"Painted Rocks On Scratchbuilt Terrain USING MORE THAN GRAYS?" Topic

I've always primed black or dark gray, then base-coated with a slightly lighter gray, and then dry brushed with two even lighter grays … and that's what I see many others here do as well.

However, I'm really looking forward to trying something like this on future projects. And it really looks like a pretty easy technique too!

A) Using washes*
YouTube link

B) Stippling option
YouTube link

NOTE
Even if what I started with was carved polystyrene foam or even bark chips or cork bark, I think that a very light brushing (or two) with a plaster-based joint compound might create the right surface to try those same techniques.

Thoughts?

Dan
TMP link
* For a faster (but much messier) approach to using washes, check out these 2 tutorials:
YouTube link

YouTube link

I also use washes with dark purple, burnt unmber and dark green. Sometimes painting areas on different shades of brown. It creates a nice cromatic view.

I do not recommend using inks as they have a very glossy finish.

Uncle

Do you have pics of your painted rock faces? I'd love to see additional successful results, if possible.

Also, about the gloss, the "scenic glue" (diluted PVA) spray used to seal in the washes also leaves a slight sheen, but that could all be toned down with a light spray of dull-cote* at the very end, right?

Unless … and I'm just speculating here, one were to use diluted matte Mod Podge instead of the diluted PVA to seal in the washes. Would that produce less sheen?

Dan
* Or Krylon matte spray, or a polyurethane spray sealer.

Rocks come in all colors, from off-whites, greys of various shades, through tans and browns. Not all rocks are granite!

Roderick: "Not all rocks are granite!"

GW begs to differ. :)

Dan

In the future, all of the rocks will be granite.

And basalt. As long as it's gray.

I would recommend this site as Marcel is a master at making model rock look real.

link

Enjoy.

Tony

Oberlindes

LOL. I can almost hear Yul Brynner's voice, as he says "so let it be written, so let it be done!"

Dan

Even granite is not 100% grey!

In any scale, I tend to spray paint my rocks with a variety of colous for a speckle effect. And sleays include a light spray of a non-grey colour — a very light blue, green, purple, or pink.

A video on painting Grays:
YouTube link

Dampfpanzerwaggon (Tony)

Wow! I can't believe he is building that house face one block at a time.

What sort of saw is that he uses to cut plaster? Every time I use a saw of any kind the plaster "clogs up" the teeth.

Dan

I tried the washes over white on a reaper bones dragon base and it came out great.

Robert

Colors depend upon the minerals in rock. Sandstone can come in a large varity of colors. If the area has a lot of iron oxide the rocks are reddish. Volcanic areas equal black rock.

Dave

What exists in the real world, and what "looks good", on the gaming table, are two different things… LOL! Most gamers make gray rocks, only, for historical, and fantasy games. The only time I see colorful rocks, is in SF games, mostly.

Your table, your decision. Cheers!

When I'm doing rocks and cliffs I tend to add in more browns. That's because where I live most of them are sandstone. I do have some that are the compulsory "wargamer grey" but I prefer to have them a different colour. Recently tried to do something similar to these

but my painting really let me down.

CC,

I prime my rocky hills in black, then use a "drab" homemade mix of caramel and black, then 3 dry-brushes, none of which are gray, but which result in a somewhat gray look…

Here's 2 links to posts in which I list the details of the paint scheme:

link

link

In the second post the paint info is mixed in with info about building the hill itself, which may or may not be of interest, depending on what you're looking for -- but you can always skim past stuff!

Colors depend upon the minerals in rock. Sandstone can come in a large varity of colors. If the area has a lot of iron oxide the rocks are reddish. Volcanic areas equal black rock.

Depends on a few more things than that. The type of iron oxide depends on the amount of O2 present and that usually indicates the absence or presence of water during rock formation. Black sedentary rock indicates a very low oxygen ferrous oxide while the bright red and yellow rocks are high oxygen environment ferric oxide. In between oxygen levels will give you greyish green colours, also ferrous oxide. As you say this creates different minerals.

Here"s a nice explanation:

link

Beautiful pictures, by the way.