Finishing off plaster mountain

Hi all,

I have constructed my fairly large mountain at the end of my layout, and it is just raw plaster right now. how do I go about finishing this thing off? I was thinking about using a earth tone latex paint to cover the whole thing, then come back with some highlighting colors (read Woodland Scenics) to make it look more natural.

I do not have a specific prototype mountain, but I have basically ATSF/BN/BNSF traction and consist, so I figure a sandy lighter tone would be good for a base, then add some turf and highlights.

Any tips, techniques, or ideas?

TIA

Shaummy

 

hey Shaummy, welcome to trainboard. Now I'll give you a tip but there are lots of folks here that are a lot better than I.

paint it in sections and while the paint is still wet, using a sifter spread the appropriate color ground cover on it. Saves lots of work later.


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When in doubt, empty your magazine.
Member #33

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Shaummy:
I was thinking about using a earth tone latex paint to cover the whole thing, then come back with some highlighting colors (read Woodland Scenics) to make it look more natural.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There's about a million different model railroaders out there with about a million different techniques. I outlined my method at http://harrison.RailsUSA.com

Ed Harrison

 

I think a book(or video) on scenery construction would be very helpful...

 

I use artists acrylics myself. I have used thinned latex paint to give it a little color and use the acrylics to bring it to life.

That is now. Originally I used a combination of Rainbow Powered Colors (colored plaster power) and Rit Dye. Now if you think that dates me, you're right. The Rit Dye fades over the years. Acrylics do not.

Roger

Roger Hensley - rhensley@anderson.cioe.com
== http://cid.railfan.net/eci_new.html ==
== East Central Indiana Railroad ==

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rhensley@anderson.cioe.co:
...Originally I used a combination of Rainbow Powered Colors (colored plaster power) and Rit Dye<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow. I think I just flashed back to "Zip Texturing"

Ed Harrison

 

Zip texturing is it.(everything old is new again). The method works , the technique is a little bit personalized.

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I am still using zip texturing. Yes that dates me. The only problem is finding the dry pigments. Walthers used to carry them but stopped. I'm starting to run low. The best thing about zip texturing is that it is fast and cheap. Plaster is the main ingredient. The pigments are designed for incorporating into cement so they don't fade. The resulting texture is very good. I also use ground foam but only as vegetation.

[This message has been edited by ncng (edited 18 August 2000).]

 

I believe that Rainbow Colors are still available from Micro-Mark, the tool specilty house. It seems that I saw them in the last catalogue that I received from them. It is a quick and easy method, but I am not sure how it would work on the plastic material that many modelers are using today.

Roger

Roger Hensley - rhensley@anderson.cioe.com
== http://cid.railfan.net/eci_new.html ==
== East Central Indiana Railroad ==

 

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. I have been lurking here for quite some time. tunnel88. Do you have any scenery books/video's that you would recommend?

I am VERY new to scenery techniques since all my childhood layouts had a lot of trackage and structures, it really didn't have much scenery, aside from some glued down grass.

Thanks again,

Shaummy

 

Well Kalmbach has a good library of sources and Dave Frary seems to know how to put a scene together...

 

Well I'll thow in my 2 cents worth. A little late on the subject, but I have been out of town!!
I out line my mountain construction techniques on my website: http/:www.jstrainstation.homestead.com , but basically while the plaster is still damp I spray with diluted RIT dye (yes it dates me too !!), and immediately add my initial ground cover which generally consists of finely sifted dirt. I then turn to rock outcrops. These I color using a combination of diluted RIT dye, then some latex paint overlay (especially good for highlighting shadow areas) and finish it off with chalks. Foliage comes next. At this stage I also add in a lot of "dead" plants (generally sticks that have been collected from the yard ) and finally I plant trees. Good luck and Happy Modeling!!
John

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The Colorado and Southwestern, Top of the Rockies!
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