All your rock formations are making me jealous lol.I think i will have a practice on some foam first and mess about with some paints.The last thing i want to do is carve some nice rocks then mess them up with poor colouring.I have tried the moulds and find my self repeating the same pattern through out.
Thanks, Crandell.
One thing I learned along the way was about painting the foam. The first ones I did I just slathered on the grey paint and went from there. Of course, it was after that I read a good article on how to paint Rocky Mountain granite. It said to start with an absence of colour such as a black or very dark brown, I chose the cheapo brown from Walmart. I then hit it with the Walmart grey and about a dozen of their $2.00 bottles of the acrylics from the art dept that I dry brushed on.
Puting the dark brown on first just gave it a little something extra as far as giving it a richer look.
I should take a newer pic as I have since painted the track and put down ballast.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Very nice, Brent. I am planning a couple of rock cuts on my current build, about two weeks away or so. Turning over ideas in my mind all the time.
I use everything and anything to carve with. Knives (electric, bread, steak) chisels (stab and break), scrapers, fingers, rasp, you name it. Don't be fussy, just fly at it. I dab on bits of dap here and there to rough it up a bit before I paint.
I used Selector's method. You can check out my pictures in the links below my name. Every rock face is carved from pink foam, and painted. No plaster involved.
Mike.
My You Tube
It's very time-consuming, but the best way with foam is to make initial rough and broad shaping cuts with a butcher knife or with a foam-cutting hot knife. Then, you refine the surface and it's rock-like look using scalpels, utility knives, hobby knives, and the like...and this is where it eats your time like cookies 'n milk.
I would not use a file because files and steel brushes leave too many parallel grooves, rendering an unrealistic look. My opinion.
Right, so far i am in the process of attempting to carve rock faces from blue foam.I have tried using moulds from woodland scenics but in all honesty i prefer the foam approach.Is there a certain way to tackle this or do you just hack the foam out and then use a fine file to show detail.I dont really see as it is possible to follow a photo of a rock face and reproduce it into a scale version without taking years.So do i just go with my eye and say yes that looks good or are there any alternatives.