How do I use salt to make "stripped paint effect"?

As the topic sais - how!?

Tried to wet the can I paint, and sprinkle with salt. Let dry and paint over (with brush) = horrible result.

Tried to paint (thin paint) and sprinkle with salt = Horrible result(!)

Please help!

PS: I do not have a spray gun, or spray-cans in all the lovely colours....

I have heard not done it, but this is what I have heard works.

1. Paint the base coast you want under the paint. Brown-ish for rust and grey for basecoat maybe. Let dry throughly.
2. Spray lightly with hairspray.
3. While wet stick rock salt in areas where you want. Should stick with the hairspray. Let dry.
4. Paint next layers over the salt layer as you would normally.
5. Use a needle or other tool to remove some salt grains.

Hopefully it should work. If you basecoat is coming off you may need to coat it with a thin layer of matte or gloss varnish first.

Good luck. Show us some pictures!

Trying this tecnique tonight - hopefully I'll have something to post later on =)

Hmm I think I'm giving up on this... Until I get the money for a spray-gun. Any advice on a cheap-but-good one?

For the technique to work you need a really thin coat (for which a spray gun is best) and if you use a bit too much hairspray it can be difficult to get the salt off again. Badger airbrushes are all pretty reasonable and you'll want a compressor if you plan on using it alot.

Cheers Laney

I saw an AWESOME compressed gas setup... NO compressor! It was a CO2 Tank connected to a regulator and the to a water trap... SUPER! The CO2 in the tank is liquified, but comes out as a gas. The guy uses it his power tools (dremels, compressed air hammers and chisels) and a tiny tank lasts 3 months of daily use (4-5 hr per day). He says that the setup costs him around $125 plus $15 every 3 months (more time if he takes breaks on his jewelry making hobby). Main advantage? No vibrations and no noise! Those are my two complaints... so after I move, I will build one and make a tutorial (lots of pics). I will then experiment with this salt thinggy... sounds VERY interesting.

I think that you do NOT need a spray-gun for this, but it would make life easier. Why? Because you can paint LARGE surfaces quickly. The thin layer detail I think is so you can have an easier time taking the salt off. I think that Laney's advice is sound (at least it sounds logical!) Paint the base coat... I would do metal. Then drybrush rust. Then put the hairspray in a thin coat. I think this is the KEY. I would look for a super CHEAP hairspray! A cheap hairspray should be low quality (thus cheap)... 'bad' for the hair because it would leave it 'sticky'. This is what we want, thus a 'bad for hair' hairspray (maximum hold.. heheheh) would be a 'great for models' medium!

After applying the hairspray, apply the salt. I think the bigger the granules, the better. Why? Because they would be easier to remove! Then put the coat of the model's paint (for example, camo green for that Valkyrie!). I think that a thin coat would work best (thus air-brush seems to be a logical choice)... maybe the paint should be a little diluted. I would paint the camo-scheme at this point. Then... remove the salt. I think this would be TEDIOUS as hell! You have to remove every granule! I would use a toothpick or a metal tool. Scrape carelessly... you WANT the granule to be removed and taking off some 'extra' paint with it.. You may even try a small brass brush (the one that looks like the Devil's Toothbrush!). I think that after the work is completed, some minimal rust wash (watery red and orange) could complete the illusion.


Please note... I have NOT done this. I'm just using the little knowledge I have to make an educated guess. Good luck... post pics, even of the 'failures'. Maybe they would help us visualize what is happening and suggest new things for you to try. We are ALL rooting for you!!!!

Problem: When I paint over the salt-grains with my brush, the salt comes off... I have been frustrated to the brink of destroying my silos with a hammer...

Can be I'll try it out on another can someday...

The whole point of the technique is to brush the salt off at the end, so it's basically impossible to do it with a regular brush. Maybe try painting with rattlecans until you can get an airbrush? That should help prevent you from brushing the salt off.

You should also try and get your anger under control; wanting to destroy things when you're frustrated isn't really a healthy way to live.

Haha - true that - but it just kept on NOT working =) And the image of my silos just went further and further away

I do not know what rattlecans are?

Regular cans of spraypaint, the kind that have that ball that rattles around inside. Not ideal for minatures painting, but will work for terrain.

Got it! Thank you =)

Komfritten wrote:

Got it! Thank you =)

keep on with it Komfritten you'll get it [sooner then I could] besides your an inspiration to us all....


LGW