casting rocks

[Chris333]

Tom,
Think I could see the rocks much better if you backed up the camera and shot the whole diorama your working on.

[tom mann]

Tom,
Think I could see the rocks much better if you backed up the camera and shot the whole diorama your working on.

This is a little test module about 5" square to test rocks, noch static grass applicator, sage bush trees, and water.  The foreground will be a river, so most of the little round rocks will be covered with water - gloss medium.  I especially am interested how good gloss medium looks in many layers, no more than 1/4" thick.

After this, I'll get on the layout...

[Red Rock]

I think it is looking convincingly real Tom. How about some darker color (approaching black) in the deepest of crevices? A rock that big in a eastern setting would probably have some kind of plant life growing on it in the really shaded areas... moss, fungi...something. Just a thought. Looking really good as it is, some finer weathering will put it over the top.

[tom mann]

I think it is looking convincingly real Tom. How about some darker color (approaching black) in the deepest of crevices? A rock that big in a eastern setting would probably have some kind of plant life growing on it in the really shaded areas... moss, fungi...something. Just a thought. Looking really good as it is, some finer weathering will put it over the top.

Thanks, I'll give an ivory black wash a shot.  Does the scene look eastern to you?  Ed K said it looked western??   I think it looks generic ;D

Oh - the little grass around the tree in the back is a result of the Noch Static-maker thingy.

[lashedup]

Oh - the little grass around the tree in the back is a result of the Noch Static-maker thingy.

What do you think of the static applicator so far? I just did an experiment with it on a siding test strip to try and simulate grass growing between ties. I'll see if I can get a picture up or two.

Nice rocks so far. You might also want to play with a little india ink and alcohol wash in the cracks and shadow parts of the casting to bring more detail out. Trees look great too...

- jamie

[tom mann]

Oh - the little grass around the tree in the back is a result of the Noch Static-maker thingy.

What do you think of the static applicator so far? I just did an experiment with it on a siding test strip to try and simulate grass growing between ties. I'll see if I can get a picture up or two.

Nice rocks so far. You might also want to play with a little india ink and alcohol wash in the cracks and shadow parts of the casting to bring more detail out. Trees look great too...

- jamie

I like it, I would like it better if it was $35. ;D

[Roger Holmes]

  The foreground will be a river, so most of the little round rocks will be covered with water - gloss medium.  I especially am interested how good gloss medium looks in many layers, no more than 1/4" thick.

After this, I'll get on the layout...

Tom--Gloss medium goes on in thin layers like paint.  I don't know how many layers (100's) it would take to get it 1/4" thick.  It gives a great illusion of depth with only 2-3 layers.  If you want that much actual depth I think you would need to go with some kind of casting resin.

[asciibaron]

the rock needs some black in the veins- and some moss.  the scene looks very Nebraska to me - just add some white clay and you got Sherman Hill.  i hit my rocks with a black wash first - it's amazing how much the plaster soaks up.  then i started with the muted earth tones to get something that looked decent.  over time, an added layer of atomsphere will really enhance the look (i'm serious).  a fine layer of dust helps to even the tones.

[lashedup]

What do you think of the static applicator so far? I just did an experiment with it on a siding test strip to try and simulate grass growing between ties. I'll see if I can get a picture up or two.

- jamie

I like it, I would like it better if it was $35. ;D

HA! Can't argue with you on that point. That's why we need an n-scale rental shop that we can all pool from...

[tom mann]

  The foreground will be a river, so most of the little round rocks will be covered with water - gloss medium.  I especially am interested how good gloss medium looks in many layers, no more than 1/4" thick.

After this, I'll get on the layout...

Tom--Gloss medium goes on in thin layers like paint.  I don't know how many layers (100's) it would take to get it 1/4" thick.  It gives a great illusion of depth with only 2-3 layers.  If you want that much actual depth I think you would need to go with some kind of casting resin.

Roger, can I pour gloss medium?  Or would it take 30 years to dry?

[Red Rock]

Does the scene look eastern to you?  Ed K said it looked western??   I think it looks generic ;D

It would work either way I guess. My initial reaction was eastern. Why? I think my intial feel was because of the coarseness of the foreground dirt. When I think of the west I think finer dirt with higher sand content. The west is a big area though and some creek in Idaho may look just like yours. Looks great. I like the hint of more trees on the frame edge. East or west there will be lots of trees growing that close to water.

[wm3798]

I've tried pouring gloss medium, and it does dry... sooner or later.  It stays real runny, though, so make sure your dam is solid.  Also, like the water you are modeling, seeks its own level, so a steep stream will end up with a lot of deep puddles at the bottom, and next to nothing at the top.

Given the high relief you've created with your stream bed rocks, you'll also get a lot of air bubbles.  Not a big deal with gloss medium, as you can stand there and tease them out as they come up.  But they'll keep coming up for a long time, so pull up a chair.

Gloss medium is most effective when applied over a painted base with some low relief detailing at the shoreline.

Lee

[bsoplinger]

I like the look of everything but the small round rocks. Unless you're modelling a glacial spill area they just seem to smooth to me for the size they'd be, even when in a river. That's this eastern PA/NJ/NY-er's $0.02 on the matter. I do like the plaster rock alot. Some very dark wash might give it a more lichen-ey or moss-ey look which I think would be even nicer than it is now.

[Roger Holmes]

Tom--Sorry for not posting a reply to your gloss medium question. I haven't checked the 'Wire for a few days.

Anyway, while I haven't tried pouring thick layers of gloss medium, I think Lee hit it on the head.  It would take a long time to dry and you would have LOTS of bubbles to deal with.  For depth I would definitely go with a different technique.

[tom mann]

Tom--Sorry for not posting a reply to your gloss medium question. I haven't checked the 'Wire for a few days.

Anyway, while I haven't tried pouring thick layers of gloss medium, I think Lee hit it on the head.  It would take a long time to dry and you would have LOTS of bubbles to deal with.  For depth I would definitely go with a different technique.

Well, I tested this, and it doesn't work.  The problem seems to be too much water in the gloss medium that evaporates when it dries.  A nice thick pour ends up looking like a few coats.

I bought some clear caulk last night, so we'll see how that looks when I get home from work.  I want to avoid using brain-cell-killing things.