Painting /staining Plaster type walls

[Barney]

Has any one any thoughts /ideas on the staining /painting of plaster walls I have tried  many ways in the past (many years back) but never happy with the final results
photo below of sort of finish Im after
Barney

[darrylhuffman]

As each casting is of a different density and therefore accept stains differently, Tom Yorke now assembles the building and then seals the castings with a light coat of paint.

I like to use white primer in a spray can.

Try not to have your castings look polka dot looking.

Using very thin stains, begin staining.

I use cheap acrylics.

Let the first pass dry and then do it again with different colors or shades.

The real secret is to use several very thin coats.

Blocks are brighter on the top than on the bottom due to the sun hitting them.

Pour a slab of plaster, seal and practice.

Be sure to keep your reference photo handy for comparison.

Prowl around on this site for ideas.

https://www.nebrownstone.com/blog/

[shropshire lad]

This is the specific page

   https://www.nebrownstone.com/blog/painting-new-england-brownstone-castings/. Though I can’t see if says what paint he uses , other than it is water based .

[darrylhuffman]

For one method he uses gauche.

[darrylhuffman]

another tutorial:

http://www.morganhillmodels.com/Stonewalltutorial.html

and another:

http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35682

[Les Tindall]

In the past I have found that a light  spray of matt white on the plaster means you can then control the subsequent stains, plaster otherwise absorbs (too rapidly) any colours applied. A light spray does not penetrate the cracks and joints which, when adding the top colours gives a darker shade to them, the sort of result required.
Les

[Barney]

Thanks to every one - some great thoughts and sites to se- I note the general idea is to seal the plaster lightly - I think this is Where I went wrong - although some say Don't seal I'v got a few test pieces so a trial run in all directions
Thanks again
Barney

[Barney]

http://www.feldbahn-modellbau.ch/2018/09/haus-mit-bruchsteinmauerwerk-part-21.html?spref=pi
If any one has bought Mr Marcle Ackles book and is getting frustrated at just looking at the pictures try the web site above it translates into English and gives step by step instructions of how he does it - I must say its a Fantastic Book .
Barney 

[finescalerr]

Back around 1992-3 I built a 1:24 review sample of a water tank with a cast resin base representing stone. I primed the resin flat white with acrylic interior house paint because it seemed to have a slightly porous quality after it dried, then I applied stains and ended up with a finish that virtually duplicated the appearance of a rock wall near my house. I think that's basically the same thing Les has suggested except I made certain to work the paint into all the cracks and joints. When the white paint dried I applied a dilute wash of India ink and alcohol. After that came washes of acrylic model paints and strategic applications of the India ink and alcohol wash. It was the only experiment I ever tried that actually worked the first time. -- Russ