"How Do I Paint Grillwork?" Topic

How do I get the black spaces in-between the grill work on tank engine decks and truck radiators? I have tried various wash techniques but either I am doing it wrong or have not found the right technique because they never look good.

Any suggestions? I am painting HO 1/87 scale Roco and resin tanks mostly.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

I'd try an overbrush technique (what most call "drybrushing.")
Use the side of the brush with just a little bit of paint, and drag the brush over the (black-primed) grill. The bars of the grill should catch the paint, leaving the "in-betweens" black.

Washes and stains will lay down a translucent layer of paint so the undercoat will show through, which is not what you want. For the shadowed inner part of a grill you want an opaque layer of dark paint (probably black). I would thin my paint enough so it flows easily, adding flow improver if necessary, and paint the entire grill to get all the recesses and a consistent undercoat on the top part. Let dry, re-apply to the recesses if too thin or to touch up. Let dry again. Then use thick paint to do the raised / visible parts of the grill. When dry, if there is any gloss in the recesses, kill it with matte varnish.

Yes, a wash of black then a dry brush of the base color of the model …

I echo evilcartoonists method of paint black, then dry-brush the raised portions. If there is not a lot of difference between the raised and depressed areas 2 sessions of very light pressure dry-brushing may be necessary

DM

lol ^^^