I was in Michael’s the other day and painting canvases caught my eye as a possible base for mountains. One question that comes immediately to mind: Are they too thick? Also, what would be good to use on top of canvas for contouring?Has anyone given them a try?
Thanks!
HOJOE
Not sure your talking about, Joe. I looked at the Michaels site and found painters canvas.
Wouldn’t you have to have some type of frame work, or base to support the canvas to the mountain shapes your trying to create?
Maybe you could explain in a little more detail as to what your going to do with the canvas.
Mike.
Mike:
Yes,I would put the painter’s canvas over some sort of framework, but I question whether the canvas would give me enough much flexibility to contour it. Perhaps I could apply some type of plaster over it?
HO JOE
Why do you feel the need to reinvent the wheel?
We have foam,all kinds of plaster type materials, screen/wire, cardboard, ect
What do you plan to gain?
A solution in search of a problem.
You have to cover it with something, plaster or sculptamold or goop. You can cover screen just as easily and it’s cheaper. Or you can use hydrocal and paper towels old school style.
The canvas would tend to stay damp longer, which may cause a mold situation.
Joe, I have to agree with Unclebutch and Henry, plus that canvas seems expensive compared to the many other methods that modelers use.
Woodland Scenics makes a cloth with the plaster added, but that might be a little pricey too, depending on how much you need.
There are so many other ways, like Unclebutch mentions.
Maybe do some searching around, look at some how-to videos, etc., and maybe check out some books. There is a ton of info out there.
I carved mine out of the pink and blue styrofoam. I was lucky because I worked construction, and had access to all I needed. The foam does depend on where you live. If your in a southern climate, it might not be available like it is up north.
Do some searching around. If you feel you still want to use the canvas, you’ll have to cover it with plaster or something, and let it dry for a LONG time, with maybe a fan helping out. That canvas, once wet with plaster will take forever to dry.
Mike.
If you are thinking of the product that I am, I would think it is much more expensive than newspaper, paper towels or rags soaked in a plaster mix (hardshell) or white glue (glueshell) over cardboard strips, crumpled newspaper or piles of packing peanuts. Some folks have successfully used red construction paper, but any I have seen seemed quite stiff to work with.
Personally, I stack pieces of insulating foam that I have picked up free at construcation sites. Carve it to shape and scenick it.
Good luck,
Richard
After building all sorts of hills, grade amd mountains expeerimenting in various methods, the cardboard lattice and or stacked foam seems to work best for me.
combinations of methods also work depending on the expanse and height of the structure.
Here the mountain ended up quite high and fairly long (16 ft). There is a doublr track running under it and accessability from underneath was need. done in some main supporting vertical plywwod for the cut and cardboard lattice with fiberglass screen and plastercloth
That’s a great-looking scene, Bob! [Y][Y]
Wayne