I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
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SurfpossumA nonentitytrying to preserve the anonymity he so richly deserves.Registered Userregular
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
These are all YouTubers I enjoy and if you watch any of their videos where they make rocks or bricks you can pick up a lot of simple techniques that will help a lot.
For example, before watching a bunch of youtube and after:
Yes the first one was just scrap foam that I slapped paint that I'd already poured out onto, but the second one was barely any more effort, just done better.
For anybody that likes making stuff I highly, highly recommend building some terrain, it's super easy to get into and forgiving and cheap.
So a friend got me an airbrush for christmas and I finally took it out for a spin today. After figuring out some rough basics on how it works by priming some models and writing swear words onto some discarded plastic I decided to get ballsy and try doing a basic paint job on a Locust from a Battletech match he and I played where it knocked out a mech like four times its size. He said it should be gold plated so behold, the first thing I've ever painted where I actually had fun and enjoyed the process. It's a super basic paint job but I'm pretty happy considering I've got zero experience. I even cleaned up the cockpit lines with a brush without hating myself which is a small miracle in of itself.
It's a little chunky but this poor little Locust was from when I tried to use a rattle can to batch prime some models like a dumb dumb and it got oversprayed 😢 The actual airbrushing was butter smooth.
Still tho, I can get used to this airbrushing nonsense 👀
Any suggestions on where to go from here are appreciated!
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
[Expletive deleted] on
Sic transit gloria mundi.
+13
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StragintDo Not GiftAlways DeclinesRegistered Userregular
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
This is perfect, thank you!
I put together a poorly made MS paint lay out
The purple is where I want to put the blacklights.
I want to make a crystal out of resin but I'm not sure how to make a mold. I only have UV curing resin right now. I'm not sure if I want the crystal to be UV reflective or if I want to put an LED light inside of it to glow green that way. Maybe both?
Also really wish I had a wire cutter but I don't know where to buy one besides online.
Did you line the outside with like hard chip board or anything?
Stragint on
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
This is perfect, thank you!
I put together a poorly made MS paint lay out
The purple is where I want to put the blacklights.
I want to make a crystal out of resin but I'm not sure how to make a mold. I only have UV curing resin right now. I'm not sure if I want the crystal to be UV reflective or if I want to put an LED light inside of it to glow green that way. Maybe both?
Also really wish I had a wire cutter but I don't know where to buy one besides online.
Did you line the outside with like hard chip board or anything?
I have a hard time reading your drawing. Are you trying to build a cross-section of a mine shaft? Or is it a cave with a shaft leading vertically up to the surface?
I haven't done any casting, but from watching videos you'd first build the crystal, then make a mold with silocone, then use that for the resin cast. Easiest way would be to either have a crystal you could cast, or make one out of insulation foam.
An alternative would be to get frosted acrylic sheets or opaque polystyrene sheets and make a crystal from that. Then just don't cast a resin version. Just paint it, and/or stuff a led inside of it (e.g., a LED tealight or fairy lights if it is large). The light will shine through. (I'd to this.)
Regardless if you cast or not, it will glow with point light, not uniform light. Unless you use a led filament the same length as the crystal. But they are hard to source and you'd have to wire them up manually.
For my diorama I built a box out of chip board (you could just get a cheap box from a craft store instead) and then covered the inside with crumpled-up alu foil which I covered with paper mache. You can still see clear warping from when the paper mache dried. The one I'm currently making (which will feature the mouth of a cave) will be from paper mache-covered insulation foam. Propably inside a box.
The box isn't necessary, though. Having a chipboard base might be handy, but a thick pieace of insulation foam is plenty rigid on its own. Withouth a wire cutter it's hard to make straight cuts, though, so the box gives a rectangular shape (unless it warps…) that would otherwise be hard to achieve.
You'll make a few mistakes the first time, but quickly get the hang of it.
And foam and paper mache is dirt cheap. You can afford to have a failed attempt, if it comes to that.
Don't aim for photorealism for your first attempt. And paint and context easily tricks the mind. Dried paper mache looks like lumps of dissolved toilet paper. Painted and with the rest of the diorama around it it will look like a cave, or whatever else you have made.
[Expletive deleted] on
Sic transit gloria mundi.
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StragintDo Not GiftAlways DeclinesRegistered Userregular
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
This is perfect, thank you!
I put together a poorly made MS paint lay out
The purple is where I want to put the blacklights.
