Screwing up and repainting a bronze statue 😪 - Dirty Down Moss + Verdigris

[@The_Joestar]

It's stuff like this that helps immensely. I'm both a complete newbie and a perfectionist and it's the worst combo haha!
To know that even weathered veterans still make mistakes and it's no big deal really brings me back to reality and makes me realise perfection (or at least a decent result) takes time, patience and maybe a redo every now and then.
Thank you for this

[@ArtisOpus]

My man, journey over destination, we've all been there (and will go there again 😅).
our pleasure.

[@darrenj3720]

I think this is one of my favourite vids so far. It’s nice to see that different products behave differently. This is important information that is usually missed.

[@ArtisOpus]

Absolutely, it's taken me a bit to figure out! As ever the viewers are at hand with their centuries worth of combined knowledge!

[@BarokaiRein]

What I generally do with dirty down stuff is that I go over the whole area with it, then use a brush that's wet with water to fan the edges out with diluted version of the paint before blow drying the whole thing.
At least in my experience that seems to work well for making rust and verdigris look like it built up naturally with softer edges. You can make the effect as smooth as you want by reactivating it with water and blowdrying it again and again, which is why I usually just have mine on my lap.

[@KezzaWinter]

Would definitely like a breakdown of how you did the big dragon, why you think it failed and analyse the steps you planned out and where it went wrong!

[@ArtisOpus]

Noted, I'm still not sure exactly how we'll/I'll handle the video covering the failure, but he will be at some point! :)

[@Siege181]

Dammit Byron! Cost of living going on and you release those cabinets! They are truly beautiful and I can’t back the campaign at the moment but you bet your bottom dollar that in the future I’m going to get some of those bad boys
Thank you again for all the vids, as said before the best thing about your tutorials is how you make us believe we can achieve the same results and that it’s fine to screw up
Keep it up old boy! And I hope to see that Great Unclean One “Covidius” shown off in one of those stonking cabinets when they appear behind you soon!

[@ArtisOpus]

:D Thanks my man, not a worry, we're Kickstarting the project to help us with projected volumes, and maybe open up a few more options, but once it's satisfied we'll of course support all products (as we do with the brushes) on general release.
I promise to continue making mistakes if you'll continue watching them :D

[@Siege181]

@@ArtisOpus just don’t do that annoying thing where it takes ages after the kickstarter ends to get them on general sale! 😁😁

[@mobilecivilian6124]

Dirty down is awesome but its next level once you put a dry brush to it. Dry brush some troll slayer orange over the rust or dry brush some warp stone glow over the moss with a real light dry brush of moot green and thank me in the morning. Make sure the bottles warm and that the bearing rattles inside or it won't work right.

[@inuyasharullz]

I actually love the over-verdigried version, it looks extremely ghostly

[@ArtisOpus]

Thanks, dude! It definitely has divided people, quite a few people in the premier (80%, actually) agreed with you!

[@nicholassinnett2958]

Yeah, and remember, the Statue of Liberty used to be clean bronze, so it's not like super-heavy verdigris is unrealistic. Just depends on the look you want, I guess.

[@ErgonomicChair]

What you did in the chip you liked more, is pull instead of push down/forward. Pulling back and up you will swoop the marks. I preferred the first, looked very realistic

[@davijoe2002]

Pretty good demonstration of varnish!

[@ArtisOpus]

:D worked out ok!

[@nickdavis5420]

It’s definitely nice that it dose reactivate that’s really why I’ve loved army painter speed paints I can go back and forth if I want too .

[@ArtisOpus]

These change personality as you go, as well, which feels properly unique!

[@max16]

So i found that the verd actualy somewhat hates water on the brush and will harden up on it.. iv been experimenting with it for a while with my death guard to
patina the bronze and copper on them and i found that mixing it with equal parts IPA in a little pot and making a wash with it works wonders. same with the rust as well. watering it down with iso lets it flow into the recessis really easily and drys super quick into it so it does not run to much. it also gives a really killer finish.
what you can also do with the verd is put some in a tub and let it dry. then use a damp brush to "reactivate it" and use that damp brush to paint it on. that will give you more white and staining.

