Painting dirt on skin/clothes

Frogmortonjustice65 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:21 pm **Posts:** 129

Hello all,

I was planning on painting a Sam at Mount Doom figure this weekend. Many people have painted this mini with smudges of dirt and ash on his face and clothing, which is fitting because in the film Sam and Frodo are absolutely filthy by this point.

My question is, what is the best method for realistically painting dirt on to skin tones and clothing? I don't want to just flick brown paint on the skin and have it look very artificial.

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks you.

jdizzy001 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2014 6:19 pm

A flick may work. Normally, at least for clothes, take a brown color and dry brush the brown on along the edges. Honestly, i would google muddy people and try to find a photo that matches what you're after.

Bartelomeus · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2014 7:36 pm

I dab and brybrush bestial brown on the bottom of robes. Never tried flicking as it sounds really inaccurate, that may also not be the appropriate technique for ash though since it does not splash

Gene Parmesan · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2014 3:51 pm

I use a light paint like rakarth flesh. Looks more like dried dirt than a brown

JamesR · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2014 4:56 pm

I apply very thin coats progressively covering less and less area to try and mimic the way dirt will most heavily gather on the lowest points

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:40 pm

Another option and perhaps more authentic, is to use pigments. These can be brushes on dry or wet and give the same effect.
You will create that dusty look, if that's what you are after.

Gene Parmesan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:50 pm

Gandlaf the Grey wrote:

Another option and perhaps more authentic, is to use pigments. These can be brushes on dry or wet and give the same effect.
You will create that dusty look, if that's what you are after.

I've been pondering this route. What brands do you use, or are available?

To further illustrate what I was saying, I'd avoid rich browns. You can see here the kind of caked on mud is quite light.

the effect of a light drybrush with rakarth flesh or some similar colour

http://www.coolminiornot.com/353798?browseid=10024500

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:12 am

Currently I am using cheap artist pastels. I scrape the pigment from the stick into a bowl and use it from there.
Here is an example of where I used it for dirt, hope it gives the idea.

valpas · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 6:08 am

What kind of pastels do you use? I tried pigment scraped from hard pastels on some terrain but the pigment didn't stick too well, so I wonder if soft or oil pastel would work better.

-- Pasi

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:56 am

I use soft pastels by a company called Royal and landnickel. They did an earth tone set and I only paid a few pound for them.

Painting dirt on skin/clothes

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