I want to make a crystal out of resin but I'm not sure how to make a mold. I only have UV curing resin right now. I'm not sure if I want the crystal to be UV reflective or if I want to put an LED light inside of it to glow green that way. Maybe both?
Also really wish I had a wire cutter but I don't know where to buy one besides online.
Did you line the outside with like hard chip board or anything?
I have a hard time reading your drawing. Are you trying to build a cross-section of a mine shaft? Or is it a cave with a shaft leading vertically up to the surface?
I haven't done any casting, but from watching videos you'd first build the crystal, then make a mold with silocone, then use that for the resin cast. Easiest way would be to either have a crystal you could cast, or make one out of insulation foam.
An alternative would be to get frosted acrylic sheets or opaque polystyrene sheets and make a crystal from that. Then just don't cast a resin version. Just paint it, and/or stuff a led inside of it (e.g., a LED tealight or fairy lights if it is large). The light will shine through. (I'd to this.)
Regardless if you cast or not, it will glow with point light, not uniform light. Unless you use a led filament the same length as the crystal. But they are hard to source and you'd have to wire them up manually.
For my diorama I built a box out of chip board (you could just get a cheap box from a craft store instead) and then covered the inside with crumpled-up alu foil which I covered with paper mache. You can still see clear warping from when the paper mache dried. The one I'm currently making (which will feature the mouth of a cave) will be from paper mache-covered insulation foam. Propably inside a box.
The box isn't necessary, though. Having a chipboard base might be handy, but a thick pieace of insulation foam is plenty rigid on its own. Withouth a wire cutter it's hard to make straight cuts, though, so the box gives a rectangular shape (unless it warps…) that would otherwise be hard to achieve.
For the area I wanted a small ledge up to where the warpstone will be sitting. The Skaven on the lower part of the cave would be confronting the Skaven up top on the ledge. The green flow down would be a warpstone tainted river with a rickety bridge built going over at the bottom.
I want to make it pretty compact since this is for a painting competition.
For the crystal I was thinking of putting a tea light beneath it so it glows up from the bottom and either cast the resin with a small amount of green dye or paint it with a clear green that light can shine through easily.
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
This is perfect, thank you!
I put together a poorly made MS paint lay out
The purple is where I want to put the blacklights.
I want to make a crystal out of resin but I'm not sure how to make a mold. I only have UV curing resin right now. I'm not sure if I want the crystal to be UV reflective or if I want to put an LED light inside of it to glow green that way. Maybe both?
Also really wish I had a wire cutter but I don't know where to buy one besides online.
Did you line the outside with like hard chip board or anything?
I have a hard time reading your drawing. Are you trying to build a cross-section of a mine shaft? Or is it a cave with a shaft leading vertically up to the surface?
I haven't done any casting, but from watching videos you'd first build the crystal, then make a mold with silocone, then use that for the resin cast. Easiest way would be to either have a crystal you could cast, or make one out of insulation foam.
An alternative would be to get frosted acrylic sheets or opaque polystyrene sheets and make a crystal from that. Then just don't cast a resin version. Just paint it, and/or stuff a led inside of it (e.g., a LED tealight or fairy lights if it is large). The light will shine through. (I'd to this.)
Regardless if you cast or not, it will glow with point light, not uniform light. Unless you use a led filament the same length as the crystal. But they are hard to source and you'd have to wire them up manually.
For my diorama I built a box out of chip board (you could just get a cheap box from a craft store instead) and then covered the inside with crumpled-up alu foil which I covered with paper mache. You can still see clear warping from when the paper mache dried. The one I'm currently making (which will feature the mouth of a cave) will be from paper mache-covered insulation foam. Propably inside a box.
The box isn't necessary, though. Having a chipboard base might be handy, but a thick pieace of insulation foam is plenty rigid on its own. Withouth a wire cutter it's hard to make straight cuts, though, so the box gives a rectangular shape (unless it warps…) that would otherwise be hard to achieve.
For the area I wanted a small ledge up to where the warpstone will be sitting. The Skaven on the lower part of the cave would be confronting the Skaven up top on the ledge. The green flow down would be a warpstone tainted river with a rickety bridge built going over at the bottom.
I want to make it pretty compact since this is for a painting competition.
For the crystal I was thinking of putting a tea light beneath it so it glows up from the bottom and either cast the resin with a small amount of green dye or paint it with a clear green that light can shine through easily.
Oh, I see. I thought the green thing was a mine shaft.
Rivers might be tricky. I have never poured resin, and it looks scary. One alternative is toilet paper soaked in wood glue that you shape into a wave pattern (and then paint once dry).