[@ArtisOpus]

Alright, so alcohol is king here, thanks very much for the info dude, taken on board, and appreciated! (y)

[@max16]

@@ArtisOpus no problems my dude. yeah so i found that when you use the verd with a brush and try to wash it off and just kind of stays on and turns into a hardend mess :P heh. im sure you have probably had it happen to :P i have a 1LT bottle of IPA and since all of dirty downs stuff is alchohol based as well it just washes off. its also why they want you to have it heated and have the mini heated. alcohol evaporates faster in heat. have you also tried using it cold so it drys slower? you can get kind of finer control sometimes. :P iv found that using the rust when its cold in a decent layer and letting in dry it will look like shit. but then you control it with a damp brush to reactivate it and move it where you want it to go. i did a great unclean ones sword and dagger like that and it came up insane :P

[@chucklamb3496]

Thanks Byron

[@ArtisOpus]

Any time, Chuck

[@JamesSmith-co1kt]

If you look at copper alloys,you should notice that moss doesn’t grow on that surface. It only oxidizes to a verdigris. Copper sulfate repels moss and algae growth. Moss and algae and lichen will grow on steel alloys.

[@jhoodfysh]

Thank you, this was very useful to me.

[@JimmyCrawford]

As Bob would have said " We don't make mistakes, we have happy little accidents."

[@MainerZ]

Have you tried using a 1:1 ish mix with IPA to apply this yet? It removes the panic factor entirely. Decant and mix and you have loads of flexibility. Works with all 3 products.

[@stujm84]

Just remember that in nature, moss typically grows on the northen side of things, mostly in shadowy areas on things like trees and bits.
The finished statue was great though, but if we don't make mistakes we can't improve, so people shouldn't beat themselves up when it happens.

[@ArtisOpus]

Absolutely, mate!
And yes this is a good point, in the sheltered damp bits, and mores Northern side, I should try this net time!

[@SlayerMiniatures]

As Bob Ross would say 'There are no mistakes, just happy accidents' 😊
Turned out great dude! Always fun to experiment!

[@ArtisOpus]

Thanks, buddy! Will check out your latest tomorrow, it's looking epic, though!

[@jmc7034]

I like the end result. Looks great

[@ArtisOpus]

Cheers, buddy! 🥰

[@sweatilaa5325]

to me, bronze and brass statues are always fully covered in a nice layer of verdigris

[@ArtisOpus]

That's fair! We've definitely split public opinion here!

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

Because bronze corrodes due to exposure to the air, so it wouldn't gather verdigris only in certain areas.
I'd cover the bronze statue with the blue and then apply a second layer in the deeper recesses where rain might collect

[@elgindor]

Your the man!

[@albertreed966]

Both versions were good but for a favorite...I liked the first version before you gave it a bath! I tried to imagine it as a statue in a great dark hall first viewed upon after ages in the dark and dank mountain!

[@ecMonify]

i like the first result the best. but then again i really, really love old, patina-covered statues! :P

[@ArtisOpus]

Cheers, buddy! Well now you know both ways! :)

[@spice6828]

10/10 for production value, comedy and more importantly, showing mistakes. Dropping a mark to 9/10 for no rubber ducky during the sink sequence, but would definitely recommend.

[@ArtisOpus]

HAAAA, you're too generous, any option to include a rubber ducky missed is a huge omission, please accept our humble-apologies.

[@HuntingHeresy]

I would have thinned the verdigris more and let it rest in the cracks. Quick downward brush like you were doing to get the dripping effect. Then layered the moss over top, but thinned it down a tad. Seemed like you went very heavy. I'll have to experiment with my own statues to find a happy medium. Always good to look at photos of actual oxidized copper roofing and moss to get an idea of where to put the effect before starting. Some museums have the entire metal roof a nice greenish blue from a century of exposure to the elements. Don't worry about going too heavy. If you thin it down, you can always layer on more.

