Hi everyone - Thanks so much for all the tips/advice! I'm definitely keeping track of what kinda works, what works, and what doesn't. So far, this seems to be working and just getting comments saying I'm on the right path is very encouraging. I was thinking of going back and adding a very light stippling of white (very little as I don't want it to seem as though it's a missed/unpainted area) and black, just to get a little variation in the "rock" color that one might seen in nature. My thought process there was even if your eye doesn't consciously see those specks of white and black, it might make the "rock" look a little more realistic. I was thinking of adding green to simulate mold/moss, but I wasn't sure if that is something that is traditionally done with some sort of turf/ground cover (?)
On one of my earlier attempts at painting the foam to look like rock, I tried the wash technique but I felt like I didn't have as much color as the dry brushing technique - it might be I was just doing it wrong.
Like cowman said/suggested, I'm hoping once I add scenery and ground cover everything will mesh together into a cohesive (and realistic) looking scene.
Thanks again for all the advice, and, of course, if anyone has any other tips/advice please keep them coming!
I think you did pretty well. You might want to try some washes of yellow/orange green or blue. Use sparingly.
I've made my own latex rock molds and plaster rocks. You don't need a huge mold like the Bragdon? molds. You just orient smaller molds at different angles. Plaster is messy though.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Welcome to the forums.
My first impression was that they were too shiney and smooth (unless worn away by water). I think your lighting may have to do with the color.
When you add some scenery around and on them they will change too.
A student I took over mentoring on a school project used a technique that his first mentor had shown him. I missed the instruction part, but his results were quite realistic. After getting the basic shape of the cliff he was doing, he attacked it with a flat bladed screwdriver, jabbing and twisting. His painting technique was to just put on a couple of coats of his basic rock color. If we had had time, more washes and highlighting would have added to the look.
I think you are on the right track, just dress it up with some surrounding scenery and see how it looks.
Good luck,
Richard
to the Model Railroader Forums, Toth.....I wonder if we're related?
Your rocks look pretty decent to me, although, depending on the ones you wish to represent, a little subtle variety in colours might enhance them. A simple wash might even do the trick.
I've installed some styrofoam cliffs on my layout, based on an example which I saw at a nearby model railroad club during a layout tour a couple of years ago, but have not yet had time to do any cutting or painting. I copied the club's written procedure for creating a prototypical-looking rock face and for the colouring too, which they did using ordinary craft paints, available at any dollar store.The rock which they depicted is very common in this area, but markedly different from yours, as around here it's very stratified, with layers of limestone, shale, and clay, all in a multitude of colours...greys, reds, greens and brown, and even yellow and purple in varying shades.
Wayne
I've always enjoyed that waterfalls picture of yours Mike. Everyone has their own signature in their style of modeling. The colors you use in your rock formations of golden and rust look really good.
You too Mel. No two modelers rock formations are the same. Everyone's signature in their art is different than someone else's. Your rock formations look great Mel.
All the rock formations in the world are different as well.
I was admiring my brother's foam rock techniques on his layout not too long ago.
He isn't done yet. He said he will leave the more realistic areas and fill in with ground foam and sifted dirt/sand in the other areas. I don't know what it is with his technique but that mountain behind the box car looks huge even though it isn't.
On this mock-up of mine I just started hacking a couple layers of 2" foam with a steak knife. I painted it earth tone and grabbed a bag of leftover thinset from a tile job, mixed it thin and smeared it on there with a paintbrush.
I think the lime started eating on the foam through the paint and caused an interesting effect on its own. No additional paint had to be added after the chemical reaction took place.
I have a hard time throwing any foam away. I have a brown shopping bag full of small foam chunks and have done experiments on them.
The darn things are like snowflakes, no two ever turn out the same. These started out being painted with a whitewash. Then a light wash of India ink in alcohol. Then a dry brush of some tan color.
I don't think there's any right or wrong way to do foam rocks Toth. The detail in the foam actually does the work for you.
Grab some chunks and hack it up, cut it up, rip it apart with your fingernails, whatever. The less harder you try the better it turns out. Do some experiments with paint washes but as one of the other modelers suggested, keep records. That one time you nail it you're going to want to know what you did.
P.S. I was disappointed I could not get through to see your images
TF
I use Plaster of Paris for all my rocks. I found it will accept Woodland Scenics Stains very well and looks very realistic.I have about a dozen rubber rock molds from a couple of suppliers that make very nice looking rocks. The Plaster of Paris is very easy to work with but a bit messy at times.I did learn the hard way to not seal my rocks, if over time you want to change the look a bit the sealed Plaster of Paris rocks won’t accept stain. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Looks like your doing OK to me.
All of the rock surfaces on my layout is paint directly on foam.
The Home Depot near me has, or used to have, sample jars of paint they mix for a customer to take home, and try the color out.
I picked up quite a few of them in different browns and tan, along with ink washes, and painted right on the foam.
Selectors idea of keeping track what your using and how much, is good advice.
I didn't, but I still have the jars of left over paint that I used.
I think your coming along fine.
There are tons of videos out there, try different searches like carving foam and painting foam.
I know the war gamers do this type of rock work along with other crafters.
Mike.
My You Tube
Your technique is quite reasonable and ought to succeed, but you need to keep records of what you try and what you feel worked best. Underpaints of white or very light grey, then some ocher maybe, but quite diluted and sprayed on or dry-brushed. Darker grey, maybe some very pale blue. Then, to get the carved dimples and grooves to pop, spray with either diluted India Ink or 'black' acrylic, or even white.
You must be methodical about this or you'll be floundering around wondering why you don't get consistent results. KEEP RECORDS, even on a temporary post-it stuck up on a wall near the work. If it's a bust decidedly, throw away the post it, but AFTER you have tried something different from the recorded applications of paints.
At least to me, those don't look too bad. It seems to me you're on the right track. The variation seems right to me.
One piece of advice that I would give you is to find pictures of rocks, hills, etc., from an area that you are modeling. That should give you a good idea of the colors and the particular details of that area. With those pictures you can match the colors in the pics to the paints that you have.
The other thing that can also change the way the color looks is the lighting in the layout room. I have a good example of color shift in my house. I have a wall with a fireplace. The chimney area sticks out from the wall. I used the same color on both the chimney area and the rest of the wall. However the color on the chimney looks a lot different than what's on the rest. When my Mom first saw it, she thought that I had used two different colors on the wall. It's just the way the light hits it.
Hi all - I'm looking for tips/strategies/advice on painting foam rocks and cliffs. I've scoured the Internet looking for tips, but most links/videos take me to strategies for painting "foam" rocks that have been covered with Sculptamold, Plaster of Paris, etc. I'm looking for strategies on how to paint/create realistic foam rocks/cliffs without adding an additional layer of material and simply painting directly on the foam.
What I've tried:
Step #1: Painting the foam with an AppleBarrell Petwer Grey
Step #2: Then, using a sponge, stippling multiple shades of progressivly lighter grey.
Step #3: Once the grey is dry I tried dry brushing on Burnt Sienna, a Tan/Beige color, and some Raw Umber.
Step #4: In cracks and crevices I tried wetting the area with water and then painting in a wash of black acyrlic paint.
In the end, the final product just looks - unimpresive...and, to me, simply a monotone grey "rock" without any variation in color. I'm not even sure it looks realsitic (?) (I've tried attaching two images below...hopefully they work)
| Other relevant (?) information |
My first layout (roughly 4x10)
Not modeling any specific area or network
Location would be "New England"
Era would be 1900-1940
Modular layout
Thanks again for any tips or pointing me in the direction of sites/readings/videos that might be helpful!