I think just making a crystal out of polystyrene sheets with a tealight inside might be decent.
I also kind of want to enter the diorama part of the paint competition by making a cave with black lights for my painted Skaven but I'm not sure how I'd do go about starting that.
Is it the cave part or the blacklight part that's the issue? I've built caves with lights in them, so I could probably give you some tips.
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
This is perfect, thank you!
I put together a poorly made MS paint lay out
The purple is where I want to put the blacklights.
I want to make a crystal out of resin but I'm not sure how to make a mold. I only have UV curing resin right now. I'm not sure if I want the crystal to be UV reflective or if I want to put an LED light inside of it to glow green that way. Maybe both?
Also really wish I had a wire cutter but I don't know where to buy one besides online.
Did you line the outside with like hard chip board or anything?
For the hot wire cutter, I'm not sure what you have near you, or how much you're looking to spend on it.
But, I found a couple at local hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowe's) that would do the trick. But they seem kind of spendy for a one-off project IMO. If you have any art supply stores in your area they might have them as well.
Lots of YouTube "Build your own" videos if you wanted to go that route.
Personally, if you're using foam board for a shoebox size diorama, a good boxcutter should be sufficient for the job. The wire cutter is good if you're doing a lot of cutting, making a table, or mass producing terrain pieces, but for a small diorama? Might be overkill.
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited January 2022
I have one similar to this, and for light duty intermittent work that you don't care about getting straight cuts it's more than capable. And inexpensive.
Nips on
+1
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StragintDo Not GiftAlways DeclinesRegistered Userregular
Where do I go to find different kinds of foam? Would I go to a hardware store or a hobby store?
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited January 2022
The foam modeler social groups I'm in swear by Extruded Polystyrene (typically abbreviated XPS). It's the typical pink/blue foam used in home construction, which you can find at your local big box DIY store like Home Depot. Don't buy it from a hobby store, you'll get gouged if they even have it. You can also find Expanded Polystyrene (EPS); it's the kind that's looks like it's made out of thousands of tiny balls of individual foam. It cuts similarly, but abrades very differently from XPS. They both have their uses.
Home Depot, in fact, carries an inch-thick 2'x2' XPS "Project Panel" for just under six bucks (local to me); that's a fair bit of volume, so one sheet of that probably covers you.
Do yourself a favor: If you're going to use razors to cut/gouge/shape the foam, buy a pack of those disposable break-off razor blades. Cutting foam dulls blades super fast.
Nips on
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Got my little battery powered airbrush tonight. Going to prime a model to try it out. Should be interesting.
webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Well I think this turned out pretty good for a priming test! A Reaper cast metal tiger mini. The hardest part was seeing the primer lay down over the metal. It didn't clump, it worked pretty well between heavy and light sprays and I lost no detail, plus it was a lot easier than using a brush. Since it's a tiger I'm going to use the airbrush to do the white basecoat and then orange overcoat before going in and doing things with a brush. Figure that'll be another good test.
StragintDo Not GiftAlways DeclinesRegistered Userregular
edited January 2022
The molds to make resin crystals arrived. I think the first test went well.
Did a second one with a different mold. It had a little peg on one end so it could be threaded for jewelry. The UV resin inside didn't harden so when I pulled it out it spilled all over.
This did leave the inside Hollow though so I cut it at an angle and set it up with a green tea light.
I really need to remember to wear a mask with this stuff.
Anyone have experience sanding resin nice and smooth?
Stragint on
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
A bunch of Polish miniature painters started a series of online events in which we meet up, paint the same model (not mandatory) and share experiences.
This is my first time painting at this scale (she'd be roughly 9cm standing up). It was extremely frustrating. I worry I won't have the perseverence to paint something this large just for the sake of it (rather than for 40k).
I have technically caught up on my painting, I have some primed Necron Flayed Ones, but I am in the middle of selling them along with all my other non Astartes units to refocus myself.
So now that I have finished my Heavy Intercessor and their Captain, I get to move onto clipping and assembly again.
Priming may be difficult with current weather, but that is future me problems.
Maybe I should start gloomspite gitz. This troll is super fun. Just slapping turquoise and purple one there.
Messed up the feet though. The dangers of layering different contrast colours on top of each others.
honovere on
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StragintDo Not GiftAlways DeclinesRegistered Userregular
Does anyone have a recommended UV resin I can purchase? Getting it from green stuff world is a little expensive when including shipping.
