A PAINTING TUTORIAL FOR OUTBACK MODEL COMPANY'S SHINGLES

OUTBACK MODEL COMPANY shingles are laser cut from a very good quality card. We chose this material for several reasons; firstly we wanted our kits to give you, the modeller, the feeling of scratch building and the opportunity to put your own stamp on the build. Secondly, we wanted you to get something out of our kits via learning some new techniques. We will give you written as well as pictorial instructions. 

This tutorial is my method for achieving a wooden shingle look on laser cut card.  It’s also only one method and I’m sure Laurie will be doing a similar tutorial.  Along the way you might find in your experimenting that you have a different method which achieves equal success - if so send us some pictures as we would love to see them.

STEP 1: materials

·         Sheets of outback shingles

·         Sponge {I use sea sponge}

·         Craft Paint: your choice (I use three colours: Josonja’s series 1 Raw Umber, series 1 Fawn, series 1 Opal)

·         3mm {1/8^th} paint brush                         

·         Scrap of card

·         Grey lead pencil

STEP 2

Place a reasonable amount of your darkest colour onto the card.

Dab the sponge into the paint; wipe excess paint off the sponge.

Transfer the paint to the shingles in a dabbing motion.

HINT: don’t apply too much paint to the shingles, be sparing but use enough to cover the shingle; the effect will be better.

STEP 3

Repeat steps 2, EXCEPT this time apply the second colour in a blotched effect still using the same sponge.

STEP 4

Now apply your last lightest colour, using you 1/8^th {3mm} brush stroke down the shingles again in a random pattern; this creates some highlights. If for any reason you have applied too much of your lighter colour, stroke down over you lighter colour with one of the darker colours then you can also add some more defined lines with the two darker colours.

Once the shingles are dry, being aware some paint may have seeped under the top surface and will possibly stick to the surface you worked on, remove as soon as the painting process is finished to a more suitable place for drying.

Once totally dry stroke down the shingles with a black lead pencil (i.e. HB) this gives the simulation of splits in the shingles.

LAYING THE SHINGLES

Once you are happy with the effect that you have achieved on your shingles, it’s now time to simply lay them onto your roof using your choice of glue.  Any suitable glue that will adhere card to itself will do; I use a PVA or contact glue or at times even crazy glue (super glue). It is also important to take care with any glue and make sure you use glues in a ventilated area and avoid contact with skin.

STEP 1

Remove the shingles from the sheet using a pair of small scissors or a hobby knife.

Mix them up a bit to create a random selection process.

STEP 2

Measure the length of your roof and cut the strips of shingles accordingly

Starting at the bottom of your roof, lay the shingle onto the roof leaving a slight overhang then simply continue laying the shingles on top of each other, following the guide line scribed into the kit’s roof.

PHOTO NOT SHOWING SCRIBED LINES

If your shingle strip ends up half way onto the roof simply continue on with the next strip, you won’t even see the join. You now should have a completed section of roof