Jesso,
Always happy to answer your questions!
All the different rocks and strata were painted using a combination of 6 different water soluble colors.
1. Earth Undercoat
2. Stone Gray
3. Yellow Ochre
4. Black
5. Concrete
6. Red Iron Oxide
The top and bottom layers of gray rock were first saturated with Stone Gray. Then, before that completely dried, I came back and applied another coat of Yellow Ochre. Finally, I came back once again and hit the highlights with Concrete. I will probably finish up with a fine brush and some white to pop some of the details out.
The second layer down, I tried to emulate sandstone. I first doused it with Earth Undercoat, then came back later and washed it with Red Iron Oxide.
The third layer, is my attempt at Shale. I used Concrete and washed it with black to bring out the cracks. I think it needs another wash of black still.
On the creek bottom, I painted the whole surface with Stone Gray. While that was wet, I sprinkled on some fine, sifted dirt from my back yard. After that, I spread a liberal dose of sand (from my boys sandbox) and spread it around with a small paintbrush to emulate sandbars, water channels and such. I also went out to my back yard, dug an igneous rock out from in between the Oleanders, pounded it up on the driveway with a sledgehammer and sprinkled and arranged some of those fragments as well. Everything received a healthy dose of scenic cement. I expect the colors to lighten up considerably once everything dries out.
I knew that I probably should have taken pictures of this in a step by step process but I got carried away and before I knew it, I was at the point you see now. I will cover the carving of the rock features in more detail once I get to that point again. It was surprisingly easy.
Hummmm- looking like the rocks that you see at The Grand Canyon.
Looking good.:thumb:
Look out down stream ! I see flash flood warrnings - better get that construction equipment out of the canyon quick!
You will never find it again if the water washes it down stream.
Believe it or not, I used a few pictures of the Grand Canyon for reference.
Is that thunder I hear?