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Experimental model railroading:__Matching dirt

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  • #1

    Experimental model railroading:__Matching dirt

    The guy at Home Depot paint department looked at me really funny. I had 3 baggies of dirt and was pulling paint chips to match. When I got home, I painted stripes and then sprinkled the dirt over top.



    The three samples are (1) from alongside I-93 in N. Londonderry NH, (2) NE Brownstone's Super Dirt, (3) I think this is 'paver base' decomposed granite(?) from Home Depot.

    The rows are all Behr matte samples. mixed to the following colors. (a) Sonoran Desert N240-3, (b) Polo Tan N260-3, (c) Smokestack N220-3 (Who thinks up these names for paint, anyway?)

    In the store, I thought Polo Tan was closest to NE Brownstone Super Dirt. But under the actual layout room lighting, things look different! The best match seems to be Sonoran Desert to N. Londonderry. (I've been in the Sonoran Desert, and it's a lot more reddish, as I recall.)

    dave
    Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to)
    Tags: None
  • #2
    He looked at you funny'...What did you tell him'... I'v had them look at me funny too. And I did't have any bags of dirt for with me'....


    Ted

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    • #3
      Funny, like a clown?

      Jim
      Take the red pill

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      • #4
        Dave, You went through a lot work here. Don't paint Departments has a a machine that can match paint to your Sample? Or did they

        give up on that?

        Bob
        It's only make-believe

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        • #5
          To me, they all appear to be too light. Remember as you dig down, the soil is usually a darker color (wetter, more moisture) So if anything, you would want the base paint a little darker not lighter. Also darker represents shadowed areas, which again something deeper is more likely to be in shadow not in sun.

          So my overall suggestion would be to error on the darker side.

          The Londonderry sample is closest to the sonoran desert paint, but the paint is still too light. Smokestack would need a bit more black in it to become a better match.

          Now that you have dirt on paint, you can take that to HD to match it up much more effectively.
          Home of the HOn3 North Coast Railroad, along the shores of Lake Ontario, New York.

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          • #6
            Dave,

            I have seen some other Modelers use any Earth color paint and if you have a few other similar earth colors, different sections don't have to match every section. You can vary the coloring. Take a look outside. All ground isn't the same color., Are you trying to color the entire layout ground all the same color?

            Rich

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            • #7
              You can make custom color "dirt" by mixing sand with the latex paint.





              My web article.

              http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/scenery/clods/

              The grout in the article isn't available anymore but it works with play sand.

              The sand breaks up and give a variety of sizes.

              Harold

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              • #8
                Harold,

                That is excellent modeling. I was on your website one evening, and I love keep the way you color your wood, which I am going to try when I get a chance. Thanks for sharing this with us.

                Rich

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                • #9
                  quote:

                  You can make custom color "dirt" by mixing sand with the latex paint.
                  Silly me. I just used real dirt from the area I model for most of the dirt roads and related areas.
                  Sometimes you have to stop seeing the good in people and start seeing what they really show you.

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