Vintage Dial Painting with Radium Burn Ring, the DD Way

[toomanywatches 0]

After incorporating Dangeruss' use of colored pencil pigments in dial painting, I revised decided to share my technique for vintage dial painting. Order of color used can be reversed, depending on which color (the darker or the lighter of the paints) you want to be the dominant color. In this case, I wanted the lighter Racing White to be the dominant color... so it is applied last. Here is how I paint my dials, hope this helps... Follow rule of apply a little at a time (paint, crayon wax, or color pencil pigment) since easier to add more than take away!!!!!!!

 

Painting

1. Start with dry dial with a very thin matte black undercoat, this adds depth to the final painted finish:

 

 

2. Pick 2 or 3 colors you want to use. I am using Tamiya spray lacquer paints, Racing White (TS-7) and Light Sand (TS-46). Apply the darkest of the colors you are using, in this case, the Light Sand (TS-46). Apply Light Sand paint (TS-46) in a thin complete coat:

 

 

3. Immediately, while the first color coat is wet, apply a thin complete coat of the 2nd/lighter color.... Racing White (TS-7). Since I want Racing White to be the dominant color, it is applied 2nd/last. Apply 2nd coat while first color is still wet will cause both different colors to mix:

 

 

4. Wait a minute or two to partially dry, then add a very light/ partial coat to add some "spots" of additional Racing White:

 

 

5. Wait a minute or two to partially dry, then add a very light/ partial coat to add some spots of additional Light Sand:

 

 

6. The resulting dial at the end of painting:

 

 

7. Let paint dry for 1-2hrs, baking at 325F for 10-15minutes will help paint set and prevent paint from chipping/cracking and falling off of dial:

 

 

8. At this point, carefully and lightly sand dial with 1200 or 1500 grit sand paper to expose underlying paint and to maximize "mottled and speckled" appearance of painted finish:

 

 

Wax-Filling

1. You can use one or two color crayons to achieve the color of wax fill you want. In this case I use brown then black crayon:

 

 

2. Apply brown crayon, with enough pressure to evenly push wax into engravings:

 

 

3. Wipe away excess wax with tissue/toilet paper, lightly pushing down on the dial and running back and forth across engravings at different directions, here are the results:

 

 

4. Apply black crayon, with enough pressure to evenly push wax into engraving:

 

 

5. Wipe away excess wax with tissue/toilet paper, lightly pushing down with tissue paper and running it back and forth across engravings at different directions. Stop and check on progress while wiping away excess wax. Can always add more wax to do touch up or fill any gaps in wax fill. I like to wipe away enough wax that the engravings are partially filled. Result looks cleaning and thinner:

 

 

Color Pencil Pigment Applying

1. Using Powdered pigment from colored pencils adds an extra level of depth and detail to finished dials:

 

 

2. Scrap off some color pencil pigment with edge of tweezers, razor blade or knife:

 

 

3. Using dry brush, apply powdered pigment to dial. Must use some moderate force on brush to push and blend powdered pigment into surface of dial dial. You can also sand with 1200 grit sand paper at the end of this step to remove any excess color pencil pigment:

 

 

Here is Final Result of Dial Painting process. Trying to achieve a finish similar to weathered/aged parchment paper:

 

 

Luming/Resin Fill

Dial lumed/resing filled. Mix Testor's Glosscote with Lume until completely mixed. Spray some matte black paint on scrap paper and wipe some off with a toothpick. place black paint on toothpick into Glosscote Lacquer/Lume mix. Mix and add additional black paint until desired color. Test mixture for lume intensity. You can add additional Lume to increase brightness of lume. Apply to back of dial and let dry...here is newly lumed/resin filled dial:

 

 

 

Adding Radium Burn Effect

1. Need masking tape and something to get the right round/circular size... I used a 5 cent coin:

 

 

2. Cut out circle of masking tape. Make sure circle of masking tape not too sticky, will stick and lift off paint from dial. Can avoid by adding some talc powder to sticky surface to make circle of masking tape only slightly sticky (enough to stay in position on dial). Position/center circle of masking tape on dial:

 

 

3. Apply powdered color pencil pigment (used brown in this case) with dry brush, pushing and brushing pigment into dial surface.

 

 

4. Check results. repeat if not dark enough:

 

 

5. Blend outside edge of ring with brush. If ring is too dark, lighten by sanding with 1200/1500 grit sand paper:

 

 

Completed/Dry/Finished Dial:

 

 

Adding Cracked Indices Effect using this tutorial: http://www.homageforum.com/viewtopic.php?f...;p=88652#p88652

 

Thanks for Looking.... Get building!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dingle 57]

Mad skillz at work here folks......

[DeLaForce 2]

This is cracking stuff... Great tutorial , my project list is never-ending...

[solkryssare 109]

Great tutorial.

[Member X 91]

+1!