Applying Martian Ironearth

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Any tips how to see this texture on the base so it doesn’t flake off ?

[Aothaine]

Here is a response someone got from reddit. It might help.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/az65pt/anyone_have_the_issue_where_martian_iron_earth/

 

Best response is most likely: 

 

The thicker the crackle paint, the sparser cracks you get. Also, if the surface you're applying it to is slippery, you'll get a few big fissures on the base but smaller cracks overall.

These paints crack by shrinking, you should really be looking at them that way. If the surface they're adhering to is slippery, the paint will slide around while shrinking to stay together, so there'll be fewer but larger cracks if the paint. The same way, if the aint is thick, it's surface tension will keep bigger chunks of paint together as it's shrinking, creating fewer but bigger cracks.

To get smaller cracks use a rough primer first and apply thin layers. To get bigger cracks, use PVA glue or gloss varnish first to smoothen the surface, then apply a thick layer. Note that thick over rough will result in more uniformly spread out cracks than thin over smooth.

I suggest using crackle paint before putting bits and rocks on the base if they are supposed to be on top of cracks. The paint will crack differently around objects compared to the open surface, so you'll get visible patterns in the mud around the objects that make no sense. Unless you think this object was submered in mud a long time ago I guess.

Also, it's nice to vary the density of cracks over bigger bases. It makes them look less boring. So play around with different thicknesses.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Aothaine

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Thanks ! /thumbsup

[Grotsmasha]

There needs to be a base paint under the Iron earth for two reasons, one for it to adhere too, and two so any unsightly colours don't show through the cracks.

[Kierdale]

And perhaps a matt varnish over the top to protect it?

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

There needs to be a base paint under the Iron earth for two reasons, one for it to adhere too, and two so any unsightly colours don't show through the cracks.

Bingo !

[Magos Takatus]

Application of this paint is more technical than I thought. I painted underneath the technical paint but it didn't occur to me to vary the finish to get a less uniform appearance of cracks. Thanks for the advice, hopefully my Agrellan Badlands will look more interesting in the future.