Easy Layered Rock Face Terrain

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In this technical terrain tutorial, we look at how to use our 5mm and 10mm HD foam scraps to create a layered stratified rock face on you wargaming hills.
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[@RocketPunchHero1]

I like to use a wire brush to help roughen up the foam before sanding it. In my experience, it helps give it a more organic look much quicker.

[@larrymanns364]

This guy's enthusiasm is absolutely contagious

[@maryanngray8562]

You have taught me so much which should make my Dickens Village display extra special this Christmas! I will be working all summer on trees, rock walls, hedges, mountains, rock walls, etc! Thanks for being such an incredible teacher!

[@davidgriffin9542]

Looks fantastic! It makes me happy I saved all my foam bits.

[@misterlurch370]

Mel, you are in inspiration to all of us. I love your ideas and your work. Keep it up!

[@alistairbain6149]

Another technique, I believe, for hot glue and foam is to use a Hi/Lo heat gun - but it was great to see you making it work with a standard gun. Many thanks for another great vid (don’t know how I missed this one!)

[@trecedaves3159]

As always a great video both helpful and inspiring. Thank you Mel.

[@deathmarine1018]

Its been a while since ive found a tutorial thats actually worth while, your tutorials are amazing, love your work man

[@jonathanj.1955]

Clever way of getting rid of all those annoying xps leftovers! And the final piece looks lovely! Thanks!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It's what I'm here for buddy :-D

[@DireSwift]

My duel temp hot glue gun's low setting is perfect for XPS, barely any melting at all. Great video! Working my way through the playlists and learning a ton and experimenting as I go.

[@DatTuxedoPenguin]

so here you see me making all my small rocks look great! All my nice grit looks very realistic! And here you see me cover it all with flock! Because grass is good! Love you Man! just finished rewatching ALL your terrain vids AGAIN! can't believe it's been 2 years already man!

[@Prin7er]

This was Extremely Helpful to me as I am modeling the Southwest USA. Thanx for this tutorial.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Hope it helps bud

[@petermartin3268]

wow, I like this way of doing it, I can't wait of trying this way, thank you so much once again.

[@philRminiatures]

Once again a creative and wonderful job, the final result is superb, I do like the different strata...

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks buddy!

[@hwwtdw]

Mel, wonderful as always. I'm torn now after seeing this style rock face style. On my Atlantic Wall-esqe diorama, I'm adding a Ponte do Hoc style sheet rock face between my ground level installations and trench network etc and bunkers for naval guns on the top of the cliff. The pictures I've researched for both Points do Hoc and Omaha Beach show both vertical and horizontal striations

[@edwinacoffman6429]

I love your videos I only seen you for the past couple of months but I've been going back watching all your older videos take your time and you do you don't worry about these other people just have fun with it all that's the whole point of doing crafts of any kind

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thank you!

[@jeffreykershner440]

Gotta say that your work with the new multi-camera studio is really easy to follow. Thanks for the hard work you put into these videos.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers buddy, I appreciate that, it's often the stuff that goes unseen

[@cvtuttle]

How have I NOT seen your channel until now!? This is amazing! Your content is just what I was looking for.

[@jooshjooshministhetics8048]

One of the best hill tutorials I've ever watched. Keep on keeping :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks buddy

[@yourdogsnews]

This demo came at a great time Mel. We are working with this foam at work and we have lots of garbage off cuts. I think I will swipe a bunch and make some rocks.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Crack on buddy

[@euansmith3699]

Oooh, I do love a good stipple. That is a nice looking outcrop.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers buddy

[@SloveneAnon]

That's a really clever tutorial, can't wait to try it out myself!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Hope it helps

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

Thanks again Mel, as usual you inspire lol, I used to be a long term unemployed tutor and If I had you there I could have run jump leads from you

[@garryeckert5929]

That's great way to make canyons and cliffs. Goob work 👍👍👍

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers

[@MrRobertHarding]

it's amazing to see how far your videos have come since you started your channel. will be interesting to see where you stand in a year or two :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It's been a hell of an adventure so far matey