[@ArtisOpus]

I agree here, more natural reference photos, more practise!

[@ScytheNoire]

That's what's missing from my painting setup: GIN!
I think moss collecting up near the shoulders seems a bit off. I think the top would have more verdigris and the bottom more moss.

[@ArtisOpus]

Agreed buddy, on all accounts ;)

[@baNa123]

Tbh I enjoyed the statue after the gin and toothbrush passage before the new drybrush with canoptek alloy. Was potentially credible with some small weathering touh ups.
Thanks for sharing your errors with us It's really educational and appreciated

[@paulwinter6982]

Love a good Green Wing reference.

[@ArtisOpus]

Can't believe you're the first to catch it, you are a man of good taste! :)

[@paulwinter6982]

Hahaha, thanks Byron. Just found your channel, have been out of the hobby game for some time and just got back in the saddle. I have been checking out different ways of painting rather than just trying to recreate the GW 'eavy metal style. It has to be said, that your channel is inspiring and has changed how I approach painting... To everybody involved, 10/10, keep up the great work.

[@filmguru4]

I actually like both versions of the statue. Both look like they are for different environments. Although the 2nd I like because it is more subtle

[@ArtisOpus]

I'm in agreement here, more practise needed :)

[@WayneCatlin]

Those cabinets really do look gorgeous!! If only my painted models were worthy of being placed in them!! 🤔😭🤣🤦

[@ArtisOpus]

They are! The moment I popped mine in I was like 'Oh, I'll tweak this, I'll improve that'... with minis 8 years old, nothing has made me want to up my game so much, they're fuelling hobby-passion!
Be proud of the results of your hobby dude, even the Slayer Sword winners are on a journey, and they all started somewhere :)

[@SPQRKlio]

I love working with the Verdigris (it makes me want to put a patina on everything... EVERYTHING). But I still cannot make the Moss look decent. I might be trying to work with it at the wrong scale--maybe it looks more convincing on a piece that's meant to be monumentally large? And dabbed at more along the edges to break up the line (e.g. the shoulder on the left vs the shoulder on the right at 16:24)? In any case, the moss at the bottom of the statue looks nice to me.

[@Smilomaniac]

I recommend you get a hold of some glass nano files, such as ‘raser’ by gunprimer. They’re best for flatter surfaces, but generally they don’t over-file and only take off things that jut out, perfect for gates.
Uncommon in 40k, more common in other model hobbying.

[@jackjames2872]

I really like the part with moss on I have the rust and moss stuff at home and have been extremely worried about messing my models up while using it almost a scared I’m going to ruin wat I’ve done

[@RubenMartinVizcay]

Dear Sir:
Can you tell me the company that manufacture the parts you painted in this video.
Thank you

[@ArtisOpus]

Hey man, almost all of our painting is done on miniatures made by Games Workshop (warhammer) :)

[@eduardorodriguezcorrea7386]

Maybe blending a bit with the airbrush the blue and green with the steel?

[@ArtisOpus]

Mhhhmm... I wonder - viewers, would this work?

[@chriscarmona7725]

Why not base it in a bright, pale green, and then drybrush the bronze? The pinwash the deepest recesses with a darker green and put moss on top of that. I think it's the fastest route and winds up looking the best (after a half-dozen attempts are different recipes which all sucked).

[@BasementRecordStudio]

First time I've ever seen gin be poured over a miniature. I really appreciate seeing a bit of frustration with your hobby process as that's how mine tends to go! Do you end up varnishing after the effects are applied? Does airbrush varnish reactive the effects at all?

