griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
    
 | | 07/03/2006 8:12 AM |
| Okay, before I left for vacation I had started working on 3D terrain for the RHoD. During this time I have made hills, ruins and walls. Over the 4th of July time period (today and tomorrrow I am planning on wrapping up some of the major terrain isues for the various "key encounters" If you are planning on playing in the RHoD then stop here and look no farther. The terrain I am going to show I am also going to talk about the encounter as it plays out in the RHoD and any modifications that I needed to make to the terrain where space is a concern. There is a huge difference between making a line on a battle matt to represent a 5 foot wall and another thing where the wall is an actual inch on the same battle matt. So, you have been warned....[:D]
First this is a ruined tower. Not that this is a key part of the RHoD but I wanted to make a good deal of the terrain "modular" and not just be a one time use for the RHoD. But something that could be used over and over.
This is the front part of the ruined tower. (note the ruined tower will have "grass" to match the hills I have already made...a hint of what is yet to come...[)]
Sideview with a figure to show scale
Backside with fig to show scale
As I said I wanted to use the pieces over and over. So, when I started to make the Vraath's Keep I knew this was going to be the hardest and the most time consuming. But I could also use the walls if I made them modular for the "Save the Walls" or any of the other town scenes in the Battle for Brindol.
All the stuff that you will see has been made with a combination of Hirst Arts Blocks (cast with excal) and pink foam bought from Home Depot. In several of these shots you will notice the glaring "pink walls". This is pink foam insulatiuon bouaght in various sizes and thickness. This stuff is awesome!! I have been using it for the destryoed walls around the keep and to get the right size for the thickness. So, in the breached wall sections this is what the walls started off as. This stuff can also be used to make hills (as I said before) but I will show the hill shots when I get to the Blackwater causeway.
So I laid out where the corners would be. Since the corner tower is round I used the pre-made piece of the Ruined Tower. Yeah it doesn't have the stairs going down but that is what a quick draw on the battle matt is for.
Here is a finished product of a breached wall. The foam has been cut to size using a "hot wire foam cutter" and then been sandwiched in between Hirst Arts blocks.
Shot where I am trying to outline the walls of the RH's stables
This is the starting point of trying to layout the north and south towers. After trying to
with the door
I have started to work on the Blackwater Cause way and ther is the bridge sections. Right now I am trying to decide which is better for a section a section that is 6 inches (what I am really leaning and thinking is the most versitile) or a 12 inch section. I haven't glued thes down and the sections are just setting ontop of the pink foam.
<img src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/blackwatercause1.jpg"/>
Alright, time to go move the water and get to making some ruined towers so I can move this project on down the road...[:D] | |
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yack
Commander
3321 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 07/03/2006 12:15 PM |
| Wow keep up the great work.. I really want too start working on projects like this too using pieces for one then just a one shot also.
Pink foam insulatation..? Is that the tool...?
Hirst Arts Blocks is out the question for me as its too $$$. [:(]
But keep posting as I love this stuff. | |
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bigbadjon
Sergeant
546 Posts
| | 07/03/2006 1:22 PM |
| Hirst Arts are only expensive to start out, but you can make lots of stuff with a couple molds and 50lbs. of plaster.
Griffrat, did you have a hard time with the Excaliber? My blocks always come out either too short or too tall. | |
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bigbadjon
Sergeant
546 Posts
| | 07/03/2006 4:39 PM |
| Sorry, I got caught up in my questions and forgot my manners. That looks like it will be a great project. I like the spiral stair case and the pillars with the script. Aslo your paint job on the wall is very good, th stone looks ancient.
The bridge looks tricky, good luck with the rest of it.