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
I wanted to use it to create water bases for my deepkin, random puddles and stuff with various pigments, and potentially the river for the diorama I'm creating.
The one you linked is the one that came up first for me on Amazon and I've been curious if it is any good.
PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
Now I finished the last touch ups, I am never painting another of those models ever again. One of the most painful painting jobs ever.
I wanted to use it to create water bases for my deepkin, random puddles and stuff with various pigments, and potentially the river for the diorama I'm creating.
The one you linked is the one that came up first for me on Amazon and I've been curious if it is any good.
I don't have much resin experience myself, but I saw a cool video on modular water sources for gaming boards that uses large quantities of resin, the maker recommends this jewelry resin
I wanted to use it to create water bases for my deepkin, random puddles and stuff with various pigments, and potentially the river for the diorama I'm creating.
The one you linked is the one that came up first for me on Amazon and I've been curious if it is any good.
I think youd have good results. Ive just been painting under the resin and leaving it clear but you can dye it too
My desk doubles as my computer desk, so the central area I mostly keep clear and swap between keyboard and mouse, or my painting pad. So i setup the shelves on each side of the monitor.
The shelves are made in Canada, and come unassembled, but are fairly intuitive and just need some wood glue to make them sturdy.
Technically this is 4 units, with each set stacked once. They are pretty inexpensive and came to around $125 all together with shipping.
Gnome-Interruptus on
MWO: Adamski
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ArcticLancerBest served chilled.Registered Userregular
Where did those come from, actually? I just had some GSW shelves arrive today too, but I'm looking to pick up a couple more things now that I know how these fit in for me. Something more local is definitely piquing my interest.
Where did those come from, actually? I just had some GSW shelves arrive today too, but I'm looking to pick up a couple more things now that I know how these fit in for me. Something more local is definitely piquing my interest.
SurfpossumA nonentitytrying to preserve the anonymity he so richly deserves.Registered Userregular
edited January 2022
So in Malifaux there are 54 masters and there was a huge update recently that added alternate versions of each one: new models, new abilities, the whole works. Complete madness.
Anyway, my main, Mah Tucket, got a mechanical spiderbot:
BUT while the stat cards are available thru print on demand, the models themselves have been getting released in a trickle with no ETA for Mecha Meemaw. So, I chopped up some stuff and built my own mech for Mah to sit in:
Then I realized I had been an absolute fool and went out and bought some Hot Wheels:
So in Malifaux there are 54 masters and there was a huge update recently that added alternate versions of each one: new models, new abilities, the whole works. Complete madness.
Anyway, my main, Mah Tucket, got a mechanical spiderbot:
BUT while the stat cards are available thru print on demand, the models themselves have been getting released in a trickle with no ETA for Mecha Meemaw. So, I chopped up some stuff and built my own mech for Mah to sit in:
Then I realized I had been an absolute fool and went out and bought some Hot Wheels:
So in Malifaux there are 54 masters and there was a huge update recently that added alternate versions of each one: new models, new abilities, the whole works. Complete madness.
Anyway, my main, Mah Tucket, got a mechanical spiderbot:
BUT while the stat cards are available thru print on demand, the models themselves have been getting released in a trickle with no ETA for Mecha Meemaw. So, I chopped up some stuff and built my own mech for Mah to sit in:
Then I realized I had been an absolute fool and went out and bought some Hot Wheels:
So in Malifaux there are 54 masters and there was a huge update recently that added alternate versions of each one: new models, new abilities, the whole works. Complete madness.
Anyway, my main, Mah Tucket, got a mechanical spiderbot:
BUT while the stat cards are available thru print on demand, the models themselves have been getting released in a trickle with no ETA for Mecha Meemaw. So, I chopped up some stuff and built my own mech for Mah to sit in:
Then I realized I had been an absolute fool and went out and bought some Hot Wheels:
Now we're cookin'
Needs some truck nutz.
And suddenly I yearn for a disagree button. :P
As a compromise, I intend to add large fuzzy dice.
Posts
Honestly a little of both. More so the cave part. My biggest issue with lights is if I buy a string and need to cut it and add a power source I have no idea how to tell what kind of battery pack I need.
The cave is a whole other level of I've never done something like this before though and I think it would be awesome to do but yea, no clue how to start.
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
These are all YouTubers I enjoy and if you watch any of their videos where they make rocks or bricks you can pick up a lot of simple techniques that will help a lot.
For example, before watching a bunch of youtube and after:
Yes the first one was just scrap foam that I slapped paint that I'd already poured out onto, but the second one was barely any more effort, just done better.