[@ArtisOpus]

I didn't bother with this, they're not on the bits you touch often, but you could do a light spray, it wouldn't reactivate, but it may slightly darken.
As a note - it's metallic (shiny), I'd avoid a matte unless you're specifically hitting the moss/verdigris (y)
No worries man, I screw up plenty :D

[@NUlN]

Did I overlook the link to the sanding sponges?😅

[@andysmith2235]

I can’t find it neither! Quick look on Amazon hasn’t helped

[@ArtisOpus]

I overlooked linking them! thanks so much: elementgames.co.uk/search?q=sanding+sponge
1000+2000+3000
or
1500+2000+2500
Should cover everything you should need :)

[@nahhfam7678]

This might be a weird question but has Artis Opus absolutely popped off recently? It's seems that every painter on UA-cam has ditched their W&Ns, Raphael's in favour of your line which I have also done with the 1 surplanting all other brushes I had because of the tip quality outperforming the smaller sizes from other brands.

[@ArtisOpus]

Hey dude, thanks very much for the kind words, super-glad that yours is serving you well! If you like the 1, please try a 3, you may be surprised at how closely to the 1 it performs, while holding more paint-volume, and with the increased resilience of a larger brush!
That's an interesting observation, do you think it could be the re-emergence of Golden-Demon, and awards/conventions in general, as well as international travel? We've definitely felt a lot of ripples amongst the god-level painters (a lot of which are educators, or content-producers) who're reinvigorated, working on projects, and looking to use the best tools and equipment available.
Either way, we're humbled on a daily basis - being the choice of your painting-heroes (in some cases childhood painting heroes!) is a special thing, we can only dream of having half their skill and talent :).
If you reply - please do so in a separate comment, UA-cam's awful for ongoing conversation notifications!

[@tomfurstyfield]

Do you need to use heat with it? And do you heat both first? It seems like your only heating after?

[@ArtisOpus]

Heat helps, the bottle will work best if it's warm. So depending on the room temperature you can if requirwd

[@MartinODonnel]

Excellent video, finally I can find a use for gin! Personally I thought it was a very pretty statue

[@ArtisOpus]

Thanks man! Seems you're not alone.
Gin is also excellent for being yummy (y)

[@daves4828]

you talked about asking the makers of dirty down to see how they intend it be used have you contacted them yet to see if they come on vid?
i think a mid ground for statue would have been better ie removed less verdigris

[@andrewamann2821]

Are the cabinets going to be made available for purchase after the Kickstarter is over?

[@ArtisOpus]

Absolutely, all of our brushes were Kicckstarter lines, we only KS products we'll fully support indefinitely :)

[@jakeparker8706]

I think it would be cool to see a model that was coated in the dirty down products, left to dry, and then submerged in water without wiping anything off.

[@ArtisOpus]

Mhhhm, more experimentation needed!

[@Become_The_Hero]

Great tutorial as always. Where’s the statue miniature from please?

[@ArtisOpus]

Hey buddy, it's from the 'Thondian Strongpoint' box for AOS

[@natoman]

Can anyone elaborate on the airbrush thinner/alcohol for the moss instead of water? Does this create a different effect?

[@ArtisOpus]

Water results in more 'clagging/clumping' it seems, if anyone's more chemically knowledgable please do jump in!

[@natebarnes9801]

@@ArtisOpus which of course leads to more cock ups :) Thanks for clarifying and great video.

[@kathrynrobinson-burge7661]

I would love someone to do a video on what a Kickstarter is and how it works just so us Noobs get the picture, or maybe it's just me...😁

[@ArtisOpus]

Oh Kathryn, you're not the only one!
In this case: We've got a project, which is in the final prototype stage, backers supporting the campaign can 'pledge' at whatever level is appripriate for the cabinets they'd like, and they'll receive them early next year, in the first wave of production copies.
Any more questions, please let us know (in another comment, YT is bad for ongoing conversation notifications!).

[@alphaleigpyne]

I think some of mistakes ended up favouring towards some results for your model. The moss effect looks good over it.

[@ArtisOpus]

Thanks man, always a journey with this stuff, I definitely feel we learned a bit to try next time!

[@mikkel456123]

Nice video 😊 What happened to the critiqueing videos you used to do?

