*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 07:46:55 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Donate

We Appreciate Your Support

Recent

Author Topic: How to flock terrain boards?  (Read 6126 times)

Offline Amalric

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1499
  • I have a bad feeling about this...
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #15 on: September 18, 2020, 09:05:39 PM »
Great topic with loads of good info!


Offline snitcythedog

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 2198
    • Snitchys blog
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #16 on: September 18, 2020, 09:53:04 PM »
Once dry, I hit it with a stiff brush in places to thin the flock and show more of the ground below. And in some places I add a second layer of flock, for a thicker, grassier look. Keeping it varied across the board.
Stole my thunder on that one.
Mixing the colours and materials is always a good idea as it looks more natural.  I have also had good results applying Copydex instead of PVA.  It seems that the rubber base helps keep the small particles from shifting as I did not need a topcoat of PVA. I have tired it with with sawdust flock, foam flock and static grass.  The only thing that I cannot comment on is the longevity.  I have only used it for a couple of years so longer than that I can't vouch for.   
A bottle of scotch and two aspirin a day will greatly reduce your awareness of heart disease.
"Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference"... Mark Twain
http://snitchythedog.blogspot.com

Offline David H

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 214
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #17 on: September 19, 2020, 10:35:56 AM »
Thanks Charlie and Snitcy, more great tips.

I'm just finishing my gaming room roof at the moment and can then start trying a few of these suggestion out - keep them coming.

Thanks everyone.


Offline Hammers

  • Amateur papiermachiéer
  • Moderator
  • Elder God
  • *
  • Posts: 16070
  • Workbench and Pulp Moderator
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #18 on: September 21, 2020, 07:36:29 AM »
Flattened static grass always looks a bit odd to me, but I'm open to converting if  anyone has examples of how to do it convincingly.


Have you tried using a static grass applicator? It with the help of this kind of dark sorcery you make the static grass stand up straight. I just built my own in an afternoon from a fly zapper (cost me less than a tenner all in all) which I am experimenting with now.

Offline Hammers

  • Amateur papiermachiéer
  • Moderator
  • Elder God
  • *
  • Posts: 16070
  • Workbench and Pulp Moderator
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #19 on: September 21, 2020, 07:47:05 AM »
Would also recommend that you 'mix' your flock as you go - that way it is not all the same colour - you only need a slight variation to give a good effect.

For an even more natural look, consider where you apply which kind of flock or static grass. Just to mention a few considerations:
 
- the most obvious consideration is which  season or type of climate you try to channel. Even an arid desert landscape changes with seasons.
- cracks and bottom of large rocks retain moisture longer and the grass is greener or a darker green in these places
- create some interesting contrast by applying tall tufts of a drier more yellow colour among a lower, greener vegetation. The opposit is sometimes also suitable, especially in landscapes grazed by cattle and other herbivores

There are heaps of other considerations you can make, your  best friend here is reference photos.

Offline David H

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 214
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #20 on: September 24, 2020, 09:31:42 AM »
For an even more natural look, consider where you apply which kind of flock or static grass. Just to mention a few considerations:
 
- the most obvious consideration is which  season or type of climate you try to channel. Even an arid desert landscape changes with seasons.
- cracks and bottom of large rocks retain moisture longer and the grass is greener or a darker green in these places
- create some interesting contrast by applying tall tufts of a drier more yellow colour among a lower, greener vegetation. The opposit is sometimes also suitable, especially in landscapes grazed by cattle and other herbivores

There are heaps of other considerations you can make, your  best friend here is reference photos.

I will definitely be attempting to do this. Over last weekend I prepped a couple of boards and have been messing around with colours and mixes.
The mix including static grass comes out much better than I expected and will probably become my standard mix.

I have not tried layering colours/textures yet, but that is on the to do list, and will include Hammers advice as above.

I also experimented with applying flock with a sieve (please do not tell my wife) - it creates a very nice fine even layer that seems to be a good starting point.

The other thing I have been experimenting with is PVA mixes. I actually managed to get some small atomiser spray bottles that give a really fine spray, and I used a 70:30 (water/pva) mix for an hour before it clogged. The easiest method I have tried is actually using a 1" brush to sort of stipple, more like a splodge, the pva mix on the board, followed by applying the flock.

I found that the colour of the flock is changed by the pva - it tends to darken it. I had to add brighter coloured flock to the mix to get it back to where I wanted it.

So, lots of lessons being learnt here, and I am grateful for everyone's input.

I hope to get some photos up soon.

