Improving MDF sceneries

[Purple Mist]

MDF sceneries are very popular because of their lower cost in comparison to resin and plastic ones. They work very well with buildings composed of flat surfaces. The major problem with MDF is to reproduce 3D objects as elaborated surfaces or tile roof tops.

In this topic I'll describe step by step the way I used to improve MDF buildings crafting true 3D plastic roofs.

I already assembled and painted many scenics from Streets of Venice range. In the past they used a thin cardboard to realize building roof tops.  At present they use MDF for roofs too, indeed a flat surface were tiles are laser-designed.

After considering more options I decided to employ plastic roof tile sheets produced by GSW. They are cheap and easy to craft.

Once painted they are very effective. 
Then, on the game table you can get a rigid surface where you can put heavy minis, a thing not always possible using a cardboard roof top.

In the following example I'll craft a plastic roof for a church, a quite large building.

The roof is divided in 4 sections. I must underline that the original MDF roof sections have been assembled and I'll put the plastic roof sections just over them.
The plastic roof sections are slightly oversized in comparison to the original MDF roof.

Because of the lasge size of the building, for each roof section, I need to cut two parts of the roof and glue them altoghether. With smaller building you can get your palstic roof out of one single plastic tile sheet.

 

 

[Purple Mist]

Cutting the tile sheet

The tile sheets are  2,5mm thick. You can use a proffesional cutter to work out the tile sections you need.

You must care self safety when cutting plastic sheets, so I recommend:
1. Use claps to keep firmly in place the plastic sheets when cutting them.
2. As a guide-line for your cutter use a steel bar kept in place by the clamps.

3. Move gently the cutter along the steel bar without using pressure in excess.
4. Repeat step 3 till the time you'll get the desired plastic section cut out.
5. Do not assume wrong positioning of your hands during the cutting phase.

When done with the cutter refine your plastic section with sandig paper. Remenber to dress a mask and glasses to protect youself from powder.

[Purple Mist]

In the specific example I'm going after, I need to produce two plastic sections for each one roof surface:

In the past I used plastic glue to keep altogether different sections of a roof top. Because of the thin plastic layers you'll go glueing, I recommend to use a very thin plastic sheet as a support to get a stable an resistant result. 
For example you can get a thin plastic sheet out of plastic dishes and glue them on the rear side of your roof surface. Then, work out the junction with plastic putty and refine it with sanding card.
That's a must when you work out echelon roof tops.   When you have the opportunity to glue your plastic roof section over a MDF one you'll have no troubles to manage.

Back to the cutting phase, I suggest you to cut out of you plastic tile sheet some single rows of tiles, cleaning and refining them with sanding paper. They will be very useful to add some more details to your rooftop and sometime to mask junction spots.

 

to be continued......

[Purple Mist]

I worked out the sections of tiles.

A shorter and a longer tile sections have been glued with plastic glue. No need to use putty.

Please note that the church has 4 roof sections. The two lower and lateral ones must be placed in position taking in account the encumbrance offered by some colums. As a result you have to work the tile roof section with a cutter or other tool.

At present it's just a fitting test. I'll glue the roof sections laters, after the painting of the roof and the church.

The topmost roof is an echelon one, with a single row of central tiles joynting the 2 halfs:

Later I'll prime and airbrush the four sections of the roof, the central tile row and I'll assemble and glue them when all painting job with the church will be accomplished.

to be continued......

[Purple Mist]

In the pic you see a couple of finished rooftops I already worked. Chimneys there added too.

Down here a detail of the plastic patchs I used to glue each other the two sides of an echelon rooftop. I cutted the plastic patchs out of some plastic plates:

 

to be continued.....

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Interesting, useful information.

 

[Purple Mist]

Reserved for the Church rooftop.

[Purple Mist]

IMMERSION MARBLING PAINTING IMP

IMMERSION MARBLING PAINTING (IMP) is a painting tecnique I'm going after.
You can use it efficientely on different rigid materials. I experimented with IMP on MDF, resin and even cardboard scenic components. 
IMP works over flat as elaborated surfaces, to it's a good way to improve your MDF scenics.

I recommend you to prepare the scenic components with primer or even different shades of airbrushed paints. 
Clear/pale colors are recommended.

Immersion marbling paints are pigments suspended into volatile organic solvents. Once the solvents are dry you get a permanent film of marbling varnish.
IMP it's an immersion tecnique: you drop marbling paints over cool water, quickly mix paints and then immerge your scenic component completely into water. 
Keeping deep into water your component, you have to remove marbling paints floating on the surface with paper, then you can recover out of water the worked component.

Having to work your scenics into water I recommend to impermeabilize cardboard components using a spray transparent varnish before going after IMP.

Dry your marbling painted componets, spray them with transparent varnish and finish them with washes of other paints, as you like.
 

[Purple Mist]

Marbled floors

MDF floors are marbled by IMP tecnique. The floors are prepared by spraying them with AGW Grey Seer. A mix of 3 marbling paints was used to produce the effect you see in the picture.

[Purple Mist]

A resin tridimensional altar, casted in resin, was prepared for IMP working it with with primer and then airbrushed with different shades of of pale paints.

Later the scenic was IMP worked with a mix of different  marbling paints. Note in this example the lower and upper sections of the scenic have been marblwed in two different sessions.

The front and back view of the marbled scenic:

Yes, there's till a lot of painting job to go after with traditional tecnique, anyway the IMP got quickly a good starting point.

[Purple Mist]

The top terrace of a MDF Church Tower was worked by IMP. This component was then finished by recovering the original color in the lower section by airbrushing.

In the pics you can see 2 of the four sides of the tower:

[Purple Mist]

Sarcophagus painted by IMP. I plan to finish it with dark waters.

 

[lusciousmccabe]

Cool idea. Think the sarcophagus looks the best in terms of scale, but it's a cool effect in general, especially on the tower. 

[Butch]

What's the IMP technique? Looks very good on heavy structured surfaces.

[Purple Mist]

1 hour ago, Butch said:

What's the IMP technique? Looks very good on heavy structured surfaces.

IMMERSION MARBLING PAINTING

I introduced it in a brief post. Down here one of many tutorials you can find on the net:

 

 

[Purple Mist]

BTW, while some artists produce their works using IMP tecniques alone, I start with IMP to create an advanced base to work over with more traditional tecniques used in modellism.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Fascinating technique.

[Purple Mist]

Hello,

I completed the Main Church Altar: