Terrain built with white foam and house Paint

**Obah Bason** · 08-30-2008, 09:26 AM

Terrain built with white foam and house Paint. You don't need to spend more than a few bucks for a razor knife, paint brushes, and some water based acrylic house paint to make impressive centerpieces. If a color is mismixed at a home improvement center, they will often put it on a specials rack for a dollar or 2 to get rid of it, and in this case, you want ugly golors, like grey and poo brown.
You can see more at http://www.terragenesis.co.uk/

**mrken** · 08-30-2008, 09:51 AM

When you say white foam, do you mean the foam with the little beads in it? How does it hold up. I worry all the time about a little bump knocking loose something.

You are quite right about buying the paint store mistakes. I found a florescent green primer that I just love for painting the bases of all my pieces. It gives them a signature color and pulls all my pieces together. Also, much of my paint comes from a company that recycles old paint. I went one time and filled up two large boxes full of paints, for free. Some of the paint was dried up of had other issues. I just got rid of them. The good stuff is still being used. Some of the stuff had to be repackaged, so I used old plastic bottles I get Miracle Whip or Planters nuts in. And I never get enamel paints.

**Obah Bason** · 08-30-2008, 06:05 PM

All shown was made from generic white beaded foam.

Well, I don't really worry about damage much. All of the pieces shown are quite durable once you put a thick shell of spackle, caulk, hot glue and paint on them. In fact, that demonic throne room gets hung by one of the claws from the ceiling when it is not in use due to how awkwardly it is shaped. Strength vs weight, white foam kicks some serious ass. I have yet to have a piece suffer damage.

I have put the modular dungeon squares in and out of my car a dozen times, not to mention getting them to the back room of a crowded gamer store where they are used, and I have yet to suffer any damage. I even had a chap rolling a trio of brass d6s on them this very afternoon, and they got not even a dimple. Plus it's free.

Yes, there is soft foam that will not last, but you can weed that out by pinching it. If you can leave a thumbprint with a squeeze, it may not be a good choice. Yes, the pink and blue foam is far more consistent, but the white stuff has some cool properties if you take the time to try different stuff. Sometimes it looks like rubble if you break it instead of cutting it, or it can look like splintered wood if you drag a razor across its surface. Did I mention it's free if you know someone who opens a lot of stock for a living?

**Grimwell** · 08-30-2008, 06:11 PM

That stuff looks fantastic! Very nice work.

**Skunkape** · 09-02-2008, 06:21 AM

I like the keep picture, nicely done from the texture to the paint job. I recently started doing a large out door terrain piece and decided to coat it with tile grout. The two great things about the tile grout is that it comes in brown color, so it looks like dirt and when it hardens, is almost rock hard so I doubt the white foam underneath will get damaged much!

**Obah Bason** · 09-02-2008, 05:51 PM

I also like to use wall spackle, but you do need to be careful that it doesn't crack. It is light weight and easy to work with, and again, very cheap.

**tesral** · 09-02-2008, 11:50 PM

Warning to those that might not know, do not use spray paint on foam. It melts the stuff. Latex house paint is fine, but avoid any kind of paint in rattle cans.

No brush on solvent based paints either. Same result.

EDIT: And as was pointed out, sealing the foam with something else will protect it. Just don't use solvents on bare styrofoam.