For anybody that likes making stuff I highly, highly recommend building some terrain, it's super easy to get into and forgiving and cheap.
It's a little chunky but this poor little Locust was from when I tried to use a rattle can to batch prime some models like a dumb dumb and it got oversprayed 😢 The actual airbrushing was butter smooth.
Still tho, I can get used to this airbrushing nonsense 👀
Any suggestions on where to go from here are appreciated!
To make a cave:
- Styrofoam. I like pink or blue insulation foam, but you could use the crumbly white stuff if you have some large pieces lying around.
- Modelling compound, paper mache, wood filler, or plaster. I've been using papier mache (toilet paper dissolved in watered down wood glue and/or white flour with water). Paper mache is cheapest, but shrinks when it dries, and will destroy a wooden or mdf base. Fine over foam or alu foil structures.
- Fairy lights. The one I bought came with a battery pack and switch, and has five wires out with tiny little LEDs on them. Most just have one long string of LEDs, but there are those with many separate LED strands. No electrical work needed other than inserting the batteries.
- Wood glue or hot glue gun. For gluing stuff. Either is fine, but glue gun is faster.
- Hot wire cutter or knife. Former is better, latter is totally ok.
- Crumpled ball of alu foil. To get rock texture.
- Paint. I use black spray and the cheapest, chalkiest concrete grey I could find.
1) Cut the foam into chunks and pile them into a rough cave structure. Glue pieces together.
2) If you want the cave walls to be glowing, glue fairy lights on the cave now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
3) Cover the foam cave with modelling compound, paper mache, or whatever.
4) Texture by rolling alu foil ball over everything, or leave it raw (I leave paper mache raw).
5) If you want the cave walls to look like someone strung artificial lights in them (like in a mine) glue the fairy lights on now. Make sure the battery pack is outside the diorama proper.
6) Spraypaint the whole thing black, then drybrush concrete grey.
Pro tips:
a) Spraypaint eats foam, so either use foam-safe or make sure it's covered in e.g. paper mache first.
b) Painting or accessing the inside of a cave is difficult, so it may be a good idea to build it as two halves, at least until painting is done.
The above procedure is how I made this bad boy last year:
This is perfect, thank you!
I put together a poorly made MS paint lay out
The purple is where I want to put the blacklights.
I want to make a crystal out of resin but I'm not sure how to make a mold. I only have UV curing resin right now. I'm not sure if I want the crystal to be UV reflective or if I want to put an LED light inside of it to glow green that way. Maybe both?
Also really wish I had a wire cutter but I don't know where to buy one besides online.
Did you line the outside with like hard chip board or anything?
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
I have a hard time reading your drawing. Are you trying to build a cross-section of a mine shaft? Or is it a cave with a shaft leading vertically up to the surface?
I haven't done any casting, but from watching videos you'd first build the crystal, then make a mold with silocone, then use that for the resin cast. Easiest way would be to either have a crystal you could cast, or make one out of insulation foam.
An alternative would be to get frosted acrylic sheets or opaque polystyrene sheets and make a crystal from that. Then just don't cast a resin version. Just paint it, and/or stuff a led inside of it (e.g., a LED tealight or fairy lights if it is large). The light will shine through. (I'd to this.)
Regardless if you cast or not, it will glow with point light, not uniform light. Unless you use a led filament the same length as the crystal. But they are hard to source and you'd have to wire them up manually.
For my diorama I built a box out of chip board (you could just get a cheap box from a craft store instead) and then covered the inside with crumpled-up alu foil which I covered with paper mache. You can still see clear warping from when the paper mache dried. The one I'm currently making (which will feature the mouth of a cave) will be from paper mache-covered insulation foam. Propably inside a box.
The box isn't necessary, though. Having a chipboard base might be handy, but a thick pieace of insulation foam is plenty rigid on its own. Withouth a wire cutter it's hard to make straight cuts, though, so the box gives a rectangular shape (unless it warps…) that would otherwise be hard to achieve.
You'll make a few mistakes the first time, but quickly get the hang of it.
And foam and paper mache is dirt cheap. You can afford to have a failed attempt, if it comes to that.
Don't aim for photorealism for your first attempt. And paint and context easily tricks the mind. Dried paper mache looks like lumps of dissolved toilet paper. Painted and with the rest of the diorama around it it will look like a cave, or whatever else you have made.
