Mushroom Building! (Star Wars)

[Vongoosewink]

I've updated my gaming blog with a brief article on how to make Star Wars (or any sci-fi) buildings from mushroom containers.  Follow the link to see more pics, and some details on how it was done:

http://wantedforwargaming.blogspot.com/2010/12/simple-tarooine-buildings.html

Thanks!

--Fitz

[Ironblood]

GREAT!  i've been saving a few of these for a couple years now wondering what to do with them.

[supervike]

Really dig that!!  Great blog too.

[Johnno]

Fabulous! I need some cheap terrain!

[manic _miner]

 Great idea Chris.Looking forward to seeing all of the Star Wars stuff put together in one setting.

[uti long smile]

Lovely!

[Anpu]

Nice, must check out the local supermarket 

[Vongoosewink]

Yes, my wife was very proud of me for spending so much time in the salad department!   

[AKULA]

Very effective

 

[kenohhkc]

I use these for 15mm buildings. Yours look great.

[hubbabubba]

Top job. Well done

[Mr.J]

Very nice.

[Cosmotiger]

A great looking Tatooine building.  Using the container as a mold makes a lot of sense.  I have a similar container that I was considering using for a building, but as you said, the plastic is very flimsy and lightweight.  Now I have another idea to try.

[Bobble]

WOW!
Amazing stuff as always!
You mention Herb Gundt's famous "Sandstorm Technique" on your blog,what is this? How do you create that stunning sandy effect?

[Vongoosewink]

WOW!
Amazing stuff as always!
You mention Herb Gundt's famous "Sandstorm Technique" on your blog,what is this? How do you create that stunning sandy effect?

Ok, here you go:

You'll need some paint and sand.  I used CraftSmart paint, from Michaels, under $1 per bottle, and cheap playsand from the garden store.

To get the rough stone texture, the entire finished structure was painted with a cheap latex paint and handfuls of sand are thrown vigorously against it while the paint is still very wet (this is why we affectionately call it Herb's "Sandstorm Technique.")  This is a dirty process, best conducted outside.  Watch that your paint does not dry before the sanding -- put it on thick.  Let dry.

Once COMPLETELY dry (preferably the next day), the entire sanded area is painted again with thinned paint of the same color (about 50/50 water/paint mix), but just blotted onto the surface by a large, soft brush -- if you are not careful you will brush the sand off.  Once this second layer of paint dries, it will effectively lock the sand texture down, and it is VERY durable then. You can paint and drybrush it as you like. But don't take shortcuts! If the paint is still wet, or the sand has not been properly locked down, messing with it will ruin your surface. Best to put it away for the day and come back the next, I can say from experience.

If you make mistakes or miss bits, wait until the whole thing is dry before trying to fix it.  Once dry, you can dab on a little paint in the areas you missed, and re-sand.  Mistakes don't matter too much, and little irregularities in your surface give the model character.

I've also experimented with using glues instead of paint, wood glue gives an interesting effect.  It goes of much thicker, and gives a much more uneven surface.  But you still have to lock it down with a layer of thinned paint!  White glue is far too thin, and doesn't hold well enough -- don't even try it.

The really cool thing about the "Sandstorm Technique" is that it gives your construction a uniform texture -- so if you made part of it with wood, and another part with plastic, once textured it will all look the same -- like sandstone.