Texturing a cliff face, and base below

J

J2FcM

New member
I\'m working on a small diorama, and I used plaster of paris to build up the base and I was wondering if anyone has any simple ways to give a nice cliff texture... Its look kinda funky now... I just smeared plaster of paris on, and sanded it, and scraped with with a razor.

The bottom surrounding it is just suppossed to be like kinda wasteland, while I intened on having the top bright and green, just so that the \"life\" is on top.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i7kcobwfYlWOT4WaNKaUqA?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0c1f6x56cE7cFViibNuPJw?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Hxf69CVfWnqSAQpjBcw0pQ?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qYPfFuAZMajJnIIxUw-cXg?feat=directlink

Any advice is appreciated.
 
D

demonherald

New member
looks pretty good as it stands.. With Plaster of paris it breaks similar to a stone effect anyway so just keep chipping away at it ..
the ottom base could benefit from the odd piece of cork or stone to make a couple of larger rocks but all in all looks pretty good to me.. on thing I will say is give the cliff face a wash with dilute thin PVA to seal it a bit as it acts like a sponge for paint and will use up loads..

extra detail can be dded with flock and scatter materials as you finish up.

other than that look forward to seeing some painting...
 
J

J2FcM

New member
word.... yeah I figure I will just hammer my ravor into after adding some more... its got tea grinds for flock on the bottom.... honestly, a regular person prolly wouldn\'t be able to notice anyways what a miniature cliff would look like, but since I climb cliffs... and paint miniatures, its way more noticable.

I\'ll get updates, maybe tonight
 
Einion

Einion

New member
Originally posted by J2FcM
I\'m working on a small diorama, and I used plaster of paris to build up the base and I was wondering if anyone has any simple ways to give a nice cliff texture...
Click to expand...
Three basic methods I can think of.

Working with the plaster directly, use a motor tool and a grinding or cutting head to do the basic shaping, then using a small round bit work slowly over the surface, \'bouncing\' the tool around with no pressure applied.

You could also use thick paint (wall paint would be a good choice) and stipple it on, maybe try spattering as well.

The one I would prefer to use myself (because there\'s lots more control) is to skin it with putty and then texture that. After applying the putty and doing the basic shaping any way you like, use rocks/stones you\'ve collected as impression tools; a cut-down bristle brush and a toothbrush are worth using as well. If epoxy putty seems a bit pricey for a project this big I\'d suggest something like Das Pronto.

Einion
 
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dogfacedboy uk1

New member
I think plaster/polyfilla is definately the cheapest and easiest way. Bulk out large areas with old offcuts of wood if you have any spare. Using putty to skin it is pretty expensive way of doing it i would say, not to mention a waste. Air drying clay may be worth a try - i had an old block which was so knackered it broke into a lovely rock effect.
 
freakinacage

freakinacage

Well-known member
i have heard of using tin foil to texture polyfilla/plaster when drying. haven\'t tried it myself though. or cork (lol i typed a c instead of the r first! glad i noticed that!) or rocks
 
H

Harpo

New member
Model railway enthusiasts sometimes make casts from chunks of split rock, or coarse textured bark (pine, almond, oak). You take your piece of textured surface and apply half a dozen layers of latex rubber. You can put a layer of that gauze or cheese cloth in amongst the latex if you want to use it for a few casts. Cast with plaster and then stick it to your diorama. Oh and demonherald is right, plaster soaks up paint so after its\' fully dry whack some PVA glue on it. Stops it chipping too.

If you intend to put little bits of vegetation on the outcroppings of the cliff face, put down some PVA glue on those surfaces and drop coarse turf or equivalent from above.

Another thing you can try is using a spray glue, spray the surfaces and then dust some sand onto the cliffs if you\'re going for a grittier kind of texture.
 
DXM

DXM

New member
There is a company called WOODLAND SCENICS they make a product called Rock Molds. It\'s exactly that, molds of rock faces. You can find these at any well stocked train shop or hobby shops.
I used it on this project

EXAMPLE 1


EXAMPLE 2

Hope this helps......Dragomir
 
J

J2FcM

New member
annnnnd

SO - this is what ended up happening.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oXo4OxyBXhmWdz_-5QzMFA?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/920hYKsFcexuK7mW7c8Uzg?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1x7sj909D7qizckxxeubGA?feat=directlink
 
J

J2FcM

New member
I took a hobby knife with a straight edged blade attachment (so kinda like a chisel) and just chiselled all around the entire thing. I\'d constantly spin it around so the markings were not like all little vertical chips being taken out, and then after going over the entire thing... step back, and look at it. Then re-start.

didnt take TOO long considering the miniature hobby
 
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