How to make neon signs

[Andym]

Recently I've been making up bits and pieces for a wee sci fi board I've been doing. I thought it may be useful for other people to see how they're done.




So how to do neon signs....

Well....you don't need much. The making of the sign is just a bit of plastic card and some solder. You'll need superglue to stick the solder down and a knife to cut it.



1. Cut the plastic card and draw out your sign. Having a template to cut the solder really helps get the size of the bits right.




2. Glue your bits on with superglue.





3. Now for the neon to work it needs to be on a dark background. Its the contrast between light/dark that should fool the viewer into believing its real. I've started here with GW Leadbeltcher Metal.



4. I've then mixed a heavy wash. 1 part GW Nuln oil, 2 parts GW Abaddon Black to 3 parts water. Then allow it to dry.





5. Here I've used GW Mephiston Red and an old brush. The idea here is to drybrush into the cracks around the solder and drybrush a 'halo' around the letters.



6. Use the same colour as the last step but paint the letters a solid colour this time with a decent brush.





7. The next stage is just to add some white, GW Ceramic White, 1 part red to 1 part white. Don't paint the whole letter this time, but try and make each successful highlight a smaller line than the one before.




8. Add more white to your mix 1 part red to 2 parts white. Apply some of your whitest highlights at the start and end of the letters.











Edit: I forgot to mention the other colours that seem to work for me....

Blue Neon: replace GW Mephiston Red with GW Sotek Green.

Green Neon: drybrush GW Warboss Green to create the 'halo' effect around the solder letters, then use GW Moot Green to paint the letters. Add more and more white to the Moot Green to highlight the letters.

[Eric the Shed]

lovely tutorial...

[Elk101]

Very effective,  nice one Andy.

[OSHIROmodels]

Very good post Andy 

cheers

James

[Silent Invader]

Excellent Andy 

[Rhoderic]

I have an aversion to "light source" painting outside of set-piece dioramas because I'm bothered by the inconsistencies that crop up when using terrain and figures in a practical, transposable manner, but I have to say, this looks so good it's seriously challenging my beliefs!

Now I don't know if I ever will be able to model neon signs because if I don't paint the "halos", they won't look nearly as good as yours. Aargh!

[Mason]

Nice one, mate.
 

I wonder what you are going to use the demo sign on???
 

[pocoloco]

Great tutorial AndyM, many thanks. Hopefully this will be made permanent here somehow.

[Elk101]

Nice one, mate.
 

I wonder what you are going to use the demo sign on???
 

It's to be added to "Andy's Finishing School for", an educational establishment for the polite female society in MC1. He also has a sign for a garden tool washing service called "Dirty Hoes?", though I understand they will also accept unclean rakes and soiled edging spades.

[Mason]

It's to be added to "Andy's Finishing School for", an educational establishment for the polite female society in MC1. He also has a sign for a garden tool washing service called "Dirty Hoes?", though I understand they will also accept unclean rakes and soiled edging spades.

 

[6milPhil]

Very nice, thanks for sharing. 

[Malebolgia]

Awesome. Bought a roll of solder during lunch

[Gunbird]

Excellent, more uses for the out of date rolls of solder from my repair department

[grant]

That's awesome. Neat idea and excellent execution.

Mr. Robot is a great show, too.

[Andym]

Glad it helps, chaps!

Grant-I haven't seen the show yet. I was looking for a quick sign to use and seen the adverts for it. The premise sounds great.

I've edited the first post with the other colours that work for me for different shades of neon light.