I have finished my fourth diorama and will be starting on my 5th shortly. I have a desire to share with you my accomplishments as well as my mistakes. I wish to tell some of my methods and and perhaps newer ideas can spring forth. In the pics to come and many more, I only ask you wait a day to ask a question or post any comments. This could take at least 2 hours.
Ok.. the pics below are just a few of my first diorama and my attempts at painting rocks made of plaster. When working on the layout, in any fashion to do something for the first time... well I like to have a Game Plan. Whether I follow it or not, its nice to have one. In the pic below I at first attempted to have some 'focal point'. Area's of interest, larger rocks.. and rocks closest to the viewer should have a darker density. Not that its any rule.. but my Game Plan to follow.
Let me just say before I even attempted to paint plaster rocks, I first went out and bought the Woodland Scenic's DVD and Book ! I followed their methods and was quite happy with the outcome.
In this pic below is my first attempt at adding a dark wash for the cracks of the rocks, starting at the top and letting the wash drip down to the bottom. If one adds too much dark wash, the whole area would end up way too dark for my desired taste of what rocks should look like. Also please take note, that area's around the nation have many different types of rocks, and different colors.
In this pic below I had sprayed the whole plaster area for sealing the plaster as well as 'Fixing' the color. Color can fade and most likely will fade if not Fixed. I had noticed that water does seek its own level. When I saw the puddles of Scenic glue I realized such is like a puddle of water.
Those white areas were my 'target area's' for grass.. and dry grass.
Taking into thought how grass grows.. and dies, well think of a puddle of water. Grass grows in the moist areas.. and as the puddle dries out, the outer perimeter is brown radiating into the center of lush green.
Now these pics are for starters. The more detailed pics and explaination of how and why and what I did to get there on my other diorama's are to come later. These pics are of my beginnings of how I did something and quite plainly ..How to start this post.
This last pic is of my favorite shot of the very same rocks.. it reminds me of when us kids were off to the beach. "Are we there yet?"
So lets start with something and watch this go along as they do. Step by step. Remember there is tons of material to cover and plenty of pics.
The above posts were of my first diorama, using the Woodland Scenics method. They recommend a technique of dabbing the paint here and there with a random effort of placing color. They also recommend using more of a base color of Yellow Ocher first. Yes start with the lighter colors. Now let me just say right now, before painting onto plaster I seal the whole plaster creation with Woodland Scenic Cement. If you don't, the plaster seems to suck in the paint, and you'll end up with using more paint than needed. I paint the WS cement on the inside as well, to seal it and also to keep plaster bits from falling onto my track. Not only does it seal it and 'fix' the color, it also strenghens the entire diorama. I can even put two coats of the WS Cement and have no problems with the paint going on. Here are the early beginings of painting plaster. I used the basic Wooland Scenics paint of Yellow Ocher, Burnt Umber, Slate Gray and even white. More times than not, I add the white to the basic colors and it would seem to lighten up all the colors. At times I have painted white on the plaster first, and while its wet I'll add the other basic colors. It can give more of a blending of the colors and more of a pastel color. On the pics below I wanted to have more of a Rock Strata effect, with some continuity of colors / rock strata going through the entire rock.
Ok, lets move on to the next level. Same diorama, but adding more mountain.
Piece by piece I build the mountain. Adding thin layers of molded plaster and piecing the parts together using CA Gel and plaster cloth to totally seal the parts together. Out in the sun is best.
You may also notice I am now using plaster tunnels / portals. I'd rather kitbach my own tunnels and have something different than others. Also, in terms of piecing all the parts together, plaster to plaster seemed better.
Ok, one pic of the back side and on to the painting. Keep in mind I have already sealed the creation of plaster using the Woodland Scenics Cement.
I added a darker density to various areas. Focal points, larger rocks or rocks that stand out.
I thought maybe a break from scenery painting would be nice. Start something new and then get back into the scenery of trees and grass later.
I was making my neighborhood and decided I wanted the Haunted House at the very back. UP high on a hill, with some old steps leading up the path to the house.
Using styrene of a stone pattern, I marked out various slabs and landings for the pathway. Heating up the ends and curling them under gave it the 3D look I wanted. Using foam board I attached each piece using CA Gel.
Making the walls of the pathway, I staggered each piece to make a taller wall and to give it a realistic look. Perhaps I should have added some vegetation along in between making it look more like a retaining wall.
Using various parts from other kits I added a door at the bottom to break it up some. A doorway to a wine cellar?
To paint the walls, I basically just dabbed various colors of charcoal and grays. Then adding a thin white color wash to the cracks. After its dried you can preserve your creation by spraying it with Dullcote by Testors. Using a dry brush method with paint only on one of the brush. You can carefully hit only the highest parts of the stone, adding color to needed area's. If you should add too much paint, or the paint falls into the cracks, well you can just wipe it off and start over again. Why? The initial colors have been preserved because of sealing it with the Dullcote. Using Dullcote, also takes away the shine, and gives a better over all look.
