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  • How to make and paint up smoke and flames

    Playing WoG has been great. Then at a convention I saw someone using the Litko smoke and flame markers, that was cool. I didn't buy any though as I thought it could look better. I recently made some smoke and flames and thought I'd pass along how I did it.

    First of all, you will need pipe cleaners, (I chose black) cotton balls, white glue, craft paint, (black, orange, red and yellow) and a paint brush. (maybe a dull knife to scrape the glued cotton from your fingers!) You'll need something to cut the pipe cleaners. Scissors worked for me.



    First, cut the pipe cleaner to the length you like. I go for 3" to 4" lengths. I bend the end about a half an inch worth, this is to grab hold of the wing. The bend hangs downwards and can be re-bent to snug up the smoke/fire to the plane wing.




    Next peel off a part of a cotton ball to be just longer than the pipe cleaner.



    Put white glue along the top and sides of the pipe cleaner. How much? Not too much but don't be skimpy with it, its cheap!



    Here is where it gets messy! Lay the cotton on top of the pipe cleaner. While holding the bent end of the pipe cleaner, gently squeeze the cotton to the pipe cleaner so that it gets into the glue. Your fingers will get sticky and get fuzzy with cotton. It comes off easy enough so your family won't send you off to St. Clabberts to recover with Father Jack. (Father Ted anyone?)



    I did 8 at a time. I let this dry over night. Next night I painted patches of orange on the flame markers. Then I add some smaller patches of red. For smoke just use black.



    Next I paint up the rest in black. It doesn't have to cover everything, a little white showing here and there I think looks better. I'll dry brush some black over most of the orange to dull it a little.




    Next I add in a little yellow and maybe touch up the orange if I think its too dark. I make some brighter, some darker.



    And after letting them dry a couple hours you're done. I haven't used anything to seal it but may try some dull clear spray if I find the paint flaking off.



    For my balloons I used a full 12" pipe cleaner. I twisted it so it looked like a wishbone with 3" legs. Same process with adding cotton except that it covers the whole pipe cleaner. This one is a bit messier as you have no extra bend to hold while gluing on the cotton and painting.




    I think this method should work for any plane, balloon, Zepplin, ship...whatever you want burning.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: How to make and paint up smoke and flames started by Teaticket View original post