Tutorial: Creating Dio Walls from Foam

[Mandingo Rex]

looks good FF...looks like the foil trick worked out well...did you use a pen to draw your brick lines?

I forgot to mention, looks like the foil trick worked! You actually beat me to trying it myself. I do kind of like the way that the tedious stippling effect does on the bricks, but for more worn brick and especially concrete, I think that's how I'm going to go from here on.

stop being a lazy pussy and get some work done before she comes back and ruins it for you...

also, you gonna post up the Wet-Suit mini review?

Don't you have a hot wife to go bang and disappoint?

I'm debating on doing it today or tomorrow. Thinking probably later today, though. I need 2 more brick walls and a concrete section to make an alleyway. I also still need to get around to making the other accessories and signs I mentioned, I was just busy all week at work and had to work last weekend.

 

[Firefly76]

I used a fine point sharpie pen for the brick then a plastic toothpick to score them out. I was nowhere near done when i posted those pics.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

excuses excuses Matt...you got to prioritise my man...creating walls for toys obviously tops the list...

and hey, a not gay comment...suggesting i actually bang a girl...good story...4am last night/morning she wakes me up cause she can't sleep...b!tch!...but then wants some action to help her sleep..SCORE!

suck on that you "eddie is gay" a-holes!

 

[Mandingo Rex]

excuses excuses Matt...you got to prioritise my man...creating walls for toys obviously tops the list...

and hey, a not gay comment...suggesting i actually bang a girl...good story...4am last night/morning she wakes me up cause she can't sleep...b!tch!...but then wants some action to help her sleep..SCORE!

suck on that you "eddie is gay" a-holes!

You know the drill. Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[K-Tiger]

George Michael stuck his pecker in women, too, but it doesn't change the facts.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

touche' K-T...valid arguement

 

[Firefly76]

Hmmm. Sounds like a cover... : )

 

[Firefly76]

George Michael stuck his pecker in women, too, but it doesn't change the facts.

LOL! exactly.

 

[Firefly76]

Ok. Here are some moe newb results. It's the one section of wall I have nearly finished minus windows or a door. I am really happy wih the results. Try it! Mandingo's tutorial is straight forward and easy to follow. You can substitute a lot of the tools he used if you don't have them.

 

[NSA]

Nice one man.. damn, now I'm wishing I'd of paid attention

 

[Firefly76]

Nice one man.. damn, now I'm wishing I'd of paid attention

Thanks. Believe me, I have spent a lot of time glued to the first page of this thread.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Those turned out great! I need to get back to mine, too. I won't do as much weathering on my next ones, because I think I went a bit too far with it. Are you going to try any weathering on the bricks, like moss, etc? Go a little at a time, because in-person, and in-camera, look like 2 different things.

 

[NSA]

Thanks. Believe me, I have spent a lot of time glued to the first page of this thread.

Too bad I've been glued to every page of the forums trying to make this a nice home for you WHIPPERSNAPPERS!!!!!!

 

[Firefly76]

Too bad I've been glued to every page of the forums trying to make this a nice home for you WHIPPERSNAPPERS!!!!!!

................Sorry................

 

[Firefly76]

Those turned out great! I need to get back to mine, too. I won't do as much weathering on my next ones, because I think I went a bit too far with it. Are you going to try any weathering on the bricks, like moss, etc? Go a little at a time, because in-person, and in-camera, look like 2 different things.

I think I will add some moss and such and weather them a bit more later. I wanted to get the concrete wall and some side walks done first so I can get an idea of just how fucked up looking they should be.

 

[NSA]

................Sorry................

Yes... yes.... excellent.. your tears give me sustenance...

 

[Beeavision]

Hey I really haven't read most of these posts but the pictures are quite amazing. Anyway has anyone tried using stencils to create artificial bricks and concrete on a miniature level? I know I have and I must say it works like a charm.

http://www.craft-products.com/dolls-house-brick-stone-tiles.asp

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Thanks man, glad I was able to start something here that others can join in on. I was personally inspired by the work of others on the board, so it's a team effort. As far as the stencils, nope, haven't tried them, but I imagine it would work as well, just a different way of doing it.

One of the tutorials linked in the first post shows a guy using an individual brick stamp, so he actually stamps each brick in. It seems tedious, but it's got to be faster than my method... Although you'd need to be pretty precise in making the stamps or they'd overlap.

If someone could make a metal die that made multiple bricks, in say rows of 10x10 or something, I can imagine this going MUCH faster. In fact, I may try and make one out of some modeling compound to see if that would work, but I bet it will be too brittle to last long.

 

[Big Jim]

got my tech deck rincon set in today, looks like Im going to micheals tomorrow

 

[Mandingo Rex]

got my tech deck rincon set in today, looks like Im going to micheals tomorrow

I've looked at every Target nearby, and none of them have them in-stock. So I'm going to have to go for one myself. I've gotten several other sets, and they're pretty awesome. I'm jealous, I want the Rincon, too.

 

[Beeavision]

If you go to places that sell specifically doll houses and such they often carry not only brick stencils and stamps but premade sheets of bricks and concrete too that can be cut down like paper to fit what ever you want. Folding them is clean and simple too without them cracking on you either. They also have sidewalks (clean or roughed up) and streets. I have even seen plastic molds in various sizes big and small.

