Crackle Medium

Vallejo Crackle Medium, a medium for the effect of a cracked surface

An auxiliary acrylic preparation from the Spanish maker Vallejo in a dropper bottle. It serves to create the effect of a cracked, aged coat of paint: it is applied between two layers of acrylic paint and as it dries it makes the top layer of paint crack believably and reveal the shade underneath.

What it is and what it is not

Crackle Medium is an effect medium, not a paint: on its own it does not color the surface. The resulting look arises from the interplay of the bottom paint, the medium and the top paint: the shade underneath shows through the cracks, so by choosing a contrasting pair of colors you determine the overall reading of the effect. The character and the size of the cracks are influenced by the thickness of the layers applied, which is why it pays to try the procedure out first on a test piece of plastic or card.

Use

• Apply the bottom paint (the shade that is meant to show through the cracks) and let it dry.
• Over it apply a layer of Crackle Medium.
• Once the medium has set, apply the top paint; it will crack as it dries.
• Thicker layers give coarser cracks, thin layers a fine crackle.

Who it is for

For builders of dioramas and painters of figures: old gates and shutters, peeling plaster, weathered wood of ships and wagons, figure bases or fantasy scenery. The effect works well even on small areas: it is enough to use it locally where the age of the paintwork would naturally show.

An acrylic water-based preparation. Shake before use; the tools are washed with water.