Tutorial - How to make a socket label - A

posted by Raffaele, Picster, Capuchin ...

Hey everyone!

This weekend i've had an idea for a socket label.
Once i've bought set of punching letters, i'll use them for this tutorial...

So here's a short list of things you'll 'need' (for some things you can use alternative stuff, this is a list of what i used for it):
- Punching letters
- Plasticard
- Cutter and/or hobby knife
- Photo etched bolts (MIG)
- rust colored pigments (i used self made rust and MIG Pigments)
- Some colors
- Bananas
- Drill
- Graphite pen


So... let's start!

At first i cut out some raw shape out of plasticard, then i used the punching letters and a hammer (you can use your fist if you're a techno viking gorilla or your willpower if you're chuck norris) to punch my text into it.


After this step i further cut down the size of the label to better fit it to the shape of the socket and text. I then used tools like a small file and a hobby knife to cut some scratches, dents and holes into the plasticard and then glued some photoetched brass bolts onto the edges with superglue.


The label was then primed black and i applied the first colors for the rusted surface.
I applied Scorched Brown, Vermin Brown, Bestial Brown and Dwarf Flesh with a blister sponge in a random pattern.

Then i painted some light into the basic rust layer ... later i noticed that you can jump this step entirely as this wasn't visible in the end :)

When the color was dry i applied liquid mask with the blister sponge in a semi-random pattern ( i wanted it to have bigger rust spots at the border of the label).

While the liquid mask dried, i mixed the next two colors: Hawk Turquoise + Fortress Grey and Regal Blue + Codex Grey.
When the liquid mask was dry i used wet-in-wet to paint a gradient of those two colors over the whole label.

Then i painted some light and shadow into the basic blue color using (thick) glazes (sorry i was a bit late with the photo here ;).

I removed the liquid mask using patafix (blue tac).

Then i used pigments to alter the rust look using 'Old Rust' from MIG and some self made rust pigments.

The next step was to alter this look using 'Light Rust' & 'Standard Rust' from MIG.

Then i noticed the rust looked a bit flat... i used super glue and 'kaiser natron' (you can use baking soda for this, too...) to add a bit of rusty pickles... i applied it with a toothpick, you don't want to destroy my brush ;)

I dabbed some wet 'Old Rust' pigments onto the kaiser natron to color it.

I dabbed more and more variations of dry rust pigments and black pigments onto the label to give it a realistic look.

When i thought the rust looked good enough i added more contrast to the details of the surface with Bleached Bone and Chaos Black.

To further enhance the look i put many small strokes of a black glaze, especially into the highlights of the text.
On this photo you'll also notice the nice difference of the glossiness between the pigments and the 'chipped paint'... nice effect if you ask me :)

To give the label a nice metallic finish i used a graphite pen and rubbed it on my finger.

I rubbed my finger over the edges of the label and lightly over the whole surface.

Finally i glued the label onto the base and added some last finishing touches (more black for the text..).... tada! finished :)

I hope you like this tutorial and maybe you'll get some inspiration ;)

cheers,
Raffa