Offline Ray Rivers

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5911
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #21 on: September 24, 2020, 11:13:07 AM »
The other thing I have been experimenting with is PVA mixes. I actually managed to get some small atomiser spray bottles that give a really fine spray, and I used a 70:30 (water/pva) mix for an hour before it clogged.

Dunno if this is true or not or even applies to your case, however TheTerrainTutor recommended that when using spray bottles, cut off the "thingme" at the bottom of the plastic tube that goes down into the bottle and a bit more, as he stated that this is the part that clogs.

Offline Hammers

  • Amateur papiermachiéer
  • Moderator
  • Elder God
  • *
  • Posts: 16070
  • Workbench and Pulp Moderator
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #22 on: September 24, 2020, 02:19:19 PM »
I've created a tutorial about how to make your own static grass applicator out of a fly swatter here

Offline pistolpete

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 836
  • Rent money is for rent - telly savalas
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #23 on: September 24, 2020, 03:18:48 PM »

My go to guy on terrain is called TheTerrainTutor on YouTube. He has a really good discussion about how to counter base warping here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsEhb0uGTt8

same for me - i followed his guide to make scatter using herbs, added to vegetation bases and still have a tub worth; also followed his steps to make some pieces using cork bark.  all of his stuff is worth watching IMHO

Offline David H

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 214
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #24 on: September 26, 2020, 09:03:06 AM »
After a few a few trial runs here are some photos of the first board I have started on.

I am pleased with the way the static grass and flock combine to give a more irregular look than just flock - thanks for that advice.

I am really getting hooked on doing this - its great fun once I got over my initial concerns, which is good as I have another 20 or so boards to do yet!

The placing of the flock is very much hit and miss at the moment. It would really pay off to look at photos of the landscape you are trying to create, but I'm just going for a particular look I have in my mind at present and want some very basic generic type boards to start.

If anyone else thinks about tarting up TSS tiles the advice I would give is that the flock they have on them is VERY absorbent and needs properly covering before painting can begin. I am still experimenting with the best way to do this, but a mix of filler and paint spread thinly has had the best result so far.

All comments/advice on the photos welcome.

Offline DintheDin

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 6214
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #25 on: September 26, 2020, 09:12:25 AM »
Interest and inspiring thread, I'll be following!
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

Offline Ray Rivers

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5911
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #26 on: September 26, 2020, 11:19:11 AM »
I am really getting hooked on doing this - its great fun once I got over my initial concerns, which is good as I have another 20 or so boards to do yet!

The whole point of a hobby.

If you had fun and like the results... that is all that matters.

The board looks great to me!  :-*

Offline DintheDin

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 6214
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #27 on: September 26, 2020, 11:38:39 AM »
It really looks very realistic, especially in the pic taken from above!

Offline Charlie_

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1514
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #28 on: September 28, 2020, 04:39:36 AM »
I'd say they look perfect! The painting has come off really well, what colours did you get use? And is the texture just from filler then?

Offline David H

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 214
Re: How to flock terrain boards?
« Reply #29 on: September 29, 2020, 06:20:46 PM »
I'd say they look perfect! The painting has come off really well, what colours did you get use? And is the texture just from filler then?

Thanks, I'm quite pleased with the first results. I have ordered loads of different flocks and static grass to experiment with and will add photos of these as I try them out. They are still a little too green for me at the moment, so I am hoping that by adding some lighter colours it will give a slightly drier look.

I used the colours recommended by Jeff965 https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=96402.60 see page 5 for the first 3 colours, on top of a cheap tin of brown paint from B&Q that was used in the gloop mix. Rather than Buff Titanium I used a colour called Toasty from the B&Q Valspar range again, and then finished off with a very light sandy colour tester pot I had lying around (B&Q I think - the brand is GoodHome and the colour is Santiago), and a final selective drybrush of off white to pick up rocks etc. It saved having to mix colours.

The texture is a mix of filler, water, PVA, and sand sprinkled on top. Because these are TSS tiles there is some residual texture from the flock on these boards, but the gloop and sand pretty much deals with this, unless the mix is too watery. I'm still experimenting with this - I have done one board using a thick mix which has caused the board to warp a little. A thick coat of PVA on the underside of the board has straightened it out for the most part.



 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
0 Replies
2349 Views
Last post February 20, 2011, 11:53:56 PM
by abu iskander
6 Replies
4014 Views
Last post February 25, 2012, 10:04:52 AM
by Burgundavia
6 Replies
3932 Views
Last post November 14, 2012, 08:26:33 PM
by 6mmfan
6 Replies
1575 Views
Last post November 18, 2016, 05:35:37 PM
by Hu Rhu
17 Replies
2624 Views
Last post October 09, 2017, 08:34:06 PM
by SABOT