[@jorgiknoob5810]

loving the information pop-ups :)

[@andrek.9418]

Awesome video and great improvement with the descriptions!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Slowly improving ;-)

[@tonysilvey]

Cheers Mel, I've got some of this thin stuff hanging around in the garage left over from fitting the underfloor heating. I have also been struggling to find the thick sheets of foam without paying a fortune.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Jackodur insulation mate

[@EMTBAFV]

Love what u make I'm doing a ww1 trenches with fighting figure and alot of your home made rocks etc are in it cheers

[@redgreen09]

sounds good to me a try this one will see more and sun day to

[@jimmedina5392]

Love your videos my friend!...

[@pacoreggae83]

Very good . Tank por tú trabajo gran vídeo sigue asin un saludo desde España Sevilla

[@edevans5991]

Another great video! Add my vote to those asking for for desert/western colored rocks.

[@lassalkey138]

AWESOME DETAILED TUTORIAL! Now ill stop ' TEARING MY WIG OUT!'

[@Cougar139tweak]

Your techniques have helped me immensely in creating backdrops for my Aquariums. I may have to take up Trains or Table games as a hobby so I can keep creating these creations! :) and of course I Subscribed :)

[@demondude15]

this is like art attack for large man children, love it

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Gotta luv a bit of Neil B

[@Walsfeo]

Great video, I really love the scrap builds like this, do some more! You moved so fast I'm out of breath just from watching. It's ok to stop and breath once in a while, we won't mind. The photo finish to the project is excellent, maybe you could provide links to the videos where you cover any specific techniques you used.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Noted buddy, I'll have a think!

[@andrewthompson7026]

Thank you for the inspiration! Im buying your book lol

[@UnvarnishedTarnished]

Another great video mate :) keep it up

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers bud

[@FrancescaSamperisi]

oh my god can wait to try this!!

[@brantmorrison3704]

Very nice job, Mel! I am happy to see how you made the stratified layers of "rock". When I was growing up early in the late 60s, early 70s there was a wildly popular 1/24 slot car race track business in town. One of their roadrace tracks had extensive terrain features similar to what you made here. You would have just flipped for the track.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Sounds awesome mate, how big was it?

[@brantmorrison3704]

The track was probably eight - ten lanes wide and the entire layout was 40 - 50 feet long by 25 - 30 feet wide. It is hard to say how long or exactly what the shape of the track was, maybe roughly a "W" shape with a cross-over bridge. I wish I had a picture. I'll need to look on the internet because that place is long gone. The other 1/24 tracks were faster with high bank turns. The shop had two floors and there were two 1/24 tracks on the lower floor, and a straight drag strip. The upper floor had a 1/24 track and an HO track. You would use your own slot car and controller on a 1l24 track and it would cost 25c for 15 minutes of use. At that age there was not any true "racing" for me, just trying to go around the track. While I liked my cars, there were adults (one was a professional baseball player) who spent a tons of money on their gear. My car, controller and tool box cost a total of maybe $25, which seemed like a lot then. The really serious adults had cars that sold in the shop for $150 - 300 and maybe more. Perhaps you heard the phrase "dollars per MPH"?

[@brantmorrison3704]

I looked on the internet for photos of the track and so far, no luck. The most I could find were a couple of B&W pictures of the outside of the shop.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

sounds like an awesome setup

[@dougsundseth6904]

For sedimentary, layered rock, I like to use pine bark. At least in the US, it's available from home improvement (DIY) stores in large bags for around $1/lb. And a pound of dried pine bark is really quite a lot. The edges of the pieces of bark have a very uneven, stratified structure that really sells the appearance of shale or sandstone.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I need to go bark buying, it's not as common as it was here

[@malcolmcarr4859]

We sell it at B&Q, get down to Meir park it’s about £7-£8 for 100 litre bag

[@elliot2294]

Great video mate

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers buddy!

