Sand Dunes base - WITH PICS!!!

[rocketandroll]

Ok, having had to abandon the last thread after it took over ten test posts to actually find a way to embed images (just maybe it should be explained that you need a seperate photo sharing site account and a degree in web programming to attach an image on CMON in the FAQ section?) I can finally upload some pics of the tests for my sand-dune base.


As explained on the other thread, this first pic shows the first test piece, a small (3\" by 2\") piece of styrene sheet with sand dunes modelled on top using milliput epoxy putty. The dunes were then sprayed with Photomount spray adhesive and then covered with a fine mortar powder normally used (mixed with water and PVA) to make mud. Finally it was sprayed with Skull White undercoat and then airbrushed with the yellow/beige shades and drybrushed with white/yellow highlights.

In brief... I think it looks awful. The texture is wrong, it looks like rough dried plaster not fine powder as it should, it also has large particles on it which look out of scale for fine sand... and the drybrushing was bad move...

Close-up image to follow to better show the texture...


Ben

 

[rocketandroll]

This is a close-up of test 1 as described above...

Although I wasn\'t happy with how this turned out I did think that the idea of applying a powder to the surface with spray adhesive was a good one so i tried a different powder on test 2...

 

[rocketandroll]

This is test 2...

This time I tried to get the idea of larger dunes with \'ripples\' created by the wind on the windward side.

This test used the same method with the only change being use of wholemeal flour instead of the mortar mix as the powder medium.

This worked much better leaving a super-matt and quite fine finish far less lumpy than the mortar.

 

[rocketandroll]

Here\'s a close-up of the texture of test 2.

This again shows the superior matt finish achieved with flour instead of mortar mix.

I wasn\'t 100% happy with the sculpt though... which is why I did test 3...

 

[rocketandroll]

Ok, this is test 3... I originally wasn\'t happy with this sculpt either as it wasn\'t accurate to the images of desert sand dunes I had as reference... but once painted up it appeared the most realistic.

This uses plain white (fine) flour as the powder medium over the spray adhesive.

On this and test 2 I used the airbrush with a darker sand coloured mix sprayed at a very low angle to create exagerated shadows on one side of the dunes... this worked quite well and made them appear more dramatic, as if viewed at dusk with the sun lower in the sky.

Anyway... here\'s test 3:

 

[rocketandroll]

Finally, a close-up of test 3. This shows the texture achieved with the fine flour and an airbrush... looks very much like scale sand...

 

[rocketandroll]

So...


All in all I am happy with the finish achieved... the only think I am left working to get absolutely right is the sculpt itself.

I\'m not 100% happy with any of these three tests so I may well do a fourth or fifth test on a slightly larger scale to see how I can integrate the dunes into the scene and get a vehicle sat on top without it totally obscuring all the hard work or looking out of place!!

I\'ll post images of these tests and the real base as I progress...


Cheers all!!


Ben

 

[Yetie]

I\'m really liking them I think the second one would have one side more built up than the other. As the wind only comes from one direction at a time.

 

[airhead]

It looks like you either need a dark wash or need to start with a darkish brown base coat. I\'m seeing lots of white showing through in the deep cracks. I know it is a knock-together test so I\'m sure you are not wanting to spend hours on the details.

 

[rocketandroll]

Originally posted by Yetie
I\'m really liking them I think the second one would have one side more built up than the other. As the wind only comes from one direction at a time.

Yeah, very true... I tried making them so that one side was shallower and convex (the up-wind side) and the down-wind side was steep and concave (as if the sand has collapsed).

It didn\'t quite come out as clearly different on both sides as I\'d have liked though the downwind side is steeper than the up-wind side... as mentioned... will need to work on the sculpt a bit more


Ben

 

[rocketandroll]

Originally posted by airhead
It looks like you either need a dark wash or need to start with a darkish brown base coat. I\'m seeing lots of white showing through in the deep cracks. I know it is a knock-together test so I\'m sure you are not wanting to spend hours on the details.

Yep, well spotted

As you say, I wasn\'t paying TOO MUCH attention to the details Most of the white bits are around the edges of the Milliput where it joins the styrene sheet... as you say, probably best to undercoat in a darker colour first, then spray the lighter colours over the top... hmm, will possibly have a try with the wash idea first and see which works better.


Ben

 

[Bill]

Tests 2 and 3 look very promising I think you have the texture spot-on now, it\'s just a case of adjusting the ripples. Now, go back and delete all those extra posts! lol

 

[rocketandroll]

Originally posted by Bill
Tests 2 and 3 look very promising I think you have the texture spot-on now, it\'s just a case of adjusting the ripples. Now, go back and delete all those extra posts! lol

Appears the mods have deleted the entire thread

Will post more pics once I\'ve done some more tests...

 

[usurpator]

it works for me.
but the colour er... not sure. Sand can have so many colours: in Saudia it\'s really reddish, on the beach it\'s golden, on planet X it\'s what you want.
Don\'t know why but a dab of kaki comes to mind.
great result in any case