Confessions of a terrain board virgin

[OSHIROmodels]

Yeah, what Richard said about the wash 

cheers

James

[Charlie_]

That looks really fantastic! I really like the colour and texture.

I definitely prefer that sort of texture to what you'd get with sand, for what it's worth.

[Silent Invader]

You can get the same effect with sand sprinkled onto glue. Just go for a finer grain and a wetter PVA so that it 'gathers'. If you want to increase/decrease the granularity just vary the size of grain you sprinkle and/or use a thicker (less dilute) PVA.

[Jeff965]

I think thats looking good, I don't think you said what terrain type you were aiming for originally but it looks great for U.S. south west - dry country, which is what I am looking for in the near future.

Do you mind me asking what colours you used, I am hopless with colour matching.

Bye the way I'm impressed that you did all that with a '000' brush as Jim suggested.

If you do put a wash on will you show a pic as I am curious to see how it comes out.

I want a set of boards that I can use for the Southern States of America, the Spanish Peninsular, African Plains and India. I'm hoping that when flocked these boards will allow me to game in those theatres. So I'm looking for Arid grassland I suppose

I was surfing the net (as you do) and I came across a Twitter site belonging to a chap named Jim Ibbotson who had made the boards pictured below. I liked them and I also noticed that he used the boards for various theatres.

The paint colours I have used here are all from Jims site. They come from B&Qs Valspar range of Matt paints. You can get tester pots at three quid a throw.

The first colour used to completley cover the dark brown gloop was Autumn bark (two thinned down coats)
The next colour was called Horsing around (some weird names), this was painted on but the Autumn bark was allowed to grin through in some areas.
The next colour was a heavy drybrush of a colour called Lion's slumber (I am not making these names up ).
We now switch to Windsor and Newton Acrylics.
The fourth colour was a highlight of W&N acrylic buff titanium.
The final highlight was with W&N mixing white mixed in with the buff titanium, about a 75/25 ratio.
There's a picture of the paints below so you can be sure you are using the same stuff.

And that's where I am right now, contemplating washing the boards

[Jeff965]

Thanks Richard, reading through your reply I agree that the sand is going to get swallowed up by the emulsion and so I'm going to persevere with the gloop.
I think I'll probably get the other boards done to this stage before I start washing them, that way I'll be able to tie them all in together as suggested by Paul earlier 

[Jeff965]

That looks really fantastic! I really like the colour and texture.

I definitely prefer that sort of texture to what you'd get with sand, for what it's worth.

Thanks Charlie

[Za Zjurman]

Looks really nice. You could also go to your local DIY store and buy structure paint? does that make sense... It is the paint popular in the 70's. Don't know how it is called in English. You can mix it in any colour you want.

Here is a link to a dutch DIY store
https://www.gamma.nl/assortiment/gamma-structuurverf-fijn-wit-10-liter/p/B424151?q=fh_location%3d%2f%2fcatalog01%2fnl_NL%2fcategories%3c%7bcatalog01_catverf%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bcatalog01_catverf_catverf_muurverf%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bcatalog01_catverf_catverf_muurverf_catverf_muurverf_structuurverf%7d%2ffh_item_type%3e%7bproduct%7d%26fh_start_index%3d0%26fh_refview%3dlister%26fh_lister_pos%3d0%26fh_view_size%3d20%26date_time%3d20161230T000000%26fh_modification%3d%26fh_sort%3d-online_status%252C-%2524r3%26fh_secondid%3db_product_b021424151

Hi use it all the time. Put it on with a brush. stabbing it really on the MDF. let it dry and dry brush over it with budget hobby paints.



Sorry to arrive late to the party.

cheers,

Za

[Za Zjurman]

Used the same technique on this peace.

[Jeff965]

You can get the same effect with sand sprinkled onto glue. Just go for a finer grain and a wetter PVA so that it 'gathers'. If you want to increase/decrease the granularity just vary the size of grain you sprinkle and/or use a thicker (less dilute) PVA.

If there's one thing I'm learning here Steve it's that there are many ways to get the result you require, all of which have their own merits. It's a case of trying them out and settling on one that suits

[Jeff965]

Used the same technique on this peace.

Lovely texture on those boards Za, and welcome late or not. All comments are helpful

[Wargamer Dave]

Also, I've always used a decorators' spray gun and compressor to paint my boards - necessitating many thin coats of paint, which tends to preserve the surface texture rather than clogging it.

Have you done any tutorials on painting this way by chance?

[Vagabond]

Thanks Jeff that was a really useful and comprehensive reply, appreciate you taking the time.
I see why you liked Jim's board, very nicely done but not over done.

Will you flock with static grass and do you have the electric thingy?

Thanks again

[Silent Invader]

If there's one thing I'm learning here Steve it's that there are many ways to get the result you require, all of which have their own merits. It's a case of trying them out and settling on one that suits

Exactly! Different techniques, components and quantities will provide all sorts of different results. Combining them can give different results in different areas of the board so if desired (user preference being paramount ) you can help emphasise different areas of terrain (e.g. Track or river bed versus wild ground).

[Elk101]

Jeff, I'd highly recommend the Winsor and Newton inks for the washes (diluted as said above). I use the Peat wash quite a lot. Looking good!

[Captain Blood]

Have you done any tutorials on painting this way by chance?

Not as such, but here's how it looks when done... You start dark, and gradually lighten each successive coat with small additions of cream colour paint to the mix, so that 6 or 7 thin coats build up the colour. The end result is a bit hard to see from the pics, but it's a lot more subtle than drybrushing, giving a nice even finish, and a realistically dusty look. You need to spray at a low angle to avoid filling in all the recesses and only catching paint on the raised facets...

















If it's any help, you can see my various terrain projects step by step as follows...

Africa:  http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=20284.0
Temperate:  http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=20284.0
Cave Wars:  http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=76576.0