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/03/2006 5:25 PM |
| I'll respond to the questions and then post some updated pics...[:D]
Yack:
The pink foam is insulation taht is placed on the side of houses during the construction. The hot wire foam cutter is the tool. Sorry, if I wasn't clear on that this a.m. the wife was giving me instructions for the day. Something about cat, water, lawn and food not in that order but you get the jest. Wasn't really paying to close attention. I figure if it is important then they will remind you...[:P]
Also, I agree that the initial cost for the HA is high but (this is my feelings and opinion) with the same amount of money you don't get the flexibility from Dwarven Forge. Not taht there is a comparison. But for me and the flexibility "I need and want" it is good for me. There are some "technical difficulties" from the HA stuff. Most of the technical difficulties is from technique. Or depending on how "technical you get", i.e. "if you use different types of plaster", "if you scrape or don't scrape". Which brings up BBJ's question. Shrinking bricks
BBJ:
I use the "no scrape method or the glass method which ever? Over on the HA message board I posted the question about plaster:water ratio for a no scrape method for using excal. Kovax (master of plaster) responded with 100g of plaster to 28-33 ml of water (this range in water is from thick peanut butter to to wet and shrunken bricks). If you are having problems with short bricks you might try changing the ratio of water.
Now to the pics
First up this is a section of 6 inch wall that has an inch walkway on its top. This inch walkway has the cover that either the manticore or the hobgoblin regulars might use depending on the PCs actions. The description in the mod states it is 15 foot wall so I tried to stay with that so these same walls can be used in the defense of Brindol. I have another section of wall which is a foot in length and has the same cover and concealment on its top as well. Tomorrow I am planning on getting the walls painted.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/wallsection.jpg[/IMG]
After watching a History Channel International program on castles (someone figured out that other countries might have history the American audiences might want to watch[:P]) I wanted to make the corners a little more pronounced. So I came up with the idea of having the corners stick out so "archers would have a clear line of sight on the avenues of approach. This is a deviation from the module as there are some more deviations on the keeps inter-workings as well to keep the space somewhat the same but to allow for the additions of the HA blocks. Also you will see two figs at different height levels. This happens as the space the HA blocks takes up made me get a little creative with the corner pieces. Which you can see from the back a little bit better.
Front
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/cornerturretfront.jpg[/IMG]
Back
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/cornerturretback.jpg[/IMG]
Finally, the last pic is what my solution is for the Blackwater Causeway and for the Skull Bridge encounters. Both take place in pretty open terrain and I really didn't want to make the mass of casts to get the bridges done. So, I am opting for increasing the length of the bridges by placing "islands" in between these bridge sections. Each of these bridge sections is 6 inches, but with the additions of the islands I can increase the bridge spanse to better fit my game table.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/blackwatercause2.jpg[/IMG]
More tomorrow and all the Americans be safe....and have a happy fourth of July....[:D] | |
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yack
Commander
3321 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 07/03/2006 6:17 PM |
| Thanks for the info griffrat
So you went too the website and got locked on it for a hour..yes we are slow at work its between july 1st and the 4th always slow.
If I was too buy ...what 2 molds are best too start? (just wondering here)
Love the pics by the way. | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/03/2006 8:55 PM |
| Griffrat, you need to move North so that I can play with your toys! [)]
Fantastic work! | |
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yack
Commander
3321 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 07/03/2006 10:42 PM |
| | Yeah waaaay north! [)] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/04/2006 9:44 AM |
| CotCB:
I am locked into school right now so moving isn't an option. But after that I am open to moving just about anywhere there is a paying jobby, job. Even to the Great White North....what is all the snow a'boot? [:D]
Today is going to be some painting painting and more painting. After I finish up I will snap some pics and show what I am thinking will be the Blackwater Causeway, Maruader's Attack, Vraath's Keep, Skull Gourge,and some burned out farm houses/the battle at the ferry....[)] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/05/2006 10:20 AM |
| Well, nothing to report other than I painted a lot of black base coat yesterday. Here in the Midwest the 4th of July is hot and humid and it was no exception, so spending the day in my basement and soaking up cool AC was a great day. Tonight when I get home from work I am planning on painting the next step of the stone work. This is slower than I remember doing in the past, but this is a lot of stone work and I am in no rush yet..... [:D]
Yack, sorry I ignored your question. I would go with a wall mold and a floor mold of the same type. For instance, HA sells a chipped stone wall mold and a floor of chipped stone as well. I have seen some great things with mixed and mathced sets. So, it really is all up to you and what your favorite flavor is. I would only get the two molds to start with. I didn't do this as I had extra cash at the time.