[@peterscott7140]

Pretty good limestone

[@littlejimmy5020]

Oh Mel I love this thanks :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad you do

[@martijndamveld2772]

Awesome mate

[@philliphealey7573]

onces again great vidio thanks

[@MikeThomasRailRoadOverhaul]

Fantastic video

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks

[@user-us4lc8nb5r]

Я еще начал эксперемент с корой дерева, крашу и получается похоже на скалу, если на коре есть мох то это добавляет реализма крашу аклилом и гуашью потом развожу клей пва до состояния молока и покрываю когда высыхает становиться прозрачным и вто же время все закрепляет, но нужно еще поработать над этой технологией.

[@krisevans7670]

What the Flock ! awesome stuff

[@Prin7er]

Ahhhh, Inches instead of Metric. Thanx Mel! I understand inches, feet and miles but the metric system is a bit of a problem for me to look at and know. I can look at my car and know if the nut/bolt is 3/8, 1/2, or 3/4 inch but I can't look at one and know if it's 7, 9, or 28mm. Old Dog, New Trick thing you know.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I've actually got used to both systems and can work with both at the same time, like 3"-10mm :-D

[@carroviejo80]

I wander why people stick to only one metric system, when clearly both of them have their advantages. Use metric for very high precission and inches for longer objects, radious, etc...

[@sylviajennings5495]

This is so true. In Canada, we switched from inches to metric and I've been puzzled ever since with everything from measuring snowfall to knowing the temperature.

[@FHangya]

Filaaa!!

[@kregorovillupo3625]

I had also the problem of hot glue melting my scenery, i resolved by pouring the "blob" as you call it on top of an old cutter blade, wait a couple of seconds to cool and than spread it on the piece like butter.

[@dannypockets]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you! Did he ever do the rock spire tutorial?

[@jaimemiller6863]

hey mel are you going to be doing the Hurtgen Forrest? happy new years mate!!! and cheers

[@barryslemmings31]

The only improvement I would make (as a wargamer with a geology qualification) would be to plaster the top much more heavily and shape it as a natural grass and foliage hill under which the stratified rock projects out. The rock layers would be unlikely to appear on top due to erosion and the build up of recent deposits and soil. You could also include a landslide area of fresh rock fall at one point where the colours are paler or brighter. Freshly broken rock is nearly always lighter and brighter. If you want inspiration for layered rock look at images of the Blue Lias at either Lyme Regis or in Yorkshire. One example: www.alamy.com/stock-photo-blue-lias-cliffs-on-the-beach-at-lyme-regis-dorset-uk-50277451.html

[@eldonevans2618]

Wargame terrain thats realistic looks scrappy and noisy, computer games like world of warships is better to the eye like painting distant terrain in landscape paintings. Bob Ross has good tips

[@jonathondaniels2127]

Have you considered using some no more nails type adhesive instead of hot glue? Would take longer to dry but no issues with melting the foam.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

You can but you might as well just stick with pva, the hot glue is more about dry time than strength

[@EMTBAFV]

It's common in Dobbies I've Loads in my aquariums lol

[@sylviajennings5495]

As Bill D of Iowa says, it's not that dark. This 'shale' also called limestone in Ontario, Canada is much lighter in color, often not far from white and otherwise a light gray with darker areas where it's wet or covered in some other material, maybe dried dirt or something. So your dark shade doesn't fit with this rock choice in this part of the world... maybe elsewhere, though. We have a lot of this in the Kingston area, also known as Limestone City for obvious reasons.

[@phyllissanfiorenzful]

Good video! I have a project where I want to create a fire look from a rocket, do you have a video or another artist link to digest?

[@AzraelThanatos]

Another major option for doing this kind of thing is to switch to using the cheap foam core to construct it out of. While it doesn't give you the larger variety in thickness of the layers, it goes much quicker in assembly, and kind of works better if you want a more south west style look for it in appearance. It also, can, work better if instead of applying the filler by hand, you thin the filler to the point that it spreads by brush easily but still leaves some texture, you can get a slightly more interesting look. Unfortunately, this kind of technique, of either type, does not work well for the look of places like the Badlands which work better if you just carve the hills then use thinned plaster to work the smooth look into it with mixed in grit. Then use a variant of the wash/ink painting to work it through followed by sealing it and hitting it with another, very dark wash to get the striations in the faces.

