How do you guys carve rock cliff walls from Polystyrene Foam Board? I have used a method where I just pick pieces out of it and it works ok. But it dosen't give the right look. I'll try to post a pic later. I have tried carving out of the sides layed and the face of the foam. The face seems to work better. I watched videos on youtube about people useing steak knives but it didn't work at all for me. I guess they used different type of foam. Oh ya I'm useing 2 inch foam.
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The right look requires a finish. Take one of your test pieces and apply a base coat of the earth tone that you want for the area. A light tan for a worn mountain with lots of dirt, a gray for jagged rocky mountains. Think Rocky Mountains or Alaska Range versus Appalachian, Missouri limestone or Grand Canyon.
The direction of the major cuts represent the type rock. Exposed sedimentary layers will be horizontal or slightly angled lines across. Hacks in vertical or slightly angled and then varied directions will create a more granite rock look.
When you want a lot of detail the foam is only used for the landform. Then you cover it in thinned plaster or drywall compound. Sculptamold and casted rock forms are stuck into the wet material to give the exposed rock look.
Using the 2" foam stacked on stop on one another in a stepped fashion to the desired height should provide a good starting point. Also, stacking in vertically next to one another can give a base to shape for more of a land form to be detailed.
Using a photo of the type of rock that you want helps you see the major lines and the detail lines.
Anyway, I think if put some paint on one of your pieces, you'll see that you are getting the job done.
I don't know if this will help, but here is a little explanation of how I made a rock formation:
Use a foam coating. it adds the correct texture, and eliminates the obvious lines of the foam
In my pics the first one is the best one I have done out of foam the second is hydrocal using molds I like it but very time consuming and it took my a week to do plus expensive and I have to buy more molds because I only have one. The last two pic are what I want to achieve I saw where I can buy woodland scenics foam in 4 inch thick 1 foot by 2 feet. Should I buy this type or do I need to buy more molds and do it in hydrocal. Or I'm I being to picky But I know what I want to achieve. Thanks for everyone that has responded. Take care guys and gals
corsair29 posted:
This is what I want. How did you do it? Is there a video or how to? Thanks
All I did was rough cut the pieces with a jig saw, then used a sheetrock saw and hacked away at it.
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