best way to make black top roads and parking lotrs on......
- Thread starter ozzy
- Start date
You could use
- Sheet styrene and cut it shape of the roads
- Craft Sheet Foam that comes in packs and can be bought at just about any craft stores. It comes in diff. sizes. Just ask for sheet foam and they should know what you are talking about.
- Joint compound, more time consuming but looks more realistic.
- I know Shaygetz uses the backs of roof shingles.
Awhile back, I attended a scenery clinic given by Gil Freitag. He used joint compound for roads. It looked good and he made it look easy too. He mixed latex paint into the joint compound before using it. He was doing a hard-packed dirt road so he used tan paint in the mix. After it set up for a bit, he used a car to put small ruts in the road. He said that this technique works for asphault and conrete roads too, just mix in gray and/or black to taste. Of course, you wouldn't put ruts in the asphalt or concrete.
Gary S. said:Awhile back, I attended a scenery clinic given by Gil Freitag. He used joint compound for roads. It looked good and he made it look easy too. He mixed latex paint into the joint compound before using it. He was doing a hard-packed dirt road so he used tan paint in the mix. After it set up for a bit, he used a car to put small ruts in the road. He said that this technique works for asphault and conrete roads too, just mix in gray and/or black to taste. Of course, you wouldn't put ruts in the asphalt or concrete.
to model the the roads around here to scale i could use a pennie to make pot holes........
but id have to go 3 pinnies deep sign1
what about the WS road system? would that work on pink foam?
i thought about the roads that you "unroll" bu thought it would look to fake/toy like. but i have just seen them in catolog's
i thought about the roads that you "unroll" bu thought it would look to fake/toy like. but i have just seen them in catolog's
I dont like roll out roads, they do look fake. I have used play sand and elmers glue mixed with water. Paint the road area with the glue, put down the sand, then use the water and glue mix to "drop" water/glue on the area like tar. It will bind the sand and after it drys paint it what ever color you like. It looks like the pavement they use here.
Joint compound... My favorite stuff for making roads.
While you want to work in thin layers so it's easier to control, cracks are easy to fix. Just smooge in more joint compound into the cracks with a putty knife!
When the whole works is almost dry, you can smooth it out very easily using a damp sponge.
While you want to work in thin layers so it's easier to control, cracks are easy to fix. Just smooge in more joint compound into the cracks with a putty knife!
When the whole works is almost dry, you can smooth it out very easily using a damp sponge.
Here's styrene (not yet weathered):
And joint compound, coloured with washes of thinned PollyScale paint:
Wayne
And joint compound, coloured with washes of thinned PollyScale paint:
Wayne
Both look good....!
Both of these look good! The joint compound looks good here especially the different colors. Very life like!
Happy New Year Everyone!
H.
doctorwayne said:
Both of these look good! The joint compound looks good here especially the different colors. Very life like!
Happy New Year Everyone!
H.
Any time I see a road post, I link this one I found about a year ago:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/ashphalt_roads.htm
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/ashphalt_roads.htm
Joint compound looks like a good idea, but does it work in N scale ? or is the joint compound texture too big for N scale ?
Yes, it will work for N Scale. The texture in joint compound is very fine.
Another advantage with N Scale is you are manipulating less amounts of joint compound, which makes it easier to do. Smaller amounts means less shrinkage on setting and it tends to crack much less. :thumb:
Another advantage with N Scale is you are manipulating less amounts of joint compound, which makes it easier to do. Smaller amounts means less shrinkage on setting and it tends to crack much less. :thumb:
ozzy said:to model the the roads around here to scale i could use a pennie to make pot holes........
but id have to go 3 pinnies deep sign1
Here in Québec, I could use a quarter for the pot holes ( in N scale of course )
LongIslandTom said:
That's makes a lot of sense. I'll give it a try .
Doctorwayne: nice pics ( as usual )
On the flip side of that, larger amounts of joint compound does mean some shrinkage giving you real cracks resulting in a very realistic look. I just recently discovered this and I like it a lot. Try it! If you don't like it, nothing lost, just fill 'em in with another ever so thin layer.LongIslandTom said:
As some people have told me about joint compound,if it cracks its not a big problem.because real roads crack and that just adds more realism to the scene.
That's why I asked the question about N scale. A single crack in HO scale becomes a "trench" in N scalecpNscale said:
I use the pre-mixed stuff that comes in a plastic tub. There are several sizes, but the smallest is probably big enough for most jobs. I find that it sometimes helps to pre-wet the area where you wish to apply the compound; I use "wet" water, same as for scenery, applied with a sprayer bottle. Let the area "sit" for a few minutes after spraying, as it should be more damp than wet. This technique is useful on either wood (plywood and benchwork) or plaster (previously done scenery), as it prevents the surface from drawing too much moisture out of the drywall compound too quickly, a major cause of cracks.
You can also use drywall compound (usually known as "mud") as mortar on brick structures, too. After painting the assembled structure with a suitable flat brick colour, and after the paint has fully dried, use a clean rag over your fingertips to apply the mud all over the brick areas. You don't have to be too neat and you only need enough to fill the mortar lines between the bricks, although it's difficult to not get it everywhere. When you've finished this operation, set it aside to dry; perhaps an hour or two, but even a few days won't hurt, if you don't have time to get back to it right away. Then, using another clean rag, wipe off the excess mud from the face of the bricks, and any other areas where it shouldn't be. This will leave "mortar" between the bricks, and will also tone down your brick colour, giving it a slightly weathered appearance.
The auction building at the Lowbanks Stockyards was painted with Floquil Reefer Orange, then mortar added as outlined above. I didn't bother to seal it with a clear spray before weathering with a wash of dilute PollyScale paint, and, as long as you don't "work" it too much with the brush, the mortar is hardly affected. My technique is to apply the wash, very generously, with a very soft 1" brush at the top of the wall, then let it flow down. With the structure sitting on sheets of newspaper, much of the run-off will be soaked up. You have to keep on top of the drying process, though: as the wash pools around details like window sills, etc., or collects at the bottom of the walls it needs to be gently siphoned off using the corner off a paper towel. This will prevent the formation of unsightly "rings" when everything is dried.
Wayne
You can also use drywall compound (usually known as "mud") as mortar on brick structures, too. After painting the assembled structure with a suitable flat brick colour, and after the paint has fully dried, use a clean rag over your fingertips to apply the mud all over the brick areas. You don't have to be too neat and you only need enough to fill the mortar lines between the bricks, although it's difficult to not get it everywhere. When you've finished this operation, set it aside to dry; perhaps an hour or two, but even a few days won't hurt, if you don't have time to get back to it right away. Then, using another clean rag, wipe off the excess mud from the face of the bricks, and any other areas where it shouldn't be. This will leave "mortar" between the bricks, and will also tone down your brick colour, giving it a slightly weathered appearance.
The auction building at the Lowbanks Stockyards was painted with Floquil Reefer Orange, then mortar added as outlined above. I didn't bother to seal it with a clear spray before weathering with a wash of dilute PollyScale paint, and, as long as you don't "work" it too much with the brush, the mortar is hardly affected. My technique is to apply the wash, very generously, with a very soft 1" brush at the top of the wall, then let it flow down. With the structure sitting on sheets of newspaper, much of the run-off will be soaked up. You have to keep on top of the drying process, though: as the wash pools around details like window sills, etc., or collects at the bottom of the walls it needs to be gently siphoned off using the corner off a paper towel. This will prevent the formation of unsightly "rings" when everything is dried.
Wayne