Hi guys!
I'm trying to paint some ammo crates in a natural wood color, but no matter what I try they come out looking "plastic" or really fake looking. Any tips,tricks or anything else you can think of would be helpful. Thanks Scott

paint your crates in a wood color and then give it a wash with oils for example burnt sienna.
Or put de burnt sienna direct on the crate and wipe it carefully away with a tissue so that the paint will remain in the cracks and along the side skirts of the crate.

thats all to it

succes

Eric

Eric
Thanks I needed to go to the hobby shop anyways. I'll pick up some burnt sienna oils and give that a try. Scott

Make sure your paint is completely flat. Any bit of brilliance just does not look right on wooden crates. Use flat paint and if necessary add a drop of flatting agent.

I have had this problem also. The problem hasn't gone away but has gotten better with a couple things I have tried.

1. More than 1 wash with starting with a dark color than hitting some other areas with one a little lighter. I do this on an acrylic base because the oil paint doesn hurt it.
2. same thing with drybrushing but this is much harder to get right for me when trying to get it to look like wood. I use colors a lot closer to the color of the base coat than I do with the washes. I usually overdo the drybrushing then wipe some off which you can do with oils pretty easily.

Someday I hope I get this right, but this is working to some extent so far.