# A few test shots with greenery added



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

Just testing. Some of the glue is still wet!


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## novice (Feb 2, 2011)

Looking great CP  love the stumps.

That tree by the tracks looks too close, perhaps its just the photo?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

CP,

The ground cover work looks great ... really pops things to life.

Other than some localized plantings on the hillsides, is that that brown paint your intended final finish for some portion of the hill? Maybe it's the camera flash, but it looks a bit too glossy to me ... kinda wet mud-like. (Sorry ... not trying to criticize ... just curious about next step thinking on your end.)

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks TJ, I was going to mention that, but I figured that CP has put so much work into it I didn't have the heart.  Must be something that can dull that...


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## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

Really???? Crap that's it I'm tearing it down! Yea Its a little glossy in places where the paint wasn't thinned enough :lol_hitting: Any ideas guys?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

You can use a dull cote wash to get rid of the gloss shine. I do suspect that a lot of the gloss look is more pronounced here in photo than it is in person. You can over brush it with flat colors to re-tone it and soften it too, while removing the shine or glossiness. The greenery look great just try to avoid that chopped top look, fan out the tops of your shrubs a little and stager the top cuts. OK now that I'm done criticizing it looks great, and I think that it does a great job of breaking up the blank plain surface really nicely.:thumbsup:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It could well be the flash reflections making it look more glossy than it is. I love the layout, just seems a bit "shiny" for real dirt.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

concretepumper said:


> Really???? Crap that's it I'm tearing it down! Yea Its a little glossy in places where the paint wasn't thinned enough :lol_hitting: Any ideas guys?


Digital cameras are more sensitive to reflection, so it likely doesn't look that shiny in person. But I can suggest another idea...

Paint on some really dark brown paint and then wipe off the exposed surfaces with a rag so that it remains in the depressions and crevices. That's a quick and easy way to get more depth and definition. Man, those rocks will pop out at you. I like your surface contours, they just need to be accentuated more. 

Greg


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

On my little HO mountain, I bought 4 or 5 earth-toned colors of acrylic craft paint ... in 4 or 5 ounce jars, I think. I squirted out little puddles of each onto some scrap wood, thinned them down (with water) a bit, and then used 3 or 4 stiff-bristle brushes to "stipple" (or dab ... NOT brush) the color onto my basecoat in very random, light-coverage patches. The paint dried fast, so I continued on with successive color tones, really just adding "speckling" throughout. The overall effect was pleasing to my eye.

Cheers,

TJ


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

I'm not sure what geographic area were you trying to recreate and what level of finish you shooting for, but the texture could use some erosion marks, cracks etc. perhaps this is still work in progress. best thing would be to look picture of area you like and use that as reference. 

IMHO it is not the gloss but rather color uniformity that make it jitter - it seems like exactly same color everywhere. IMHO you got into much hurry with painting. ground cover helps. glue, powder and debris for tecture, broken rock will help with believability. again, not sure which locale you trying to represent, but i would look into WS rock molds. then again if satisfies you its all that matters.



i got carried away with painting everything fast in my first go. and as to be expected got the crappy result:











then i read into it, followed what pros do and got the below on smaller test piece. I like it much better, so i had to tear the existing rocks and cast new ones. was painful but i think it will be worth it. and the material is not totally wasted - became very nice filler and debris fodder .










patience


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## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

OK Guys after reading your responses I sat and stared at the layout wondering If I should start over.  Nah, So I started with a scotchbrite pad to dull it some and that seemed to help take away some of the gloss. After that I mixed up 2 different colors black and tan washes and sponged/sprayed and wiped for a few hours this afternoon. Seems to have broke up the solid brown and killed the gloss a little more. I might still do a few more wash colors later. I will wait and see what it looks like in the AM! 

The first 5 pics are with a flash and the last 5 are without a flash. 
It think it looks better in person. The camera shows TOO MUCH! 
LMK what you think. CP


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Now THAT looks great CP., much better....Nice job. When you think about it - when do you see anything in nature that is one consistent color?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That does indeed look much better, a lot more realistic! Great job there CP.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Scott,
Lately all I see around here is GRAY 
Bob


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

raleets said:


> Scott,
> Lately all I see around here is GRAY
> Bob


But it's different shades of gray - Yes Michigan! Don't worry - the sun will come out in June for a couple of weeks.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

CP,

Big improvement. The flat / color tones add extra depth. I'd continue to stipple on a few lighter grey and light brown earth tones, maybe ... not much ... just adding highlights here and there.

TJ


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