"Making Planets for Starship gaming" Topic

So it looks like our Noble Armada campaign is going to get off the ground, but we have almost no terrain. I want to add a few planets for this. I don't want to just use metal, wood or paper disks for this…I want it to be 3d. The idea I had was to use styrofoam balls you can buy at hobby stores and the like. The only issue is that they are pretty porous. Any ideas on what I can do to cut down on this? I'd like the surface to be fairly smooth so I can airbrush gas bands, clouds and the like. Anyone ever do any articles on this? TIA!

Damon.

Cheap plastic balls sold as kids toys. Cut 'em in half and paint 'em.

They make round green styrofoam balls for floral arranging. I think they are closed cell unlike the white open cell balls, so much smoother. Try a Michaels or Joanns.

You can coat the styrofoam with various materials to fill in the cracks, e.g. Durham's Water Putty, that spackling material people recommend for basing (can't recall the name of it right now, etc.

I use the swirl-colored, plastics balls for kids, as is, since they are quite large, and inexpensive. Works perfect for vessels going into a low, or equatorial orbit, depending upon their size.

You can vary the sizes by letting some of the air out with an inflator needle inserted into the hole in the ball.

I just thought of this for some reason. Years ago we made Christmas ornaments by taking clear class ornaments and drizzling some paint inside, the swirling it around. I imagine if you took the neck and mounted it in some type of base it would make a pretty striking planet. Here are some pictures from around the net using this technique.

Here's a tutorial I posted on my blog last year for making space scenery.

My method requires a small time investment, but allows surface detail (see my scratchbuilt moon post). I think the plastic ball option recommended by Margard and Mako11 are the easiest and most cost effective however.

link

My method is a little bit different; you can read about it here: link

I also created a moon using a similar technique: link

I went with corsecs planets, they're kinda money for old rope but I couldn't be bothered to look around and they're durable, come with a stand and I was ordering from him anyway.

Must say I think the cool drizzle effect christmas decorations looks like a winner!

I found that Modge Podge (puzzle saver).. Works great for coating styrofoam..

I painted over plastic Christmas decorations to make my planets. I'm considering making some larger planets out of papier mache.

I found these:

link

They are hollow metal and stackable and I found them in a shop for about $25.00 USD and they are great.

Check your discount stores, I found glass globe like paperweights with a flatted bottom, I just painted over them to look like a planet.

PVA glue or wood glue is cheapest method to cover the porous foam.

The plastic balls, if inflated to 12" or more in diameter, are impressive on the tabletop.

why not use the texture of the styrofoam ball?
just drybrush and stipple colour…(thats color for you americans) on top
lightweight and cheap….anyway good luck

I made mine using corsec's acrylic spheres:

Here are the posts from my blog:
link

link

I want to add a few planets for this. I don't want to just use metal, wood or paper disks for this…I want it to be 3d. The idea I had was to use styrofoam balls you can buy at hobby stores and the like. The only issue is that they are pretty porous. Any ideas on what I can do to cut down on this? I'd like the surface to be fairly smooth so I can airbrush gas bands, clouds and the like. Anyone ever do any articles on this?

styrofoam balls covered with PVA and painted with craft paints (keep paint wet)

Styrofoam balls, paint blue, cover with thick PVA, before PVA dries spray white = crackle effect.♠

/Dee

Moons:
link

Terrestrial Worlds:
link

I learned a few things after the moon tutorial that's present in the terrestrial worlds tutorial that yield better results with regards to smoothing the surface.

I did a tutorial on how I painted my displays for our planets.

link

I used Vallejo sandy paste to get the texture.

Another idea is if you have a store near you that sells rocks+minerals (usually as jewelry or for crafts) then look for small smooth round rocks that look like planets.

Attached a battle report showing one of my "planets" in it:

link