Rough ground / rocky but flat (pic heavy) - Solution found

[AndrewBeasley]

I am trying to work out how I can make some rough ground that sits no more than 5/10mm off the base.

First thought was slate but I am after an area about 10-15cm and maybe up to 30cm square so little bits of slate stuck together would not really work due to the cracks / gaps (to say nothing of the weight)...

The closest pictures I can find are:

This is close but I would make it flat rather than on a slope:


( From Backpacking Bongos on Wordpress)

Not enough grass:


(From JinJa Coo on Wordpress)

Close but not rocky enough:


(From Fylderamblers.org)


(Farmstay UK - great holiday booking method by the way - had many a good night via this site)

Bodmin Moor had odd spots (such as the front of this pic):


(From Salt-House.co.uk)

The only ideas I can come up with at the moment are:

1) To take slate, stick it down, fill in some gaps, cover and make a one off mould and then cast in plaster!
2) To take a thin layer of wood bark and use that (like a thin horizontal cliff face)
3) Bark chips laid out and filled with foam

Any ideas - please remember this is a one off (and I am a cheap guy at heart) and needs to be flat / light and rocky...

Thanks
Andrew

[fred]

Would thin slivers of cork work? Cut them up, stick on MDF (or card!!) base then scatter sand around them for normal ground?

Then paint, and flock around the cork rocks?


The other option is to just go with small pieces of loose slate - they would look like the last photo.

[Mindenbrush]

I have used a group of stones based singularly on 1" dia washers (great for storage on magnetic tape) and larger 'stones' made from insulation foam that is plastered and painted mounted on larger bases - as yet have not sourced any thin enough galvenised steel that can be cut with tinsnips.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I think a grass mat with a scattering of stones is the easiest way to simulate this.
If you already have hills put them under the mat.

Pine bark chips from the garden centre are probably the best bet. 
If you can get a bag with mixed sizes up to 50mm or so, you can use small ones as scatter and large ones as based objects with grass etc.
Simply paint dark grey (spray would work if you have a lot) they drybrush pale grey.

[Dr DeAth]

How about a sheet of blue foam, make indents using small stones etc then use it as a mould for a plaster cast?  Or you could use the blue foam as a base and add the cracks into it and sink a few stones on the top?

or something like this?



Which is stone chippings from a garden centre and some gravel on thin mdf bases

[Cubs]

I'd do the wood bark option, just lumps stuck into the base and then surrounded with filer, sand, clumps, etc..

[FramFramson]

I'd do the wood bark option, just lumps stuck into the base and then surrounded with filer, sand, clumps, etc..

Yeah, slivers of wood bark seem like the better option to me. I might try it myself.

[AndrewBeasley]

Ive just come across this:

http://youtu.be/DyCdT3N3J8Y?t=5m43s

Looks like a lot of work but the result is great  

edit:

Creator of the moulds and how to use them is here

[Silent Invader]

I made a whole bunch of CD based rocks for a dartmoor/Bodmin moor type look.

Here's an example:



I used the £1 epoxy putty from pound stores.

Sold the lot a while back though the images links are listed on this sale thread

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=55883.15

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

That looks very good - well done

[Eric the Shed]

id echo the bark approach...



full tutorial on the blog

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/rocky-outcops-oak-bark.html

good luck