JohnBrewer Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Hi guys, I’m rebuilding some matrix on an ichthyosaur block I've recently acquired. What paint type do you use for colour matching? ta John John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkerPaleo Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 I have been using acrylics. Specifically the brand Ceramcoat by Delta Creative. Some of the other acrylic brands don't seem to adhere well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welsh Wizard Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 19 hours ago, JohnBrewer said: Hi guys, I’m rebuilding some matrix on an ichthyosaur block I've recently acquired. What paint type do you use for colour matching? ta John Hi John i was going to ask a similar question so I’m interested in how you get on Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted November 23, 2019 Author Share Posted November 23, 2019 4 hours ago, Welsh Wizard said: Hi John i was going to ask a similar question so I’m interested in how you get on Nick What colour are you looking at, Nick @Welsh Wizard? I’m looking at typical Dorset coast warm grey. I can see mixing is gonna be a real pain :/ John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 Systems 3 acrylic paint I would think would work well . Available in small tubes and mixes well. I think I would use some dry brush technique to build up the colour . @Ludwigia and @Peat Burns both do great colour matching and paint work, maybe will have some advice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 I use water-soluble acrylic colours, then usually cover it with Rember beeswax finish to fix it. I don't brush the Rember on, but rather let it run over the spots I've colored and let it set. 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welsh Wizard Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 Hi John @JohnBrewer Im going to do this spine - it’s mottled yellowy brown. Only the front and leave the back grey and then build a stand. Spine alone is 13 inches long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 @JohnBrewer, Hi John, and dont forget that in a couple more years we are going to be like this,, (right hand raised with fingers crossed), best of buddies. Sorry, cant help joking around. But I too use acrylics. I decide on what colors im going to use and put a little bit of each onto a small plastic bag and also put on some drops of water. With whatever size of brush im going to use I start mixing colors along with a tiny bit of water to make mixing easier until I get what im after. Doesnt always work so sometimes I will do a test on something else and see if its going to work or not. Good luck my freind. RB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Bobby Rico said: Systems 3 acrylic paint I would think would work well . Available in small tubes and mixes well. I think I would use some dry brush technique to build up the colour . @Ludwigia and @Peat Burns both do great colour matching and paint work, maybe will have some advice. The first thing that I do is make sure the PaleoSculp is textured to match the fossil before it dries. I use dental tools, wire brushes, toothbrushes, or whatever random object I can find to give me the texture I want. I remember a quote from a fellow restorer of antique tractors. He said "paint hides nothing". So get the paint surface right before you paint. In the shark tooth below, I tapped the root with a fine wire brush to give it that rough, pitted look like the original. I also use water-based acrylics. I think they are the same brand ParkerPaleo uses. I usually put a dime-sized dab of different colors into a palette that I think will be required to mix up a match. I'll then mix up something close by grabbing colors with the brush and mixing them in a clean area of the palette. Once I get close to the right color, I'll apply that to the reconstructed area of the fossil as a base-coat. Then I will start working on more refined hue and value matching. Sometimes I will add more color while the base-coat is still somewhat wet so I can blend. In other cases, I wait until the base-coat is completely dry and then wet-wash color over it or in some cases I dry brush. If there are dark furrows or cracks in the original fossil, I may use a dark brown or black base coat to get into the furrows and cracks, let that dry, and then "moist brush" or dry brush color onto the elevated features so as to leave the dark in the cracks and furrows. One thing I've learned about color matching is: don't think too hard. What I mean is that what you think is standard gray or brown on the fossil, might require mixing-in green, blue, orange, and / or red to get a good match. You just have to mix and mix and mix in small quantities until you get it right. Here's a megaladon tooth I did recently. The entire left half is sculpted and painted. The entire right half is original, unrestored and unpainted fossil. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Peat Burns said: One thing I've learned about color matching is: don't think too hard. What I mean is that what you think is standard gray or brown on the fossil, might require mixing-in green, blue, orange, and / or red to get a good match. You just have to mix and mix and mix in small quantities until you get it right. A really good tip here!!! RB 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 I agree with @Peat Burns I’ve had to add green and yellow more often than not. I also use acrylics for my restorations. The cleanup is too easy to use anything else. Also, in order to keep from getting an overly unnatural look, I like to water my paints down after the initial coat in order to get some transparency. I will also use a sponge to give anmottled look to the repair because even the most monochromatic fossils have some color variations. 3 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 Sometimes I also brush on some stonemeal from the appropriate matrix before the epoxy kitt is dry. Then after it's hardened I scrub off the excess with a toothbrush before I start painting. 3 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Saunders Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 I can only add as I do Acrylic paints on canvas boards or wood carvings. I use tubes of Winsor & Newton. Sometimes white or black Gesso. Many inexpensive brands is more filler and less pigment. Usually apply and mix on special paper on a damp sponge to help keep it from drying to fast. Sometimes $10-$40 + brushes, and yes it is worth it. Interesting topic as I advance into collecting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted November 24, 2019 Author Share Posted November 24, 2019 Thanks all for your insights. Will post when done. Fortunately texture isn’t an issue as the matrix is smooth as a baby’s.... John John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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