Just incase you were struggling to paint a shelf of some sort, try the method I show in the video below. This type of painting is great when the shelf is NOT the centre attraction of a diorama, but is blending into an exterior or interior scene. (aka little care for showing off the superb detail in a castings)
https://youtu.be/c-iclPioUWI (https://youtu.be/c-iclPioUWI)
Give it a try.
Very nicely done!
Have you tried alcohol & ink wash as a last step to add some depth/shading along the lines of the detail items?
dave
Yes, it was done IA. I was not too worried here as because this was a hidden casting and details were not visible.
The India Ink IA application was to be done lightly and fast as it will lift and melt the acrylic paint.
I find that my "gunk", which is old brown chalks and IA, gives that piled on dirt look that helps add depth. So using both sparingly keeps the finish intact.
(BTW: I also use the chalks and water as a wash to help mitigate issues.)