Time to finally do som painting
It's been quiet from the 'blog-front' here for a while now, but as already mentioned in an earlier blogpost; 'Even more about protective covering' I had 3D-printed a lot of different scenery items, and had even more in the making at the time of writing, that needed to be painted. Even thou we're still fighting Covid-19, we do not have as many restrictions as earlier like home isolation and quarantine anymore. -So it was time to go to go back to work and catch up, resulting in less time to 3D-print new items, painting them or gaming. Besides I got into a diversion of military modelling, and spent some time by the lake with my new RC boat.
But finally I got around to do some painting. So what to paint my newly scenery items like, and where and when should they represent???
Generic approach
Despite I'm quite new to tabletop gaming, there are a lot of different eras, conflicts, scales and games (both historical and sci-fi) I would like to play. I don't have unlimited space at home for all my modelling hobbies, so I can't just go ahead and make scenery items for every game, battle or period I'd like. So I've decided to make and paint scenery items so generic that I can combine and use them for as many different games, settings, eras, scales and conflicts as possible.
Since I've already got 54mm miniatures for gaming in the old west, Sci-fi, and for post WWII conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, it was clear that I had to go for some kind of scenery they all have in common. Besides, the Middle East might be a suitable 'theater' for future wargaming projects as well, since it's the most war thorn region of the world through the whole history.
I decided to go for a desert-like, sandy, dusty wasteland scenery, as it will be suitable for different eras and conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, as well in the southern parts of the 'Old West' or in a Sci-fi setting on a Mars-like or 'Tatooine' planet.
The painting it self was straight forward; Solid layers of tan color(s), washed with dark brown, and drybryshed with 'Titanium Buff'. All painted with cheap craft acrylics.
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By just adding some craters to the rocks make you have a Middle East/African battlefield or a Sci-fi setting
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| For vegetation I selected plants and trees I don't think would look out of place in a sandy and dry habitat |
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This was 3D-printet in black PLA and simply drybrushed with various 'browns', starting dark followed by lighter shades
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| Adobe style buildings can be found in The MiddleEast, Africa and in southern parts of Northern America |
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| With generic scenery further period and location can be set by adding periodic or geographical items. Here is some detail to set the scene to Middle East or African wargames |
I also made some terrain pieces with other bits and pieces I had laying around.
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When 3D-printing you sometimes add 'Rafts'to your print to make your model stick better to the printbed. When done printing you separate them and usually throw the raft away. I found some of the rafts from my previous 3D-prints to be so sturdy and of irregular shape that I would try to use them as terrain bases. The greenery is just lichen for Christmas decorations found in craft stores. Thanks to Rick Astley for providing one of those circular bases in the middle. I knew he was never giving me up...
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Circular CD-bases again. I think this is one of the Mrs' 'Game of Thrones' seasons...
The rocks are made by cutting blue and pink extruded foam to shape and painted. |
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| This is made by adding pieces from 'The Force' and 'The Corps' playsets to a raft for 3D prints. A CD or any other suitable base will work as well |
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| Even stationary vehicles can act as periodic gaming terrain, and add some cover for your troops. The toy car was to correct scale, but looked a little too pristine at first... |
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| The 'battle mat' is made by a tan piece of inexpensive cloth simply stippled with different browns and greens acrylics by a coarse sponge. Roads, rivers and lakes are just fabric in a different colors, and are loose to change the scenery for different scenarioes |
There are still a lot of interesting and available free 3D-files ready to download and print out there, but in this scale I'll just have to limit myself as I already have challenges with storing it properly. Besides I should have enough scenery and terrain by now to make up interesting games.
Now it's about time to let the (war-) Game(s) begin, so please follow the blog for updates!
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