Looking back if I would have only gotten two molds I would have not had the variety. However, this limitation helps focus you on the project at hand. Whereas, I was scattered to the four winds. You probably have more focus than I do but like I said, this is what I would do. | |
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Username
Warlord
5692 Posts
| | 07/05/2006 12:03 PM |
| NICE!!!
I wish I had enough room/$$$ for terrain. | |
Originally posted by Schooly_D
Username - he deals in minis
Champion of Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat'kor | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 07/05/2006 1:15 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Username
NICE!!!
I wish I had enough room/$$$ for terrain.
same here [:D] I just started runnin RHoD myself, next stop Vraath Keep and I have 2 weeks for that, I might find myself going to home depot and getting the pink foam at least.
I did print out a scale map of all the major encounters but there is no substitute for 3D [:D]
awesome job, Rob! | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/06/2006 6:25 PM |
| Thanks glumag!!! I had posted some stuff this a.m. about what I was going to do hen I got home....well that was then and this is me at home. Here are some updated pics of the progress. I have painted all the walls black and then drybrushed them up using a very light grey. The next step taht I am going to do will be tomorrow sometime and will be a "brown wash/stain" This will bring the bricks from looking like brand new to more of the really old walls.
first up the corner with the turret. This shot was also seen up above with the Wiz Tacticain model. This time I just grabbed a couple of models. The knight is from Reaper and the Vampire Spawn is one you are probably all familiar with.
Corner outside view:
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/corner1.jpg[/IMG]
Corner with back of wall:
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/corner2.jpg[/IMG]
This is a detail shot of the "back of the wall"
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/backofwalldetail.jpg[/IMG]
One of the things that I am shooting for above all the rest is terrain taht can be used for more than one thing. So I am shooting for the "modular" ability.
Thanks more when I get the chance....[:D]
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/06/2006 9:14 PM |
| Those columns look great...
I can't wait to see some assembled maps. [^] | |
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zenthrus
Warlord
5132 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 07/06/2006 9:27 PM |
| Those looks so far superior to my "scan and enlarge" maps, it makes me sad [:(]
Alas, I have not the time, finances, or (most importantly) the storage space.
Excellent work, by-the-by. That is going to be an exceptional scene at the gaming table. Definitely should enhance the mood [^] | |
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yack
Commander
3321 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 07/06/2006 10:00 PM |
| griffrat
Great stuff I love it!!! The more I see the more closer I am of buying...keep us updated with pics! | |
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maineman
Sneak
90 Posts
| | 07/06/2006 10:21 PM |
| Hello
Awesome work!
Question: Are you using the 3-d terrain for DDM as well or strictly for your D&D campaign?
I am currently working on making my own map (3-d) with ruins for DDM.... just for some fun games.
thanks for you pictures.. they are very inspiring!
Kent in Maine
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 8:02 AM |
| yack:
I will kep posting pics to show the work in progress. I should get a few things done today as I am taking a personal day from work. So at the end of the day we should see some differences between the walls that are posted now and what is to come.
maineman:
I am only a humble RPGer, if I was to venture in to the skirmish aspect of life I would not be trading as many models. [)] So, to answer your question, it is all for RPG. But I would think that it could easily be adapted to the skirmish side of life if one was inclined to.
sidenote. looks like I need to update a link...think I will do that when I edit the thread title for todays update...[:D] | |
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Username
Warlord
5692 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 9:29 AM |
| | I think that fancy-pantsed knight is going to whoop up on that vampire spawn. Again, nice job! | |
Originally posted by Schooly_D
Username - he deals in minis
Champion of Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat'kor | |
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Wrackspawn
ChristopherGroves
Warlord
6093 Posts
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 10:41 AM |
| Username:
yup..[)]
CG:
Yeah some GW stuff looks just plain dumb. Cartoony is the most diplomatic answer that I have heard...[:)]
As to the pink foam for carving shapes and adding texture. There is an attchment for the hot wire foam cutter that I have been looking at but this is what I had on hand and would flow with the rest of the "wall sections" so I went with it. I have seen some pretty cool stuff with pink foam and some work...
here is a shot for right now.
