application of the a rusty filter (Mig Productions).


Application of various rusty tones (Mig Productions and Ferrario pigments).


Application of gloss varnish.


First application of the hair spray and salt.


In the following picture:
a. the base original color has been applied (mix of Flat Blue and Flat Yellow),
b. the hair spray/salt have been applied for the second time without removing the first salt layer.


Application of clear tones of the base color (for the light exposed areas)




Salt removal and application of a flat varnish protection.






Further application of a rusty filter.




The work needs to be completed with further interventions on the rusty areas.

Ciao, Sante

[MoeLDERS]

Awesome! Nice contrast! Good job!
Like you said, it needs to be completed, but it will surely work!

[Chuck Doan]

Crackle paint technique using hairspray. The material is .005 thick styrene sheet.

Spray can Testors Flat Black enamel base coat-dry 20 min.
Fairly heavy coat of aerosol Treseme hairspray-dry 10 min.
Light seal coat of the same Flat Black spray-dry 10 min.
Water-thinned, brushed on coats of Floquil acrylic Polly Scale colors that match the wall. Wait till just dry. (Airbrushing should work as well, possibly better)
Hit with hair dryer on hot, crackles appear. (But don’t get too close and melt the styrene!)
Start removing paint at bottom edge with small water wet stiff paintbrush.
Fade with white gouache applied with a sponge, seal with Dullcoat spray.
Add rust gouache, Bragdon powders to chipped areas using sharp brush, sponge and stump- seal with Dullcoat.
Apply thinned gouache along crackles with brush, and then blend with a sharp wet toothpick.





I have no idea which step causes the crackles, but it is consistent. There may be other dissimilar paints that can be used to cause this effect with the hairspray.

[vsuarez666]

Love it! Love it! I LOVE IT!!!

Great steps ...

[Volker Bembennek]

Hi Chuck,

as always great effect on those wooden planks!

About the crackled areas... I think I know they appears if the top layer over the hair spray is more thinned with water, so the haarspray is soften already during the application of the top layer. I mean, medium thinned paint over the haarspray layer is opaque, a more thinned paint will cause those crackles.

Cheers
Volker

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks Volker. I had been using the second coat of flat black as a sealer on a part so I could brush paint over the hairspray for normal chipping. When I held it up to some heat to speed up the drying, I got the crackle effect. Now I can get it with consistancy. Lucky accident!

[Biskup]

Hi,
I made my first attempt to use the hair spray technique and hear are the results

Please let me know what you think about it.
Cheers
Lukasz

[Siara]

It worked well Lukasz. I like the various shapes, and shades.

Chuck- most wonderful of techniques. Love it!