Sunday, July 24, 2016

There's Wall - DOH!

As I begin to prepare the table for our next Frostgrave game, still a few weeks off, I was laying out my buildings & thought, there just doesn't seem to be enough terrain to block archers from shooting across the board.

Then I began to think about alleys, a harbour, etc. So how do I create an effect of raised areas with cobblestones, & stone walls easily. 

Some time ago I had managed to save some pink foam from going to a landfill, asking the guys on the site if I may take some of their scraps. It's been stashed away for the most part.

Taking a larger piece, I decided on a size & keeping it simple for my test, just created a rectangular piece with a ramp to allow wagons to reach it.

Then I had the issue of how to make a pattern (which wouldn't take me all day)

I then remembered the cobblestone/flagstone rollers I got from Greenstuff World.

Ok, time for the leap of faith. I rolled the roller using a fair bit of weight across the foam & sure enough the pattern transferred!!!


I am guessing this would not work on the usual white foam packaging, it needs to be the good quality insulation.


Once the patterning was done, it was a coat of black gesso to seal the foam. Then coats of Charcoal Grey, Dove Grey, Yellow Ochre & finally Gravel, going lighter drybrushing as I went.

Below is the final product, thrown on the table & covered with some terrain 


It's my hope that with these raised platforms it will create some more channelled avenue's for the warbands, as well as blocking lines of sight from the dreaded long shots by archers. Yes I am notorious for this myself!


I plan on building some more once I dig the foam from the crawlspace. Perhaps with ramps close to the edge (for a harbour/dock setting) & maybe even some curved walls.  


I am even thinking of perhaps building some basements into 1 or 2 with fixed buildings ruins, with the added bonus of perhaps entrances to sewers & catacombs!


I am quite satisfied with the result. The roller applies a surface just deep enough to allow the weathering of the pattern to stand out & was quite a time saver!


I have a couple more fountains in the works, I think one will have a ruined statue once I figure how best to cut the figure. As well I just primed the 3 boars I purchased from Malifeaux, so expect to see them in the next couple weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!
 

5 comments:

  1. What a result! I'd seen those rollers before, but never in action as it were - very interesting to see the results here.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Never seen those rollers before ingenious idea and looks excellent!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Simon, I originally saw these one another person's blog & then checked the Greenstuff World website & picked up 4 different rollers.

      Delete
  3. Great idea Terry! Outstanding result...well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Stanley. I was apprehensive to start, but was quite elated when it worked!

      Delete