For the area I wanted a small ledge up to where the warpstone will be sitting. The Skaven on the lower part of the cave would be confronting the Skaven up top on the ledge. The green flow down would be a warpstone tainted river with a rickety bridge built going over at the bottom.
I want to make it pretty compact since this is for a painting competition.
For the crystal I was thinking of putting a tea light beneath it so it glows up from the bottom and either cast the resin with a small amount of green dye or paint it with a clear green that light can shine through easily.
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
Oh, I see. I thought the green thing was a mine shaft.
Rivers might be tricky. I have never poured resin, and it looks scary. One alternative is toilet paper soaked in wood glue that you shape into a wave pattern (and then paint once dry).
I think just making a crystal out of polystyrene sheets with a tealight inside might be decent.
For the hot wire cutter, I'm not sure what you have near you, or how much you're looking to spend on it.
But, I found a couple at local hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowe's) that would do the trick. But they seem kind of spendy for a one-off project IMO. If you have any art supply stores in your area they might have them as well.
Lots of YouTube "Build your own" videos if you wanted to go that route.
Personally, if you're using foam board for a shoebox size diorama, a good boxcutter should be sufficient for the job. The wire cutter is good if you're doing a lot of cutting, making a table, or mass producing terrain pieces, but for a small diorama? Might be overkill.
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
Home Depot, in fact, carries an inch-thick 2'x2' XPS "Project Panel" for just under six bucks (local to me); that's a fair bit of volume, so one sheet of that probably covers you.
Do yourself a favor: If you're going to use razors to cut/gouge/shape the foam, buy a pack of those disposable break-off razor blades. Cutting foam dulls blades super fast.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Did a second one with a different mold. It had a little peg on one end so it could be threaded for jewelry. The UV resin inside didn't harden so when I pulled it out it spilled all over.
This did leave the inside Hollow though so I cut it at an angle and set it up with a green tea light.
I really need to remember to wear a mask with this stuff.
Anyone have experience sanding resin nice and smooth?
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
Probably a few more layers to go plus highlighting. Colours are clashing a bit at the moment.
This is my first time painting at this scale (she'd be roughly 9cm standing up). It was extremely frustrating. I worry I won't have the perseverence to paint something this large just for the sake of it (rather than for 40k).
So now that I have finished my Heavy Intercessor and their Captain, I get to move onto clipping and assembly again.
Priming may be difficult with current weather, but that is future me problems.
MWO: Adamski
Messed up the feet though. The dangers of layering different contrast colours on top of each others.
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
What're you trying to do? I use this stuff for puddles on Death Guard bases.
I wanted to use it to create water bases for my deepkin, random puddles and stuff with various pigments, and potentially the river for the diorama I'm creating.
The one you linked is the one that came up first for me on Amazon and I've been curious if it is any good.
What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak
I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
I don't have much resin experience myself, but I saw a cool video on modular water sources for gaming boards that uses large quantities of resin, the maker recommends this jewelry resin
The video in reference:
And some test models for my GSC.
It feels so good, seeing all my paints colours and labels at a glance, not having to rummage through them to find a colour.
Also now have actual space on my desk, so i can use my computer while painting to play tutorials or browse other painting schemes.
Painting has become slightly more of a joy again, instead of being a hassle.
MWO: Adamski
I think youd have good results. Ive just been painting under the resin and leaving it clear but you can dye it too
Oh man, same! I can't believe how much more pleasant it is to paint with a bunch of organizers! What's your setup? I got this over the last month:
On another note, some internet rando convinced me to start an instagram for my minis. How do you guys feel about posting this way?
(I still love me some turkus ;P ).
The shelves are made in Canada, and come unassembled, but are fairly intuitive and just need some wood glue to make them sturdy.
Technically this is 4 units, with each set stacked once. They are pretty inexpensive and came to around $125 all together with shipping.
MWO: Adamski
Perhaps I can interest you in my meager selection of pins?
https://www.tabletopgamerstore.com/accessories/ttg-modular-hobby-organizer-system/
MWO: Adamski
Anyway, my main, Mah Tucket, got a mechanical spiderbot:
BUT while the stat cards are available thru print on demand, the models themselves have been getting released in a trickle with no ETA for Mecha Meemaw. So, I chopped up some stuff and built my own mech for Mah to sit in:
Then I realized I had been an absolute fool and went out and bought some Hot Wheels:
Now we're cookin'
I… I think I need to play some Malifaux.
Needs some truck nutz.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Perhaps I can interest you in my meager selection of pins?
Seconds after taking this photo this happened:
Edit: And now finished