Gern's bug

[Gern]

powder paint might be a good idea as it'll have a rougher finish when dried, will add to the texture realism.And i shall be stealing that idea by the way ta!

Not sure it's worth copying Col. Powder paint doesn't seem to have the pigment density to cover foam. Unless I didn't add anough powder and made a rinse instead of a wash of course! It might work as a paint using more powder, but I don't want a uniform colour. I think I'll invest in a few of those cheap acrylic tubes that Ron uses and give them a try. They surely work for him!

I remember seeing a video series by a guy who calls himself Kamloopian. He's come up with some mixture he calls 'goop' which he uses as textured paint. I'll see if I can find it.

Gern

Here you go:

It's very long but full of useful stuff.

[spanner570]

Dave, it's difficult to cover foam, pizza bases, whatever, if you dilute your paints too much for that first coat. Try a good thick mix, that should do the trick.

When this is dry, go over the whole thing with a dark colour, then immediately wipe it off, this should leave a dark join between the stones and give the illusion of a gap between them.

Then alter the shade of your initial paint and pick out random stones, this will add a bit of contrast to the walls.....

If you want to be really posh, mix a bit of well diluted dk. green and paint - hit and miss - around the bottom and edges of the wall, it'll make it sort of mossy like.

If you're not too sure, have a play on a bit of scrap stuff before committing to the model.

Ron

[Gern]

The results of my attempts to colour the bricks with powder paint. It's brought out the mortar lines pretty well, but it's pants at colouring the bricks.

Also a shot of the mould I'm using to make rocks (assuming I don't burn the house down or poison myself using Ron and Col's ideas of course!) and shots of the decorative finial I made for my brick pillar. It's just two beads stuck on a cocktail stick and sprayed with Halfords Red Primer.

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I think it looks pretty good!

Gern

[Gern]

Ron, you were right. A bit more powder and a lot less water and I got what I wanted.

Pic 1 is the first wash using red:yellow:black powders at about 4:2:1 ratio. Too dark.

Pic 2 is the second wash using just red. Too red.

Pic 3 is the finished result. I used a yellow wash overall and then a Vallejo white pin wash in the mortar joints.

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Gern

[Guest]

[spanner570]

Have faith brother Gern......

This is looking very good Dave.

Now you are having a go at one, you can see what us dioramarerers bang on about...having a play with various mediums, be it paint, adhesive, things for ground cover, allsorts...

Good fun in'it? but be warned it is, not could be, very addictive!

[Guest]

Ooohhh lots of stuff..... Looks good Dave.

You realise you have a problem now ...... Nothing you do will be complete without a diorama...... Its a curse!!!

[Gern]

Methinks you guys may have a point. Couldn't go to bed before I saw how my ruins look!

It's an outside courtyard with an old wall and it's a funny shape 'cos it fits sort of diagonally in the corner of my dio.

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I'm well pleased.

Gern

[Guest]

Yep.... I like that

Sometimes irregularity is your friend!

[yak face]

Looks brilliant dave , the cornerwise angle works perfectly, cheers tony

[spanner570]

I agree, it has come out really well...As the boys point out, it looks far better at an angle than the usual 'square on to the base' approach.

You have every right to be pleased...Nice one Dave.

Early night tonight mind!

Ron

[Gern]

Thanks guys.

Early night tonight mind!Ron

We'll see. I got some melting and burning to do remember.

One thing I forgot to mention. When mixing the powder paint, I added just a tiny drop of washing up liquid to the water. It breaks down the surface tension and enables the powder to mix better.

Gern

[Gern]

OK. I tried the burning and melting bit.

I'm too embarrassed to show how badly they worked out! The burning produces some weird shapes - from whatever bits of foam that don't turn into nasty smelly vapour, and Ron's idea of melting the surface with cellulose gives some interesting surface finishes, but probably better for larger areas rather than small rock features.

I am happy however with my first attempt at using plaster of paris and a mould. The mould I have came in a box of other scenic bits and it's apparently designed for small embankments - and I think they'll work nicely alongside a sunken path. I've ordered another designed to create rock faces which also has some small boulders. You can see from my proposed layout why I need some rock faces! This dio work is definitely addictive.

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I've not decided exactly where the figures will go.

Gern

[spanner570]

Looking better each time I look in Dave. Those rocks look just fine.....even better when you add the others, even piled up here and there, perhaps?

Also, how about cellulose spraying the base, should crater it a bit for you...Try on an off cut first mind!

You have learned the diorama No.1 rule....Be flexible, add and change as ideas come along.

'Fraid you're hooked old son!

[Guest]

Yeah, what he said above!!

'Fraid you're hooked old son!

Have we got any honorary dio-builders badges left