A New Scenery Project: Rocks

[Woody Elmore]

Jon - you can color the plaster before mixing with the powdered pigments used by masons to color concrete. It used to be sold by the box (about the size of a baking soda box) and a box will last a long time. Alternately, as suggested, you can try washes of acrylic paints. When I did rocks I found that the coloring often disappared into the plaster so I sealed the raw work with matte medium. I never liked the results I got from spackle.

Your work, as usual, looks fine to me. Maybe you could use the raw plaster rocks and make a winter scene - I'm sure the B&O operated through many snow storms.

Keep up the fine work. Looks like you've got the new camera under control also!

[jonathan]

Thanks Woody.

If you look close as a few of the shots, you can see a Bowser G5 peeking out of the tunnel.     Still runs pretty well.

Brown Wash:





Don't know what color to try next.  The yellow is starting to disappear (good).  Don't want it to get too dark and grey like my previous attempts.

Regards,

Jonathan

[ryeguyisme]

i don't i like if it were grey imo

[Keusink]

Jonathon

A good article on rock painting is in MRR "How To Build Realistic Scenery", July 2010, P 20 ("Cast Plaster Rocks In Place")( and paint them). P60 is "Remake a Shoreline Scene"  where it describes using the Cripplebush molded rubber rocks for a rock cut. I like the latter for my set, but the former is what you are up to in this project.

These cites are from the paper magazine issue. Some great articles on lighting too. I am using all of the above on our layout.

Chris

[jonathan]

Thanks, Chris.

I think I read that article some time in the past.  I also have one of those how-to Kalmbach books, as well as an old Allen Keller video of rock building.  My problem is, after reading and viewing all that, I still end up doing it my way.  I have a thick skull sometimes.

I think I like the brownish color overall.  I still need to highlight; probably through dry-brushing.  But for now, I still have a lot of rocks to mold:







And that's just one side of the mountain.  The other side is calling.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Woody Elmore]

Jon - I was talking to a buddy who remembers our experimenting with the boxed dyes used to color sidewalk masonry. He reminded me that it made the hydrocal plaster crumble - I didn't remember (I often don't remember where my car is parked!)

Go to Michaels and invest in some Liquitex acrylics - burnt and raw umber, burnt and raw sienna, yellow ochre, along with some white and black to dilute or darken the colors. These acrylics can be diluted with water. Take an old pie tin and experiment with mixing the colors.  They are earth tones and will color your plasterwork nicely. Just don't use them straight - much too strong. You might want to write down your mixes so that you can refer to the blends you have made. After a while you'll get some artist's brushes and a palette knife once you get good at it. By the way you can also use diluted oils to get the same result. Oils are much slower to dry and have to be diluted with turpentine. They also have a shine to them.

Glad to see the G-5 is still running nicely - it ought to after all the work you did!

[jonathan]

Woody,

Yep, with all the hobby shops closing up, I'm forced to use Michaels (or Walmart) for art supplies.  Acrylics and water seems to be working so far.  Once I get the basic color for all my rocks, I'll start working with the siennas, umbers, ochers and such.  Baby Steps... 

R,

J

[Woody Elmore]

Jon - I forgot one basic thing in my little posting about using Liquitex or other brand acrylics. Before you start to work on your rock castings, spray them with a little water that has maybe a drop of dish washing  soap mixed in. This helps to keep the plaster from acting like a wick.

Diluted matte medium, again from your favorite art or crafts store, can also be used to hold down ballast. You can dilute it about 25% and apply it with an eyedropper.

I'm sure that whatevcer method you use, your work will be top notch.

Cheers - Woody

[jonathan]

OK, time to finish up this thread with some final shots.

I still need some talus to finish the transition at the bottom.  I'll get some at the next train show.

I drybrushed a mixture of 75% white/25% country tan along the rock edges.  The color, and texture, looks much improved from my previous rock-building attempts.  Thanks for the advice, guys.  Enjoy the shots.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jhanecker2]

To Jonathon :  If you have a Hobby Lobby in your area , they have an extensive line of art supplies and some stores still have trains and scenery supplies , and modeling  equipment.  J2.

[jonathan]

J2,

Nearest Hobby Lobby is 45 minutes away.  They carry no MR stuff, some paint supplies, and no scenery material (save for grass mats).  It's really a Michael's on steroids.  If you're into model classic cars, they seem to carry those types of supplies.

Our local Hobby Lobby and Hobbytown have closed.

Train shows are my best bet these days. 

Regards,

Jonathan