I have a Russian barn that's 1/2 burned down and wondering what colors / effects for burns on a wooden structure. Thanks

If it is a wooden model you could actually burn it and if plastic/resin paint it as you would normally and then use wood ash rubbed in.

Soot black pigments might help.

Greg,

Burnt wood goes pure black (forget about "scale" effects!) but many timbers will only be charred on some surfaces, or only part of their length, depending on how the fire spread. The change from charred to untouched can be really sharp and irregular, so no need for airbrushing. Where deeply charred the surface usually cracks and shrinks, so attack these areas with sandpaper & gouges first, then score them into crazy-paving with a knife before painting. (Deeply charred wood looks kinda like alligator skin...) Oh,and where a timber breaks the exposed core may be completely untouched - charring on say a 6" square beam even in a big fire may only penetrate an inch or two...

Ash, if present will be whitish-grey, and mainly settled on the ground in areas where the wind eddies (base of a beam, etc). Probably best done as a powdered chalk? Don't overdo it though.

You may find the total effect is too dark when viewed. It might benefit from a faint dry-brush of grey just to pick out edges of beams as with sunlight.

Sounds like you'll have a lot of fun burning your building!

Tom

PS: My work has taken me to a lot of burnt historic buildings over the years...

Thanks for the great help everyone!!!!

i would paint it black and then dry brush white or light grey onto the high points.