 

[Big Jim]

I've looked at every Target nearby, and none of them have them in-stock. So I'm going to have to go for one myself. I've gotten several other sets, and they're pretty awesome. I'm jealous, I want the Rincon, too.

I bit the bullet and got it online. The Dublin TRU had the 3rd and Army set and I was tempted to pick it up just because its across the bay, I did grab one of the $5 dollar sets for the brickwall it came with.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

There is a newspaper stand set that I almost got, but it seemed slightly too large for the 1:18 scale. I wanted that brick set (short brick wall, right?) but never can find it. I'm down the peninsula, so East Bay is usually out of my stomping ground.

 

[Big Jim]

yup short brick wall, I guess its stevie williams? no clue who he is. I havent been into skateboarding for a few years
http://cgi.ebay.com/TECH-DECK-Pro-S...004?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a652110c
thats the least expensive one I could find on ebay
if i see one when im out ill grab it for ya

 

[Big Jim]

Man I really need to get batteries for my camera

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

that came out great FF...its almost like you can't f*** it up...no matter what you paint it up like, it seems theres always some version of what you did somewhere in the real world...

i NEED to get on this...it IS my next project...makes a great backdrop for customs

 

[Dr Syn]

Can this thread be pinned for all of time?

 

[K-Tiger]

Grrr, i have to find some of this fucking foam. I know how to make tattered up posters, but i gotta have a wall!

 

[Tracker]

My goodness that is so awesome as just so simple it's blow your mind

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I've got some new examples I'll be posting in the next week... (Just waiting on a few items to arrive in the mail) but wanted to share this little bit. I added the link to the first post for future reference.

Awesome Guy's Site

This guy uses a mix of pink foam and sprayed expanding foam to shape his terrain. If it wasn't so messy and I had more room to test it out (like a shop or good working area outdoors), I'd consider using it to create mountain cliffs and hills. But regardless, the guy's work is great to check out. Maybe some pointers folks can pick up from it.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

those train guys are do amazing work with scenery...when i was young i loved trains...i had an N scale set that me and my dad worked on...it was 4x8...sadly a house fire took it...but i used to love looking at the train magazines for the layouts and killer work these guys did on mountains and such

 

[K-Tiger]

I made a small billboard to use as a gun perch on a building in the event i find some workable foam and can start doing building facades.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

lets see it K-T...whip it out...

thats to obvious for the special thread guys

 

[Meddatron]

great tutorial, thankyou!! Final product is amazing!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

so Matt, which was easier to make, the brick style walls or the new stone type one?

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Both are about the same. The stone type is more freehand but takes more weathering to look real. The brick is more tedious carving time, but after the base coat, it starts to look like brick almost immediately.

It's the stone that is trickier to paint more believably. I probably did like 6 or 7 different paint apps for the final. I need to post pics tonight if I have time.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

*cough*lazy*cough*

 

[Mandingo Rex]

*cough*lazy*cough*

Oh pipe down, peanut gallery.

Here are the last few items I'm finishing up for my second street... Here's a "glass block" window that I made using the clear plastic from some random box and wax paper crumpled up, and some stairs and a landing that I need to finish carving and painting:

And the jungle dio, in various stages, that I'm finishing up minor touches on. Pardon the photos, they're from my 3G iPhone and the camera sucks. I'll post better pics for the tutorials when I upload the pics from my point-and-shoot camera.

 

[Beeavision]

This guy uses a mix of pink foam and sprayed expanding foam to shape his terrain. If it wasn't so messy and I had more room to test it out (like a shop or good working area outdoors), I'd consider using it to create mountain cliffs and hills. But regardless, the guy's work is great to check out. Maybe some pointers folks can pick up from it.

I've used both together many times. The expanding foam if applied correctly shaves off like modeling clay. Very dense and can be sanded to a smooth finish. Occasional while cutting you'll probably run into a few small air pockets there and there that can be easy filled in with anything that doesn't shrink afterwards upon drying. I either use a tube of silicone or a little plaster to do the trick. Once dry then go back over everything with several variations of colors depending on the look your going for using latex paints sprayed on with an airbrush.

The mountain cliff seen in the pictures below was completely modeled in using a few cans of expanding foam (Great Stuff as its commonly called). That's me in the top photo brushing on a faux finish to the rocky cliff surrounding the building. The track in the foreground was used as a controlled path to allow the camera to move up to and around the building while using a remote control gimbal arm for pivoting and panning during the entire shot sequence. Both the camera and gimbal arm were mounted to a motorized cart fixed to the tracks that was also controlled remotely. I'm sure you guys recognize the building. By the way the building was established using both wood for structural purposes and foam board for the outer exterior walls. Plaster was later brought in and applied over the foam as a quick solution to stucco followed by hours of painting.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

wow, those pics look so much better big...i can see the details way better, and the color too...the moss and growth show real nice...i really like how modular all the tiny pieces are on the ruins

the concrete wall looks killer too...is it and the brick part one piece?...whats the small opening to the right?...a low window?