Thatch roof synthetic fur question

[Digits]

Fantastic, thanks for the link.

[MaleGriffin]

Some very nice looking thatch in this thread! Very inspirational!

[Burgundavia]

Those look excellent! The towel thatch does a great job. I like how it has some thickness. I’ve never seen thatch roofs in person, but they serm like they are a thick layer.

Thatch is usually quite thick - some buildings I've seen are 1 foot or so. One thing I don't like about towel (and I've done a couple of buildings using towel) is the ends - it looks too messy for me, while actual thatch is usually neatly cut

[Pattus Magnus]

To get that neatly cut look, I wonder if the edges of towel-thatching could be trimmed off after being stiffened by watered down glue or paint?

[FramFramson]

Waaaaaaaaay back when, I tried something which, AFAIK, hasn't been tried elsewhere to try and duplicate the neatness of thatch: Scouring pads.



I bought white ones, then immersed them in watered-down paint and did NOT squeeze them dry. Might take two or three such dunks (I did a black one to darken the tone, and then a mid brown one for actual colour), but I went heavy on the paint and only needed the one colour immersion. They will take a full day to properly dry if you don't squeeze them though.

The finished pieces are EXTREMELY easy to work with and can be cut to fit after painting (may need touch ups). I was fairly happy with the results:

[Digits]

That’s really rather effective!

[FramFramson]

I dug out more detailed instructions from a post of mine years ago:

Yep! The thatch is in fact brillo-style pads cut to fit.

They're white, I then mix up some black paint in a thin dilution and soak the pad and squeeze it mostly out and leave them to dry, which cuts the glaring whiteness. Then I soak it again in a brownish mix that's less-diluted and leave that to dry again for the final colour. Play with it to see what colours you like and don't overdo the black.

Also, one side will tend to colour more evenly than another. When you do the black side, this will become apparent. Make sure this is the side you lay it on to dry and also the side to glue down (to hide it, obviously).

So I cut it to fit beforehand, duh, bit smarter than I actually recalled doing.

[carlos marighela]

Makes sense, I've used scouring pads as trimmed hedges.

[Ash]

Just found this on YouTube:



Thatched roof bit starts at around 13:00.

[mr ed]

I also used scouring pads to knock up some roof toppers for my dungeon stackers. As said above very easy to work with.

[carlos marighela]

By the by, I recently came across a range of embossed papers in Dean's Arts, one of our local art supply chains.  These are A4 sheets of bamboo paper. One is perfect for simulating bamboo screening or walls, the other looks ideal for neatly thatched roofs as they have a very 3D texture.

IIRC they cost a couple of dollars (AUD) per sheet, so not much more than buying towelling but they have a very realistic texture and will be much easier to work with (basically cut and glue in place) They also do a range of other useful sheets like marbling, sheets useful as miniature oriental wallpaper and something that for all the world looks like miniature asphalt. Sorry I don't know the brand name but they should be available in art stores elsewhere.

First image is the 'thatch' like paper. Second is that and the bamboo. I'm intending to pop them on another village hut in the near future, probably to dress up an MDF building.

[carlos marighela]

Link in case anyone is interested in the other papers. I get the impression they are imported from Japan. Some useful stuff to simulate Middle Eastern or Indian tiling.

https://www.deansart.com.au/surfaces/papers/handmade-papers/?pgnum=1

https://www.deansart.com.au/surfaces/papers/handmade-papers/?pgnum=4

Seems my memory failed me on price. Around $4.40 a sheet, which still isn't bad.

[Codsticker]

I agree that woven bamboo sheet would be perfect for south pacific hut walls.