I took all the things that I had painted black and then drybrushed with the really bright grey. Then this a.m. after the wife went to work I went to the garage and slapped some "brown wall wash" on the walls. The brown wall wash is a combo of GW inks and Future Floor wax. Don't laugh the floor wax helps get the inks down into the cracks and crannies!! [)] The wash helps add the age and take the newness off of the walls. I mean there was a war beteen the Forest Giants and Vraath right?[:D]
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/wash.jpg[/IMG] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 6:51 PM |
| Well the keep is pretty much done with a great bulk of the work out of the way. However, [:D] I have started work on the encounter of Skull Gorge.
For me this is by far one of the coolest encounters in the module. With the green dragon and the PCs out on a bridge. Awesome!! But for me I wanted to change things around and have more of a "unique flavor to the encounter. So as I mentioned in a previous post there is going to be an island.
This is the same type of thought process behind what I am planning at the Blackwater causeway. Just lowering the amount of pink foam. Let me explain.
In this pic you can see there is a square brown shape. this is a 24X24inch piece of mdf that I have to keep the dimensions of the encounter. So, while I am thinking about how to make the cliffs of the gorge and where to place the pillars (pillars are what I am adding to make the fact this dwarven bridge has stood for eons instead of just the span of space).
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/DG1JPG.jpg[/IMG]
Now I know that you are thinking, "yeah, that looks nice but what about the long span inbetween your pillars there tough guy." Well this is what drew the dwarves to make the bridge in the first place. the main island.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/DG2.jpg[/IMG]
Now that with these three spires/pillars sticking up out of the gorge why not put a bridge heere over this gorge. Here is what the bridge sections will look like when set onto the pink foam/pillars.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/P7071010.jpg[/IMG]
When I read this back when I first got the module I wanted this set up to really be impressive. I have a couple of round towers that I am making for this encounter and for extra terrain for the Rhest encounters. So those will be on the one side and the other two towers will be on the other side just as the module indicates.
The weekend is here and I am being tapped for things other than terrain/trades and all things cool. So I really don't know how much stuff I will be able to update. But things are moving right along....[:D] | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 10:38 PM |
| What? The bridges aren't arched? Slacker...[:p]
Seeing this almost makes me wish I lived down there. It would be one hell of a setup to play on! | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 10:46 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Can of the Cave Beer
What? The bridges aren't arched? Slacker...[:p]
Seeing this almost makes me wish I lived down there. It would be one hell of a setup to play on!
I know the idea of getting the arched bridge mold is a great idea and very tempting. But I will just slack for now. [:D]
To bad you don't live down here....but the table is probably going to be ful with 5-6. Any more than that and the bad guys can't be as mobile and use tactics as it starts to bog the combats down.
I am hoping that seeing there are three points to attack the bridge will help the party avoid the same problems that Shoe's groups had with destroying the bridge. Not to say that the island is not going to be defended. And, covered by the back tower by archers....then there is that darn pesky green dragon......[}:)] | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/07/2006 11:41 PM |
| That's OK. I'm a rotten RPGer, anyway!
If you can do it without slowing your game, I'd really like to see some pics of your setup in action. Kind of like what Shoe and a couple others are doing with RHoD in the RPG forum, except that yours would have pictures of when your players did something foolish. [:D] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/08/2006 9:07 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Can of the Cave Beer
That's OK. I'm a rotten RPGer, anyway!
If you can do it without slowing your game, I'd really like to see some pics of your setup in action. Kind of like what Shoe and a couple others are doing with RHoD in the RPG forum, except that yours would have pictures of when your players did something foolish. [:D]
I have thought of this and What I am thinking of is setting the camera up on one table on its tripod. Setting the timer and just snapping pics of the stuff in use. There are going to be a couple maxminis guys at the table, and post everything in the RP forum. | |
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stonefro2000
Sergeant
465 Posts
| | 07/09/2006 3:40 AM |
| | that is some really nice stuff. i wish i had the attention span to craft terain like that. | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/10/2006 7:22 AM |
| ston, I have the attention span of a fly!! Which is why there is an encounter here and an an encounter there and not things in specific order. Sometimes I have to think about the "best way" to make this or that. So, if I can do it then anyone can!!!
Updates:
It rain here in the K.C. metro yesterday and today!! First, we need the rain as I am tired of watering the lawn!! Second, the rain got me out of mowing the lawn!!! YAY!! Third, since I didn't have to water, or mow I got to work on some terrain!!! YAY Terrain!!! I need to stop watching the Red Stripe Comercials...[:I]
Anyway, here are some pics...