Bottom wall is without white color wash. I happen to favor Craft paints at times, mainly because I have better results with them.
Next pic is of adding the white wash. A Before And After look
By gluing two pieces of styrene together you get a thicker wall. By heating up the ends / tops of the walls and letting them melt, gives a 'topper' look to the walls. If you get creative or make a mistake it can resemble a crumbling wall. Have fun, that's what I say.
Well some like to jump to the end and see the finished product. My wife says I should explain how I go here.
In the upper right you can see the Haunted House, and if you look close enough you can see a dead tree in front of the house.
I would like to add once you add all the trees, vines, shrubs and bushes the colors of the painted mountains are hardly noticeable. Remember this is in the very back of my layout. The farthest from the viewer.
I think I had the most fun doing this diorama of all of them. I wanted color of various sorts and even gave an early fall look to the area.
Lets get back to grass.
Now we already know, before and after the painting of the plaster is the coat of Woodland Scenic Cement. This helps hold all the pieces together, seals the plaster and allows the paint to go on a tad easier. Also, a coat of Woodland Scenic Cement on the inside will keep all the plaster bits from falling on to your tracks.
So here we are. We've painted the plaster and given it a coat of the WS Cement. Look for the puddles and that should be your target areas for grass.
I like to use a stiff piece of plastic card as my holder as my pallet of colors.
Using a dry brush I will add various colors to the wet area of cement. Push a small amount of the desired color to the edge of the plastic card and 'flick it into the desire area. I like this approach for various reasons. One, I don't want color anywhere but where I am aiming. Also, I think you save more material by doing it this way.
Now I have noticed various hurdles in applying the color / material. One is, sometimes the area that has been covered.. well the material hasn't really stuck to the glue. Oh sure, you can add more glue on top but it gives the material a duller look.. and you might even notice a lack of detail. One approach is to use Dullcote. Well when I did spray the Dullcote, some of the color / material / fine ballast was blown away. Ah Ha! Therefore I had to find another approach. I spray upwards and over the area .. and let the rain of Dullcote land on the material without it being blown away by the spray. And even after the spraying of Dullcote, don't be afraid to add more color or ballast, it will stick to the Dullcote.
I think that's enough for now. I'm tired and ready for sleep. There is plenty more to talk about and I would like to invite you all to ask questions and at least let me know you've enjoyed my approach to painting plaster. That's it .. Good Night and have a pleasant tomorrow.
Keith
Hi Keith,
I've noticed you piece your plaster pieces together in multiply sections. What are your trade secrets to strengthen the two pieces and hold the two pieces together. Would love it if you could share? Thank you!
Simple and to the point. Thin CA is the agent to speed up drying times in wet plaster. It pulls the moisture out of the plaster. Thin CA will not dry until a large percentage of moisture is taken out of the plaster. Yes the thin CA will drawn the moisture out. Drying time is 20 times faster. Large plaster castings that are on the thick side that would take days if not weeks to dry is done in couple of hours.
Supplies needed
Gel CA
Thin CA
Plaster cloth with a bowl of water to dip the cloth into.
cheap rubber gloves.
Lets say you have two pieces of plaster to be glued together. Two dry pieces are preferred. Just for an example.
1. Glue the two pieces together using CA Gel.
2. Let that dry .. or else.
3. Once the two pieces are dry you're ready for the next step. Lets be honest. Those two pieces half the time are held together rather flimsy. Not that you need tons of CA Gel, but just enough to get them to hold together for the next step. Next take a strip of plaster cloth dipped into the bowl of water and add a strip of plaster cloth to truly bond both the two halves together.
4. Now what we have here are two pieces bonded together rather loose with the plaster cloth still being wet. Put on a rubber glove and take some Thin CA and rub it over the wet plaster cloth. The Thin CA will draw the moisture out of the plaster cloth. That simple. What might take a good day for it to fully dry, only takes an hour.. or less. Rock hard is the plaster cloth and the two pieces are now one.
No more waiting for things to dry. Lets take this a step further. You want to pour a thin cast of a rock face. Well you can using this tip because it would seem that the Thin CA is also aids in the over all strength of the thin plaster cast.
Here is what I do for a strong thin plaster casting.
1. Cut your plaster cloth ahead of time.
2 I like to rub the plaster into the latex mold itself. It's the only way to be sure of no air bubbles and a finer grade of detail. You've got to get the plaster down into the cracks. Try bending the latex mold as you apply the plaster opening up all areas to be filled.
3 I hate waste, I'll even take the left over plaster and dip the plaster cloth into the plaster. No water is added to the plaster cloth, just the left over plaster. Just run the plaster cloth into the left over plaster using the back of your hand.
