For my next project in getting the game room ready for the lads to return, I've been working on re-doing my trees/woods. Having mentioned this in a previous post, I will recap (using the same image from the prior post)
First off, I am keeping my use of the foam hexes as the bases for my woods pieces. However when I originally built them, it was in a mad scramble to just get a bunch done for an event.
So stripping the previous bases. As well as the trunk armatures from the Hob-e-tac residue. Yes this is a bugger to do, & I am thinking perhaps I will stick the remainder in the freezer for a bit to see if the cold will make them easier to strip. Of course I could just turf them in the trash, but that would be a waste.
Here is an example of the previous tile beside one of my new ones. Which do you prefer? Were my old ones better?
Here is an example of how those trees on the right used to look, with way too much foliage stuck on with the Hob-e-tac & they suffered from constantly dropping foliage clumps.
So I've decided that my shelf can hold 3 drink flats which when placed in them will hold 26 foam bases. With that number in mind I will be making 10 Light woods & 16 heavy woods.
If a game doesn't specify whether woods are light or heavy, then the tiles just become woods.
So with the tiles stripped, I bought some Vallejo ground cover paste to spread over them, this would provide me a rough base, as well as sealing the foam to fill holes or help mitigate dice damage. Many at this point would say that buying wood filler would be more cost effective, & I agree, but wood filler is kind of like plaster in that it can chip & absorbs paint.
With the tiles covered it was onto the painting of a base of Burnt Umber with splotches of Olive Drab, followed by drybrushing of yellow ochre. Then flocking was added in patches. Of note is that every tile has a plaster boulder on it, I added this to each to give me something to hold onto while painting the tiles, besides..I have a mold for them so why not.
Then the trees were added. For my light woods, the trees are spaced to allow figures to pass through them. They will consist of 3 thin trees or 2 of the larger trunked trees (which have yet to be finished). My heavy woods will comprise 4 pine trees clumped together & there will be no question as to which is light or heavy.
So for today, I've completed 5 Light Wood tiles & 4 Heavy Wood tiles.
The hexes are modular & allow me to make larger wood areas just by abutting them to one another, something that basing them on CD's would not have done. However it is very likely I will do some CD based trees too, seeing AOL was so kind to me in the past & kept sending me free CD's.
I've also been adding bits of wood, pebbles & grass tufts, but wanting to keep them agnostic, avoided doing any old wheels, or garbage, etc, so that they can be used for all eras of gaming.
So my next couple of weeks will likely be to continue building these wood hexes until all are finished. Should any of the local gamers wan't some of these foam hexes & trees to replicate this, I will likely have a bunch for sale in my swapmeet box. By all means reach out & we can discuss.
Thanks for visiting.