First up I am not showing off that we have a new cat or nothin. But this is the box that all the Hirst Arts stuff for Vraath's Keep is in. I still have to do some "finishing Details" but the main thing is the stuff taht is underneath. I realized that I hadn't really expalined the virtues of the pink foam. Wirst it is more durable than normal styrofoam. Second, it is an exact width. When you are measuring things, like HA blocks you need the stuff to be pretty close to good.
one of the draw backs is that when you glue sheets to gether you tend to need to hold the stuff down which is what thesee next to pics are.
This is the two sides of the gorge in the Skull gorge encounter.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/dg4.jpg[/IMG]
This picture is the guard towers. The description lists the gurad towers as being 40 feet high. I don't have the time or inclination to cast the towers completely out of plaster. So I am doing the next best thing....sort of. Using pink foam!!
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/dg5.jpg[/IMG]
I took 1 inch foam pieces and cut them off at 8 inches (forty foot). This will serve as the base for the tower...This will serve as the firing points for the horde. I figured that in my descriiption to the PCs that it would be easier to explain a rickety old staircase on the outside of a solid stone structure
then I will cap the base of the tower with a ring.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/dg6.jpg[/IMG]
The way that I am making the "rings" will allow them to be interlocked to serve as the "belltower" encounter at Rhest. There is no description (at least in my copy) of the belltower, so I am making it the best way I can...round.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/dg7.jpg[/IMG]
I will be able to move this project along today after work and tomorrow after the dentist....[:D]
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/10/2006 8:51 PM |
| Hoo-ray beer!
oops. That's for the TV...
Excellent eye for reusable features. That should save your sanity (or part of it [:)] anyway) during all this building and painting. | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/11/2006 7:26 AM |
| Thanks CotCB. I am trying to get the most out of my game dollar. I mean really with the price hike of stirge (forget about gas!!! focus on the important stuff [:P])
I am looking at making things that can be re-used and done cheap. I figure that if I post as much info as possible then someone out there might have a better way to expand on that idea. Something about bouncing ideas.
Tonight, when I get home from the dentist (somewhere I lost a day and I am all screwed up with my times) I am going to glue more of the towers. Last night I was messing around with the stone towers (big old hunks of the pink foam) and thought of a method to cut straight lines. I just "borrowed" six of the REALLY BIG FAT rubber bands. I am going to take two paint stir sticks and use them as a guide to cut the pink foam flat. I will take pictures and post tonight after the wife gets home or tomorrow morning before work.... | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 07/11/2006 6:40 PM |
| I blame Rob! [:D]
Ok, So I bought a 2½ inch thick pink foam sheet (those suckers are 8feet!) and a foam cutter (more like rod of melting...ugh, evil anal probe) ended up spending $28 for both and it is all your fault because your stuff looks great! [:D]
I am going to attempt to quickly make the outter wall of Vraath Keep for Monday's encounter. Since I can't bring myself to yet another hobbie, I will leave hirst arts out of this and do it all in pink foam. I used the rod thingy to carve out the bricks and stuff.
I plan on priming the entire thing black and just dry brushing grays, whites and yellows/greens.
Any advice on using x-acto or another finer detail carving tool would be greatly appreciated! tHANKS [:)] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/12/2006 6:49 AM |
| Glumag welcome to the club!! I have wanted to get a "wand of melting for a while. I know I wanted to use one for carving some of the stone work around the doors and stuff. But, more I was wanting the wand for carving the planks at the Rhest Town hall!! I might have to come up with something crative. We will see!!
griffrat Pink foam tips:
Grid Pattern:
You may have seen the grid pattern on some of the things shown here. Like the rounded tower ruins. I have some more for the Blackwater Causeway but haven't shown them yet as they are done and I am working on the ruins of Rhest and simply don't have the room to have multiple projects up and out at the same time. All will be revealed. But until then I can explain how I got the pattern on to the foam.
First, I took some graph paper (can be downloaded here to your needs:http://incompetech.com/beta/plainGraphPaper/[/url]). Once the graph paper was obtained it was taped to the surface of the pink foam. I used a metal level as a straightedge (I have also used metal square) and a rounded metal caly sculpting tool, you might try an old spoon or a plastic one. I then traced the grid pattern into the pink foam.