4 Lay that plaster cloth coated with plaster on to the casting. Work the plaster cloth and rub it gently into the wet plaster / mold, pushing out the air bubbles.
5 I found an old box and laid the plaster casting into the box. Once again work the plaster to make sure nothing has changed from the flat position it was once in. I do not pour flat castings. You could have only four latex molds but shape them into many different forms from the same latex molds.
Now put one rubber glove and place Thin CA over the wet casting. Where something might take a day or two to dry, drying times are now only hours. When using this method, make SURE you do not get any Thin CA on the latex mold.
Large amounts of Thin CA are not needed but a thin layer should do. 30 minutes later gently glide your hand over the back side of the casting. If the glue and plaster are somewhat dry, your fingers will not stick to the glue. You can take your finger and flick .. give it a good thump. If it is a high ring.. or 'Cling' Its ready to be taken out of the mold. Granted the plaster casting is still damp, but it would take a day or two to fully dry without the Thin CA applied.
Here is the very same casting that was laid over the old box. It is far from being flat. I also took the brightness out of the pics and added more contrast so that you might be able to see the details.
Taking pics of white plaster is not the easiest.
Lets take this a step in another direction. Some modelers like to join the two halves together and end up with a seam. Now how does one accomplish hiding the seam, adding detail and over all strength?
Supplies needed.
Plaster cloth and a bowl of water.
CA Gel
One wadded up paper towel into somewhat of a ball that has many cracks and folds.
The seam has to be filled with plaster cloth. But before you do, apply a generous amount of CA Gel to the seam to be glued and sealed. Not too much .. you do not want the glue to seep out onto the rock face. If you do, you will have trouble applying paint later on.
Now take a small strip of plaster cloth that has been dipped into the water. Take that strip of plaster cloth and bunch it up together into the desire shape to fill the seam. Place it into the seam.
Now take the paper towel that has been curled up into a wad and apply it to the wet plaster cloth that is over the seam. Dab only once.. maybe twice. The wad of paper has given the plaster cloth some details that normally would not be there. The bigger the cracks and folds in the paper towel, the more detail. Too many dabs of the paper towel wad, sometimes takes away the detail. So use big folds and cracks for detail and dab once .. maybe twice.
Keep in mind, you have the CA Gel underneath the plaster cloth. That aids in drying times, aids in strength and using the wadded up paper towel gives detail.
How about another example of dabbing wet plaster cloth to get the detail of rock.
In one of my diorama's I had come to the realization I did not have enough room for the desired town and all the buildings to be placed there. I had to add more space for the town.
I added dry plaster cloth to the area. Wet just the edge of the cloth and apply it to the area and let it dry as it hangs over.
After that has dried, tack on the bottom as well. Then take a brush with water only and hit the dry plaster cloth lightly. Let that dry. You need some strength before you apply more water to fully harden the plaster cloth.
Now take a piece of plaster cloth and dip it into the water. Wad up the plaster cloth into some fashion.. that allows you to attach it to the hardened plaster cloth. Dab that piece of wet plaster cloth with the wadded up paper towel. Once.. maybe twice.. and take a look. If you are not happy with it, you can peal off the wet plaster cloth and try again. Keep adding wet plaster cloth and dab each piece.
You can always add more strips of plaster cloth after it dries in case you want it larger.
The final result
OK, now knowing what we know using Thin CA and CA Gel and how the drying times have been reduced. Imagine building something, oh lets say a mountain road made from four latex molds of various sizes. Imagine sitting down and starting to figure out how to make something like this.
Wood dowels
Scrap wood for 45 degree braces
Some sort of wood glue.
Plaster cloth
Foam board.
Before we get to the early stages of design. I thought it would be nice to see some pics of the finished product. Some like to see those first. Sort of the End Game here.
Let me just say, after looking at my layout, well I had ended up the the 'layered cake' look. I wanted to build a mountain road to help give the over all layout some added features. So sit back and just look at some pics. I will do my best to try to break it up so you don't get too tired of looking at pics. Then again, some might want to see all the pics. Here are some.
I had to lay the very base of the diorama onto the layout to get the exact measurements. Let me just add that all the diorama's can be lifted out at any given time. They are very secure and in place and even my wife can lift this one out on her own. Its rather large, about 4 feet by 3 feet.
Now I can almost hear some of you saying..
I couldn't agree with you more. Let me just say, with foam board you can cut it, and change the grade of the road. This is still in its earliest stages.
I had help. When ever I go out front of my home to work with plaster, there is always someone to be my Supervisor.
Its a tough job, but someone's got to be the supervisor.
Before
after
Sometimes you have to use painter's tape to hold things in place.
After
Keith,
those scenes look wonderful!
You´re a wizard when it comes to creating realistic rock fascia! Never seen it better before!