Summer of Scenery 2021 - Part 9c: The big(ish) one! Painting the board.

With rock moulds in place and the polystyrene trimmed a bit here and there, more of my toilet-roll-plaster ground texture was added, this time reverting to the Crystacal-R.  I mixed up fairly small batches so that I could get it onto the board with minimal wastage.  I left out the mortar tone colourant because much of the mix was being applied around the rocks moulds and I didn't want to stain them.  Pure plaster was dribbled in between rock moulds in places to blend them together, using a dental tool to scratch in matching detail.  I carved out quite a lot of extra polystyrene along the rear of the main outcrop.  Originally a slope would lead down to the ledge but it seemed pointless to have that when there are steps right next to it.  I cut away the slope to create a ledge running right to the steps, this should also make it easier to place figures along here.

Rear loading / assembly area

I used some Linka moulds in the back of the small cave, a flat panel and a couple of buttresses will make a good frame for one of the doorways. 

Brickwork inside cave.

 XPS steps have been carefully measured out (approximately 2.5mm per step) trimmed to shape and set into slots cut into the hillsides.  A couple of coats of white masonry paint mixed with plaster gives them a reasonably tough shell.  The loo roll/plaster mix was added in around the steps to fix them firmly in place and till in all the gaps between them and the rock moulds.

Steps up to plateau.

A few gaps still remain, they become more obvious during the painting process when the white polystyrene interior starts to show up better.  These gaps were patched a bit later after the initial painting was complete.

Gap filling needed on the right!

With the assistance (and sometimes hindrance) of both Number 1 and Number 2 sons, rocks were painted with heavily thinned craft acrylics in the leopard-spot style.  I used ochre and taupe, each over about 1/3 of the rocks and steps.  We had the table out in the garden in case of any spillages!

A few more gaps to fill on the right.

The ground cover was painted with burnt umber and then a heavily thinned mix of this same dark brown was dribbled down the rocks to simulate mud washed down by the rain.  It also helped conceal where my young assistants had been over-enthusiastic when painting the brown near the rocks!

Cave on right also needs filling.

I had been planning to paint the stone archway a slightly different colour but it actualy looks quite nice in the leapoard spot scheme so I decided to leave it as having been quarried/carved from the same rock.  After a few hours drying in the afternoon sun the rocks were coated with a layer of matt acrylic varnish to seal everything in and toughen the plaster.

Steps and rear terrace.

The brown ground cover isn't painted right up to the rocks but the edge will be concealed by flock and rubble.

The other side of the canyon.

Apart from some small holes to fill and a little patch of ground cover to finish, the basic paint scheme is finished.

Aerial view.

The next stage of the painting process was a wash of black ink mixed with water and matt acrylic varnish, which enhances the shadows of the rocks and blends together the base colours.

A small amount of patching needed at the edge.

Steps lead up to the plateau at the top, these show up much better with the black wash shading them.

Steps looking good.

I wasn't sure whether to add a drybrush to the rocks as well but they seem to have come out fairly well with just the ink wash so I've left them as they are.  I can always try a very gentle drybrush at a later date if desired.

Probably the poorest of the rock moulds, but still not too bad.

Any areas where the ink wash has run across the brown earth will be hidden when I add the flock.

Rear of the canyon side.

The ledges will have soil and flock along the top rather than bare rock, though there will eventually be a bit of rubble/scree too.

Ledges overlooking canyon/valley.

Some work was still to be done to theh front cave, it isn't really deep enough yet so a little bit of polystyrene excavation will be required.

Main cliff face.

The archway blends in nicely with the surrounding rocks.

Archway and steps.

Another doorway needs some extra depth to the cave on the upper walkway level.

Side entrance doorway still to be completed.

The steps to the plateau have small rock outcrops to either side.

Steps to the plateau.

The rear area has 3 different levels for movement of troops.

Ledge along rear of rock formation.

 With painting complete apart from only a few small bits of patching, the next stage will be on to the flocking!