Hello everyone, just wondering if anyone on here had any experience with making boulders out of styrofoam board? I have looked but cant really find anything about making boulders, mainly carving foam for mountains. Any help is appreciated....Thanks!
I carved rock in my previous layout. Sorry, I don't have any good pics, but it turned out OK. I used a sharp and thin Exacto knife on blue foam to simulate slate. After carving, I brushed on a watery thin coat of plaster. This was to facilitate the painting. If the plaster is too thick, it will hide the cracks and details. Like anything else, practice makes a difference. For my current layout I plan on using rock molds to simulate granite cliffs. Carving foam is tedious and I don't trust my skills to do rounded rock in a convincing way... But I have seen some impressive work on boulders, so why not try it?
Simon
I have a Woodland Scenics mold for casting boulders from Hydrocal. There are quite a few boulders per mold, all different. I like to pour one or two molds worth at the start of any scenery project and paint them, usually just with gray spray primer, so I've always got a supply on hand to add to any scene as I'm doing it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
It isn't an answer to your question, but I offer an idea you may not have considered. If you have a partially used bag of Portland Cement lying about somewhere, and it isn't rock hard already, I have found some decent looking rocks in the previously opened bag after, say, four or five years. You can bust up the larger pieces and get some talus.
Guys, i appreciate your input and comments. I think i will just purchase a couple of rock molds and mold some out of hydrocal instead of using foam....Thanks again!
As Simon noted a sharp tool is really all that is needed. I took over as mentor for a student at school for his project. His previious mentor had shown him how to do ledges from foam. Basically it was cut and slash. After a couple coats of diluted gray paint, they looked amazingly good.
Like Mr B, I have cast my own, many from molds I have made from Woodland scenics Laytex Rubber of rocks I have found in my fields. (I have a great selection.) Also as he said, one mold can produce several different looking products, by holding them at different angles as the plaster cures. One real rock can make many different molds that have the same charistics, but are different.
Have fun,
Richard
Evening again gentleman
I've never been asked how you make Boulders out of foam before. Since I love making almost everything out of foam. I took the liberty to go to the table and try some
Busted an end of a square piece of foam with my fingers
Held the cube of foam over the garbage and started busting Corners off with my fingernails, kept going around and around until it looked pretty good
Almost forgot the step where you take your fingernails and poke them all around in different directions all over the boulder scratching a little sometimes
Next some paint on a paper plate. Two tans, a greenish color, and a dark brown with some water on the side to thin the paint
The lighter color painted first and then the darker colors blotched and then kind of schmoose them with your fingertips
A favorite magic of foam is India ink. I did about three-five sewing thimbles of alcohol and two light squeezed drops of India ink. One never wants to forget the flat black India ink
Last but not least you dry brush the lightest color onto the edges carefully and sparingly. After you already cupped them with a hairdryer in your other hand after the Indian ink. And Wallah, instant boulders
Most foam projects turn out better when not speedballed like I just did
Foam can't be made into too much of a science. The foam actually does the work for you if you try a little less is more
Boulder walls I have seen in person have different colored boulders can be easily achieved by alternate primary colors of paint.
Always loved working with foam
Thanks for looking at my experiment
TF
TF, Your Boulders look wonderful...now all I need is fingernails.
Thanks for the compliment Penn Central 101, did sound kind of funny like that one time every one told Ed he had a nice caboose
I have my newest foam tool now
Track Fiddler did indeed make bolders. The work I had seen done before turned out ledges.
Nice work TF.
Thanks Richard
I have been intrigued with foam since the first time I used it
Spent a lot of time researching modeling techniques for the reason I love working with the stuff
You can cut out foam and then shape it a bit with Plaster of Paris. You can find that at any local craft store. You get a lot for the price, so it gives you multiple options.
On my HO layout, all 'Terra Firma' is foam. From the 3/4'' plywood sub base going up (hills) and from the 3/4'' plywood sub base going down (valleys) Blue, Pink and White. Mostly left overs from somebody's job or dumpster diving. Two grades are Woodland scenics track grades. I had to pay for those.
My yards are track on Homasote and track on cork (HO and N) on Homasote.
Track fiddler Evening again gentleman I've never been asked how you make Boulders out of foam before. Since I love making almost everything out of foam. I took the liberty to go to the table and try some Busted an end of a square piece of foam with my fingers Held the cube of foam over the garbage and started busting Corners off with my fingernails, kept going around and around until it looked pretty good Almost forgot the step where you take your fingernails and poke them all around in different directions all over the boulder scratching a little sometimes Next some paint on a paper plate. Two tans, a greenish color, and a dark brown with some water on the side to thin the paint The lighter color painted first and then the darker colors blotched and then kind of schmoose them with your fingertips A favorite magic of foam is India ink. I did about three-five sewing thimbles of alcohol and two light squeezed drops of India ink. One never wants to forget the flat black India ink Last but not least you dry brush the lightest color onto the edges carefully and sparingly. After you already cupped them with a hairdryer in your other hand after the Indian ink. And Wallah, instant boulders Most foam projects turn out better when not speedballed like I just did Foam can't be made into too much of a science. The foam actually does the work for you if you try a little less is more Boulder walls I have seen in person have different colored boulders can be easily achieved by alternate primary colors of paint. Always loved working with foam Thanks for looking at my experiment TF
Wow sir, those look awesome....I really appreciate your effort and the pics ....Im gonna give it a try....Thanks again everyone!
Thanks Trainzman
Well, ...Ya know!
If anybody on this forum has some good information it's always good received
I'm a guy with a truck and some tools and enjoys a great hobby that is the Greatest Hobby in the world
If I ever learn something on any subject anywhere. What makes me happy is to share it
I appreciate your complement Trainzman
P.S. I really hope and request you post those Boulders after you try it out. I am anxious and confident to see them I think you got this
Nice work TF. I use the same method.
I needed a train load of rocks for the grandson's "O" scale ore cars, so I crumbled up a bunch, put them in a coffee can of latex paint, put on some latex gloves to "mix" them up, and get the rocks all coated, then let them dry on a piece of window screen out in the sun. I added highlight colors with light "wisps" of spray paint.
I also thought of putting some weathering chalk in a plastic bag, adding the rocks, and shacking them around.
Mike.
My You Tube
Thanks Mike
Good to see ya. Your techniques sound interesting. I love trying out new things. I may have to give yours a whirl