Stone Walls: A Quick Tutorial

Today I would just like to share a quick method for building stone walls out of foamcore. It'll be a short tutorial, because the method is similar to that used in my Hard-Core Foamcore series, but with one KEY difference: I now know how to effectively peel the paper off of foamcore. 

Before, I had to use the paper to draw the template on and use it as a cutting guide before pain-stakingly peeling the paper off a little at a time so I could carve the foam underneath. But then I found this video, and it changed everything. 

For those who don't want to watch the video, the essence is this: You take a full sheet of cheap foamcore. You turn your shower on really hot. You soak the board under the shower, thoroughly. Flexing it around a little helps, but not too much otherwise it will snap. Then you peel the paper off in one or two gratifyingly massive sheets.

The whole thing takes maybe fifteen minutes, and you're left with a sheet of thin, easily cuttable, easily scribe-able foam.

How did I ever do without it?

So the first things I decided to make were some fieldstone walls. I layed out two layers of foam, one on top of the other, and cut them both to shape at the same time. Then I glued them together.

Once the glue was dry, I went in with a dull pencil and drew some stones. I added some texture using my fancy rock texturizer (a rock. From the ground) and slapped them on some plasticard bases. (While I was cutting the bases I also had the realization that you can use scissors to cut plasticard! Easiest terrain ever!)

Finally, I gave these guys a coat of watered down PVA so I could safely use spray primer. Total time spent building these could not have been more than a half hour.

Have you come across any simple techniques that have revolutionized your hobby process? If so, don't share them. Hoard the secrets to yourself; guard them jealously; allow them to come between you and your loved ones; take them to your grave.

Or write about them in the comments below.