QUOTE: Originally posted by ARTHILL Jeael, I am just starting to experment with foam. I have scratched with an Xato vertically and cut horizontilly and painted with artist acrylic washes. The first experment looked fair. I have hopes for success. Am now waiting for a foam knife so I can carve the basic shape of a floor to ceiling cliff. The more careless I was the better the results. I did try spray painting with solvent paint. It ate at the foam and the left a result that looked like a mud cliff. I may use that a little latter after I leave the desert scenes. As you practice, please share what you have learned. I think after we survive the learning curve there is good scenery detail here. ART Oppps! Art, I forgot to check the can to see if it was foam friendly! It'll probably turn into a pile of mush. Oh well, then I can say from experience what happens! I'm still in the tracklaying phase and probably will be for a while as I changed the plans a little, but I know I'll be experimenting with making rocks and stuff out of foam so if I run across anything good I'll pass it along and you do the same! Jarrel
QUOTE: Originally posted by rayhippard Action1nonly, Welcome to the forum. I think you will be pleased with all the heplfull info you can get here. Just ask jacon12. No question too trivial. Also later you can learn to search the archives for some of your questions. But in the mean time, enjoy and have fun. What scale / gauge are you modeling ? Ray ------ Great Northern fan.
QUOTE: Originally posted by selector Jarrell, you could first paint the carved foam a very light gray, or even white, if you wanted a limestone look. Then, yes, you would commence a series of darker, rayer, some browner washes and see as you go. Be sure to allow each coat to dry thoroughly so that you are not working at odds with what you want to achieve by adding unneeded tinting. For another experiment, try slicing strips of another piece and then work at making a stratified look, like slate ledges. Then paint a light grey, and try different washes to see how it all looks. The last couple of washes would probably best be diluted India Ink to enhance shadow effect.
QUOTE: Originally posted by oleirish Jarrell;looks ok ! next time try a wood rasp to take chunks out of you foam,then paint,when still a little wet sprinkle a little cat litter on, then stick some lichen on it, stand back and take a look you would be supprised what you see![^] JIM
QUOTE: Originally posted by ARTHILL Oleirish reminds us that detail of suggestion is useful. Tear chunks out with vertical strokes. 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks. Keep them random. Don't clean out the mess. It makes nice random Talus. Then go back with a knife and slice horizontal slices. Experment with patterns as different areas have different strata lines. If you like volcanic areas some of the horizotal strata lines are tipped and even bend up to vertical. As you paint keep different strata areas different colors. Be too bold at first, not too timid. I started my first pike in 9th grade. I learned a lot by mistakes. As Thomas Edison said after years of not making an electic bulb, "I am not a failer, I now know 10,000 things that won't work. Good Luck and had FUN Art
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12 Cat litter, bag only, clay kind.. ok.. got it. Thanks guys, Jarrell
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
QUOTE: Originally posted by ARTHILL The left over from casting rocks and tunnel liners made good rock liter when I broke it up and stained it different colors. I was in a hurry and rather careless in the process and it looked better than when I was carefull. I guess mother nature and blasting crews are rather random when the make rock slides. and mix the colors indiscrimantly. Save all the left overs. I got a great pile of rock for a guy to shovel from some hydrocal that had too much water and wouldn't set right. Art
QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse This might be a little late, but do you have a picture of the rock you were trying to imitate?
QUOTE: Originally posted by Trainnut1250 Jarrell, I would have to say that this rock thing is not really a funny post. Things are geting too serious here. You are going to end up with a reputation like Woody Allen when people ask him about the early "funny " films he made and why he doesn't make those kind of movies anymore....... As to the rock at hand. I think Selector has it right. There are lots of different prototype rocks out there and choosing the one you want will tell you a lot about how to make it. What you have made could be passable for the decomposing granite found in Joshua Tree CA if you were to color it correctly (the color you have now reminds me of... ..we're not even going to go there). I think the issue with foam will be getting a texture that is fine enough for most rock species. This could be accomplished by painting the rough shape with plaster or maybe a gesso type product to give a smoother surface. Another area for experimentation would be to get some fracture lines and striations in the rocks. I'm not sure how well the foam will be able to accompli***his.... Perhaps cutting thin pieces and stacking them up, sealing them and then painting with washes. On my last layout I hand carved plaster rocks. See my site in the signature. Took several years to complete the carving on a 4' X 16' layout using this method. I didn't work year round, but it was large project. One of the cool things about carving that you don't often see from rock molding techniques is that I was able to align my fracture lines into anticline and sincline formations (the fracture lines follow a consistent pattern through large areas of scenery). On the new layout I will most likely be using molds to make rocks....
QUOTE: Guy, that water tower is, without a doubt, the most amazing thing I've seen on this forum. I can't get over it!
QUOTE: You know, my wife came in the train room last night and I was sitting there looking and thinking and she asked me what was wrong and I told her that I didn't think I'd ever finish it. She was kinda surprised by that. I don't think most people don't have a clue as to how complex these things are, I know I didn't.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Trainnut1250 QUOTE: Guy, that water tower is, without a doubt, the most amazing thing I've seen on this forum. I can't get over it! Crandell that is quite a compliment, Thanks. QUOTE: You know, my wife came in the train room last night and I was sitting there looking and thinking and she asked me what was wrong and I told her that I didn't think I'd ever finish it. She was kinda surprised by that. I don't think most people don't have a clue as to how complex these things are, I know I didn't. Amen!!!! You expect to be done some day??...Whats the fun in that?? Then you will just have to start over. This layout will be a snapshot of where you are at this time in terms of your modeling point of view and developmnet. As soon as you do stuff, you see ways to do it better or differently. You will never be done. Actually, I beleive that you will finish it. The trick is to end up with something that you like and that has some operation to keep your interest after you get the main stuff done. If it is any consolation, I have a trainbuddy in town who has been working on his layout for 20 years and he is not done!! He is a master modeler, a Mozart of modelling (if there is such a thing) and he is not worried about being done. I figure if he is enjoying the ride, why should I let it bother me when I feel that sinking feeling that "I'll never be done". You are making good progress. Anytime there is forward motion in a weeks time this is a good thing. Many layouts sit for months, even years with no progress at all. You are right when you suggest that it is a complicated hobby. Thats whats cool about it. When you get the basics completed then there is rolling stock, structures and detailing. On my old layout I went around the layout in waves of detailing. Each time I went back to the scene things got more detailed and I used new techniques that I had learned etc. Rolling stock is another vast area. It is fun to build cars and to weather stuff and then watch it run. As for the rock topic, I was thinking you might find rock molds to be quicker and easier than carving foam. Check out woodland scenics and bragdon enterprises for molds.