[@ArtisOpus]

Thanks, buddy!
We stopped them, but I think I have an idea for a specific one (centred around the Lord of Change model, we're going to do a lot of tutorials covering how to approach all the techniques needed), which will be a great way to offer a service to viewers, that you can only really get in person, normally :)

[@bw1469]

what model is this ?

[@jakebull8874]

what would you use to seal it in? gw varnish spray looks kind of milky after spraying it on models

[@ArtisOpus]

That's what I used! Monutorum Varnish

[@ecMonify]

i had that problem with liquitex varnish. nowadays i use vallejo varnishes which work perfectly. got a bottle of gloss and a bottle of matt, and mix them to create a satin finish i like :P

[@ctno3]

Have you ever seen a caroded bronze or copper statue? You should have just coated the mini and left it the wiping off areas is where it went wrong

[@ArtisOpus]

It's not corrosion, it's oxidisation :)

[@ctno3]

@@ArtisOpus very true and that made me laugh as it’s what I ment lol 😂 it’s been a v long day

[@8-bite393]

Nice work, but the green behind the helmet is way to strong in my opinion

[@ArtisOpus]

Agreed, it's out of your control a little here (that's where it didn't get scrubbed off)

[@nexusdog]

Sanding sponge link?

[@ArtisOpus]

elementgames.co.uk/search?q=sanding+sponge :) my bad!
1000+2000+3000 = everything you'll ever need
or
1500/2000/2500 :)

[@nexusdog]

@@ArtisOpus Grand, thank you Byron

[@KCPFARGO]

The way you put the moss around the edges of shoulders made it look a bit more like messy green paint and killed the natural look a bit

[@ArtisOpus]

As said in the video, more time studying reference photos for the placement would definitely be a good idea!

[@ChirpOTK]

Mentions in the video that people always ask him where to get this stuff while using an interesting sanding strip. Says link is in description. Only links in the description are self-ads. Sanding strip link no where to be found.

[@ArtisOpus]

There's a link in the description and in a couple of comments, it was originally missed, though, here you go: elementgames.co.uk/search?q=sanding+sponge
A couple between 1500-3000 should do you nicely

[@larseriksson4727]

Try shampoo while cleaning. Works wonders on hands!

[@ArtisOpus]

O_o OK, notied, Pantenne sink action if obviously inevitable in our future :D

[@KamekazeKuban]

The first one looks like a verdigris statue, the last one looks like a mossy one.

[@ArtisOpus]

Fair, opinions are definitely divided on this one!

[@KamekazeKuban]

@@ArtisOpus not gonna lie, I was watching this when I had a headache, I didn’t even read the title of the video lol
I think they look great for what they are!! I like the verdigris more, I think it’s an under used effect!!

[@warhammered6485]

Are the display cases made in 🇨🇳?

[@ArtisOpus]

Nope! They're made entirely on site at our production facility, by fully trained, full time staff :)

[@ladynerevar]

This is a great video, but it stresses me out so much that you wear don't gloves 😬 this stuff is super toxic. Please take care of yourself 🙂

[@alcovitch]

the moss is not convincing at all

[@ArtisOpus]

We'll play with placement another time, with nature reference.

[@ml6158]

Is it true artist opus brushes are overpriced Rosemary’s?

[@shrimperlincs3395]

The Grade A+ brushes passed by QC go to places like AO, the B grade etc. are sold by R&Co.

[@donkeyholmes4581]

Do you keep your brushes in stock? I ordered a set of 10 5 days ago and they haven’t even been shipped yet ☹️

[@ArtisOpus]

Hey dude, we do, did you customise the box at all?
Let us know in another comment, UA-cam isn't great for ongoing notifications.

[@emanueledibona5929]

I cannot make that verdigris work. I heated it, I shaked it, I used mixer. I thinned it down, I slapped it tichk. Nothing seems to work. It just add a dark green filter+wash.

[@donkeyholmes4581]

No no customisation, my account says order paid but fulfilment status is unfulfilled