With the pattern in foam I could cut and shape the foam as needed and still have the exact right angles needed for the terrain. Instead of trying to draw or carve the grid after shaping (I tried that and it was not pretty. I will snap some time if anyone is interested)
Xacto knife:
Blades, in a simple word. The sharper the more smooth cut the duller the rougher and the more the foam gets "pulled" out. This is a tool for creating some interesting things. But it gets hard keeping track of duller blades. So, I just use the xacto knife now for making the "rough cut and then the Hot Wire foam cutter for the smoothing cut.
Hot Wire Foam cutter:
I use a cheap model from Woodland Scenics. It is the basic model and it is nothing more than a wall plug in and a handle with a switch that allows current to go through a wire to create heat (you can burn your fingers if you are impairing yourself or otherwise not paying attention...hooray beer [:I] There are some really nice hot wire units that have all sorts of attatchments, heat controls, videos, boooks etc... It is all about what you want to do with the tool. Me, I just want to make rocks and beable to cut walls and stuff.
Spraying pink foam:
Bruce Hirst (of the Hirst Arts fame) has a great instructional movie showing the perils of spraying pink foam unsealed. Now keep in mind this is from the stance that all the foam being used is needed for exact measurements to match up other Hirst Arts block projects. But it is a good video nonetheless. I have seen some really cool effects done by spraying "unprotected foam" Think of Shelob's Lair in diorama.
This is my advice, have fun and stay safe. Also, keep a vaccuum around as when you get going little chuncks of pink foam can get everywhere....
Here is an update. My idea of how to make straigh cuts with the hot wire foam cutter (I am going to start calling the darn thing the hwfc fromhere on out). I am really impressed with the results. It will make the towers at the gorge really cool. I did two as a start. I will snap pics as I make the next two to share with you guys. Glumag et al, I hope the pink foam tips helps out and if you have any questions post it here or shoot me an e-mail...we can figure something out...[:D] | |
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yack
Commander
3321 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 07/12/2006 7:22 AM |
| griffrat,
thats awesome thanks for sharing all the tips. Keep up the good work and the pics! [:D] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/12/2006 7:11 PM |
| Okay here is the update...hoo ray update!!
After something that a wise and very observant Cornhusker asked about I revisited the thoughts of the bridge over the gorge. But more on that in a moment
First up is a picture of the "towers". I am going for towers of "natural stone". In the description the towers are made out of stone have an outside staircase. I figure that since dwarves made the darn bridge then there is a way up through the stone itself. But the stupid horde although motivated has no time for looking and searching. So there is a rope ladder hanging down from the stone towers that the guards have left down as the resistance thus far has been light. Thus giving the PCs the same chances the staircase would.
First up is a dwarven cleric from the DE set.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/DG1towers.jpg[/IMG]
You can really see how imposing the towers are and imagine the gorge off behind.....
Here is a close up where I can hear the dawrf saying to his enemy below...."By beard and hammer!!!This is my rock!!!"
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/DG2towers.jpg[/IMG]
And, finally coming to the Cornhusker comment...what no arched bridge??? Well today while going to lunch with the wife. She said something about a Tundra Scout I was picking up in a local trade about elephants, the alps, the elephant, blah blah, something, Home Depot....And I started thinking about the things that glumag was working on and...BAM!!
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/DG3towers.jpg[/IMG]
Not that you can see it in the picture but there are arches in the bridge now. Tomorrow, I am going to cut the floor of the bridge out of the same grid foam and slapp that together. Make the last two towers and sanp pictures w/timer....
So all in all hooray wife...for conecting something in my noggin about the TS, a bridge, and me thinking of the grid foam I was talking about this a.m. Hooray wife!!! | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/12/2006 11:35 PM |
| I guess that when the GF says that I'm not helping by being a wiseacre, I can point to this thread and proudly proclaim that I am indeed being helpful! [)]
Hooray smartalecks!
Those towers are certainly imposing. With all that scenery, you might have a tough time getting your players to settle down and play the game! | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 07/13/2006 12:57 AM |
| Wow, awesome write up, tyvm! Those tips will come in handy.
