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Rocks/cliffs

John_in_australia
edited February 2013 in Scenery
Just wondering if any one has a easy/good way of making rocks and or cliffs (in HO), just Joel did in his dio, "Logging and Tractor repair shed".

I have been down the road of hand carving with little success, I end up with the wrong type of rock (strata). I am now making rocks using a mold but I cant get the color right. There is a fair bit of tuition on YouTube but...

Comments

  • Joel
    Well I can tell you how I did it but it's pretty similar to the Bragdon method. Also I have to say that that was pretty much my first time ( I've done small outcroppings on dioramas but that's it) so I'm not an expert. I made a bunch of "rocks" from molds - some home made 3 from bragdon. I used urethane as I was transporting the model. I hot glued the "rocks" to the support (styrofoam) and broke up a few rocks to fit in the different open spaces. then I used spray can insulation and stuck the tube in all the crevices and gave a little squirt. In about 5 minutes the foam started oozing out of the cracks and filling in all the spaces. The next morning I carved the extruded foam which in most cases was just shaving it off with a utility knife. Some of the foam was bubbly so I rubbed in a little Dap water soluble caulking.

    Now to answer the question of colour. I live in the North East so I used gray as my primer. I use Kilz II and some gesso and mixed in a bit of black tempera powder to make a light gray primer. i coated the rock molds and let it dry. Then i dusted on the black tempera powder and got everything covered with it using a 3" soft brush. Then I squirted some water on it and wiped of 90% of it with a damp sponge ( rinsing frequently). This left lots of great shadows. Then squirted some colours on a palette - paynes grey, burnt umber, raw umber, burnt sienna and yellow ochre. I dipped the tip of a 1" soft brush into the paint and dipped it into a cup of water making a thin wash. I randomly dabbed the rocks until the brush was empty and then I went and got a bit of a different colour and did the same. I used mostly the browns as I found it really warmed up the bland grey. I let it dry and then repeated the colour washes twice more. Finally a bit of dry brushing with light grey and antique white and we're done.

    I know it seems complicated but it really was only a couple of hours work and I was really pleased with the results.
  • ironmountainlumber
    Hello Joel,
    I was thinking of using the bragdon system for mountains and rock outcroppings. Do you think there is any pitfalls to using the system vs hydrocal castings. I have heard that the detail in foam rocks is better than hydrocal castings but the color on foam rocks is easier to break off. Any thoughts?
    Jim
  • Joel
    I haven't had any real issues except getting the paint to stick ( the mold release has to washed off aggressively). I solved the issue with Kilz II primer and have had no flaking or cracking in 9 months. I agree the detail is superior but I think working with plaster is easier in terms of carving and breaking up the "rocks" to make smaller pieces. Also the stains seep into hyrocal so even if it chips (and it does) then the bright white is usually avoided.
  • brownbr
    I'm a big fan of the Bragdon molds but have only used plaster in them, not his foam. They make very convincing rocks.
  • ironmountainlumber
    Hey guys. Thanks for the information!
    Jim
  • John_in_australia

    A (plaster) rock or two.

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  • John_in_australia
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  • Joel
    Wow. Not that hard to make a stunning outcropping. Great work. Maybe I should become a teacher - if I ever grow up.
  • John_in_australia
    Cool.

    Maybe some more experimenting and some fine tuning, then cut them to size join them together and hey presto (I hope)

    Thanks Joel.
  • Karl.AKarl.A
    Great work John, the rocks look really good. Cant wait to see them blended together.

    Karl.A

    Grow up ?? huh...?
  • John_in_australia
    Rocks on the layout.

    Rocks have been roughly shaped and glued into place for now. Next is to fill in the gaps with small rocks and give it some color. Using grout as dirt and some gravel, should blend it all together and give the look that I am after.

    But first we go on holidays to New Zealand!!

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  • John_in_australia
    Must clean up before holiday.
  • ironmountainlumber
    Hi John,
    Really great rocks. I like the layout. Are your rock models ones commercially available or did you make them and are they made from hydrocal? Have fun on the holiday. I have got to get to New Zeland and Australia in the future.
    Jim
  • John_in_australia
    Thanks Jim.

    The rock molds are commercial ones and the plaster is patching plaster, cheap and seems to work ok. Just place more or less into the mold to get some different shapes. also break of some pieces here and there to get different shapes.

    Got some small gravel out of drive yesterday,rinsed it and dried it in the oven for a couple of hours and sifted it into different sizes ready for when we get back from NZ. Booked a train trip into their alps in Dunedin.

    http://www.pocruises.com.au/findacruise/shoretours/Pages/ShoreTour.aspx?ShoreTour=PC3-020

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  • John_in_australia
    Just wondering if my talus or rock fall is out of scale ?? and does it look any good ??

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  • ironmountainlumber
    Hi John,
    I think the size looks good. It looks like you have made some very nice progress on your layout. Great job. Any updates on the logging essentials kit?
    Jim
  • John_in_australia
    Thanks Jim.

    Things are cooling down down here, so more progress on Essentials soon.
  • John_in_australia
    Some blending of rocks.

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    Unfortunately, because I dint think it through, I put the talus on after painting the rocks/cliffs. I am finding it (almost) impossible to match the color with rocks.

    Any ideas?

    Most of the talus, in the photos are covered with fine turf that was not glued down and I have removed since taking these photos.

    I have thought about starting over but it has taken about six attempts to get the color right on the rocks so far.
  • brownbr
    Is the talus glued down? If not take it up and soak in a wash of the colors you used on the rocks. If it is, brush a wash on both the rocks and talus to blend the 2 together.

    I like using weathering pigments and IA blends to tie everything together. Colors are a personal preference but I use browns and reds for the powder and browns and black for the IA.
  • Karl.AKarl.A
    I agree completely with Bryan. make a wash with the original rock colours and use this on the talus. either soaked loose or brushed on if they are glued in place.

    Things are coming together.

    Karl.A
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