Best paint option for bone?

[hydin]

I am about to start work on a new replica, and I also have a Creature from the Black Lagoon hand that I need to paint up as well, and I am looking for feedback on paint.

Both items are going to be painted with white primer first, obviously, but the whole "Make white primer look like bone!" part is giving me a little trouble.

Anyone have any tips for realistic bone painting? I can't make it translucent like I want to, cause the hand is resin, and the other hand is probably going to be sculpy, but I would like it to at least resemble bone.

Any tips are appreciated. I own an airbrush, if that helps. Rarely use it though.

Thanks a bunch!
Chris

 

[Wes R]

I thought this was for painting on real bone lol. That i could help with as dad does that for knife handles. There is a paint made for miniature gaming called bone white the problem is that bone turns yellow as it ages in spots.

 

[jasonw2112]

Hmmmmmmm.. are you wanting the bone to be seen under flesh? Or just bone? I would guess you are probly wanting to use acrlics. In my ( personal experience! ) I have had a hard time with this paint, cause I want to keep painting, instead of letting each coat dry. So I would plan on practiceing on making a white foundation, with a tan, or transparent brown kind of wash. Then use a tiny brush for hairline cracks here and there. Try stay away from using transparent black as a wash, this can cause it to look dirty. But then again I'm used to using automotive paints, which are far more forgiving! Paint in the cracks and crevices to give the detail of the bone. If anything if it doesn't look right, wipe it off! That could even give you the look of what you want.
As far as using an airbrush, and depending on what paint your using, you will need to reduce the paint a little bit at a time, and turn down the air. Once again if your using acrlic's, reduce the paint with extender if possible, this works better than water. This is for your tan, dark brown, was over the white. You may even want to put a little bit of yellow on there as well.

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Brown shoe polish mate! Works like a charm!

Watch this viddie. Starting aroudn the 4:00 is when he applies the shoe polish.

YouTube - Faux Bone Bracelet with Rio Grande®

 

[Straker]

It kinda depends on if you want the "Skeleton in the doctors office" look where it's clean and shiny new or the "Old and decayed browning Kandarian Dagger handle" look in which case the above mentioned shoe polish works as does antiquing muds and thinned out brown paints for a paint wash. I personally use acrylics by Testors buuut I have to admit it's usually a figure about 6 or 7 inches tall not a display piece for a prop.

 

[Invicta]

I've used a two part method for years and it works well on small gaming miniatures up to 1/2 size skulls.

Start with a white primed base than use "Radome Tan FS33613" enamel paint Testors makes a nice one, let that dry for a day. Next use either Raw Sienna or Burnt Umber oil paints (depending on how dark you want the recesses to be). Apply your chosen oil paint over the whole model/prop bone area, let it sit for five minutes and then carefully start to remove the oil paint with a soft rag until the desired effect is achieved. With a bit of practice the effect is surprisingly good. If you find you've taken too much off simply re-apply the oil paint and start again.

When you're happy with the result let the oils dry for a few days.

 

[hydin]

Both items that will be painted are going to be "fossilized" bone.

Appreciate the advice so far. It's helping me a lot, and I even found a coupon for the semi local craft store

Chris

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Whenever I do things that need to look like bone I start with grey primer, then Humbrol ivory enamel paint. Let that dry and then go over it with washes of various brown colors and in various thickness - this can be done with acrylics, as I've found they are easier to control when doing washes. Just continue until you reach the look you want.