Before reading your tips (of course) [B)] I went and did a couple of try out walls, I used the melter to make the brick pattern all around a 14 inch side of a wall and 2x5 inchers. It came out great, that is until I decided to give it a spray with black paint...what a sludge!, the grooves remain pink and most of the porous{sp?} texture of the foam also shows lots of pink. I really need to see that video [:D]
Oh well, I always believe that trial an error are the best teachers, unless you are juggling chainsaws.
Do you have a link for the attachement of the hot wire? I bought one of the cheap ones as well but the wire broke as I am learning [:p] and it doesn't have that much space (about 1½ inches or so) It is cheap and it works with 2 DDs batteries, paid 5 bucks for it.
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/13/2006 6:38 AM |
| CotCB:
You are right, sceneary is one of those things that can really interject some high octane adrenaline into players!! I still remember my first game where Dwarven Forge Stuff was used.....I think I dropped to +3 hit points. Talk about bringing some focus. I figure that I will do the same thing...if the horde can make a spot check!!!
Besides that who says that smart alecs cannot make a positive impact!! I mean there are cracks and then there are wise cracks, with an emphasis on wise...[:D]
glumag:
Here is a link to the website that makes "really nice hot wire foam cutters". My FLGS has them instock for around $90!! [:O] Really nice. So, nice they have on-line videos...[)]
http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/products/customer/video/video.htm[/url]
The first foam cutter that I ever had is one that you describe. It sucks ass. Sorry for swearing. But that is the God's Honest truth. I am using the mid range cutter http://www.misterart.com/store/view.cfm?store=003&group_id=8649[/url] I don't think that I paid this much for this model. For me the key is the wore tension. Like the walls and things where I am needing a precise cut I have the wire drawn as tight as I feel comfortable with. If I am making the towers and I need the gentle/more rounded edges and slopes then a looser wire is what I used. Then as I cut the foam the wire is all sorts of hot but still flexible.
For finding a good foam cutter, I would try looking for model railroader places in your local area. If there is anyone that has terrain building stuff they would have it. Model railroaders are nuts for really nice terrain!![:D] This area (K.C. having tons of railroad yards) these stores are not too hard to find and the people are pretty friendly
Last night while the wife was watching T.V. I got the floor tiles of the bridge laid out and the last part of the Bell Tower in Rhest glued. Tonight depending on when I get home I will be able to do more and post some pics.....much more to show!!! | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 07/13/2006 9:50 AM |
| | thaks again giffrat! [:D] | |
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griffrat
Commander
3507 Posts
| | 07/14/2006 7:21 PM |
| Alright, I haven't had much time to work on the projects. But, here is somethings that I haven't shown.
First, up is the bridge. This is just before I placed the three parts together. The outside parts have been shown before. But I will talk about the middle.
Right now it is upside down so you really can't see it. BUt it is the Hirst Arts "Cracked Stone" floor tiles. I think they look pretty sweet and fit with the whole dwarven stone feel of the gorge.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/bridge1.jpg[/IMG]
When I was gluing the sides to the main floor piece. I was noticing some "slippage/bending" of the outside support and make the bridge not be as "square" as I was wanting. So, I grabbed some of the spare trashed pink foam and made a make-shift support system. This should allow for the glue to set up and give the shape I need.
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/bridge2.jpg[/IMG]
Next up is the completed bell tower for the ruins of rhest. It is nothing really spectacular. Just the four inch tower mold from Hirst Arts and some "ruined" parts from the eight inch tower for the lost dome. I don't have time to really make a bell to hang in there even if the "box text" says its there....[)]
Two shots a front and a back
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/belltower2.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g305/griffrat/RHoD%20terrain/belltower1.jpg[/IMG]
I will have some more updates on Monday. As this weekend I am going to see the "moving Vietnam War Memorial". So I don't know how much time I will have to devote to terrain. However, I am taking my last personal day of the year and going to get up with the sun and work all day on terrain. So you can expect something on Monday night or Tuesday morning....
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 07/14/2006 10:10 PM |
| | More excellent stuff. I'm looking forward to seeing that bridge, and the tower looks grand (with or without the bell)... | |
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