After a lot of looking, thinking and trying to work out a plan of attack I began the first side of the exterior. I have done a Tudor type exterior before using polyfilla but this time I decided to use the texture paste I bought last week. The main reason for this was because I thought it would be quicker, far less messy and would take a wash better on completion.
My plans were: glue the bricks on in random places, allow to dry; cut all the balsa beams and struts, distress, stain and oil; grout the firmly glued bricks, wash off and allow to dry; apply the texture paste all over the side and then while still wet glue on the balsa beams.
I was hoping that applying the beams while the texture paste was wet would allow me to squidge them into place.
I applied the bricks free-hand, I wanted them to look a little bit out of kilter, the pencil marks show the final positioning of the beams. Marking out the beams was also necessary for cutting the right lengths too of course.
The process worked well but I think the layer of texture paste is too thin and I will probably add another layer here and there. That means I will have to but another pot of the stuff which makes it slightly more expensive than polyfilla but I do like the overall stucco effect
The balsa wood is 1/16th of an inch in depth, not very thick but easy to cut and it sits close to the wall hopefully looking like it is embedded in the paste.
Grouting the bricks was really easy, it is a task I had always avoided until my last project, although I forgot to coat the first ones with PVA before grouting, which meant they were harder to clean off.
I will also have to rub down the paste around the bricks to stop the finish looking too frilly.
All in all quite pleased with this week's progress, time for the dreaded washings next but I have all my dirty water pots lined up and I have a new brush shaped like a fan which looks right for the job.
Oh but it is a scary thought!
Great job! What bricks did you use this time, not the car ones? Proper grout especially for dollshouses? I never know what to use for grout! I like this effect and think Ill use it on one of my houses too but without the beams so thanks for the tips! Now go have fun with those paints! Katexxx
ReplyDeleteThe paste is a great look Janice, getting the right thickness between beams is a pain, but worth the effort to make it look realistic as possible. :o))
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how hard it was trying to remove the grout without first protecting your bricks etc. with the PVA wash, good job you remembered this time. :o) You are steaming ahead!
Good luck with the washes, be brave and bite that bullet!! :o))
Michelle xx
Looks great Janice! Love your beams
ReplyDeleteVictoria ♥
Hi Kate, have sent you an email that might be of some interest.
ReplyDeleteThanks Victoria, it is all moving ahead quite nicely at the moment.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle, I have been adding thin dark grey washes to the roof tiles a bit at a time cos I am so cowardly. They are beginning to tone down bit by bit. Now I have got to scatter my brush strokes so that the effect becomes more mixed.......probably need to darken my was too and add a bit of dry brushing as Debbie recommends.
ReplyDeleteFound your blog and like it very much! Looks like you made good progress with the house so far! Will came back to see more :-)
ReplyDeleteIt looks great Janice and it is very exciting to follow how you make step by step with totally different ways of material etc. like I know it !Jeannette
ReplyDelete