[@hwwtdw]

Sorry it posted on its own. To finish, my question is of all the rock techniques you've taught us and the prefab sheets available in stores, what would you, the master recommend using to replicate the cliffs of France. This layering method of kept tightly stacked looks promising but I'm not sure. I don't feel i could successful mix horizontal and vertical striations. Could you demonstrate mixed techniques in a future tutorial maybe? Thanks for everything.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I used Woodland Scenic rock molds for my D-Day project (in the projects playlists)

[@EMTBAFV]

IV got 2 part proxy resin for water like In the trench will mixing anything mucky through it make it congel up or that or be clumpy before I get it poured down?? Any advice welcome

[@TheTerrainTutor]

checkout the vids in the water playlist mate, all your answers are there

[@cliente]

Excellent tutorial! and I love your passion for teaching us your techniques but I don´t know why you and other terrain tutorial channels when talk about painting rocks only think in gray, when there are rocks of different colors like dark or light brown, ochre, rusty, etc. but anyway your channel is really good. Greetings from Mexico!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Grey is most common in Europe mate, wargames developed in Europe and historical gaming is heavily based in european eras, so it just kinda became the norm mate. Obviously, it's expanded greatly since the early days ;-)

[@cliente]

Thank you for your explanation and I will continue watching your videos. Have a nice night!

[@EMTBAFV]

Where do u get that foam bnq or Wickes?! What's prices like way grab aload tomorrow

[@billd.iniowa2263]

Kinda surprised you finished that with such a solid gray color. Maybe you were going for shale or slate. But most of these formations I've seen in the Western USA are rusty or red/brown to light brown and tan. (Think old cowboy movies and Roadrunner cartoons) Ya know Mel, you dont have to hurry so much on our account. Seems like you're rushing thru things alot. We dont want to watch you sand for half an hour, but if its only gonna take 2 minutes, lets watch and you can chat to us! :-) Oh, and... BREATHE! lol --- Nice little vid mate, keep up the good work.

[@euansmith3699]

Mel did say he was making a glacial terrain feature; so this is a Norther European Scarp (I guess that North America would have them too, as I'm sure it must have got frozen over during the ice age). You get similar effects where fault lines rip hill in two, I guess. Are the great plains where you live a glacial feature?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I didn't want to cover sandstone/desert colours yet mate so I went with the standard grey rock much like 'mow cop' and 'the roaches' in staffordshire, which are both glacial ridges with stratification. I have to be conscious of video length, even though I skipped doing the base, and covered the entire painting/flocking with a couple of photos, this video was still almost half an hour mate

[@billd.iniowa2263]

Yeah, sorry about that Mel. After I replied I realized you were doing something different. That'll teach me to start your videos and then run to the kitchen a minute. I missed that first part. lol

[@4hedgesfamily]

I live in the Great Basin area of the American West, and the ground is a light gray/light tan color. In our area, though, we don't have much sandstone. Lots and lots of red or black lava rock.

[@strontiumstargazer3124]

Bill D. in Iowa A lot of rock formations like this are sedimentary rocks so started of as sand under the sea so yes reds and yellows are common. I was thinking the same as you.

[@Michael_Johnson_5446]

ingenious

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks!

[@bomortensen7134]

for slate, or rock strata, fir bark cannot be beaten

[@Daz85UK]

Great video! Where in the uk do you get your blue foam board/sheet from?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

panel systems ltd or prowarm insultation

[@markusg.144]

Hey, if I want this kind of rock, but not for the edge of my table, is there something I have to consider? Thx

[@TheTerrainTutor]

just build a core and then add layers around the edges

[@MMStageProductions]

what about using lo temp hot glue?

[@irondwarf2292]

The range do a low temperature glue gun and glue sticks...works great on foam.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I really need an adjustable but I'll check it out mate, thanks for the heads up

[@decs0r]

you need a low watt glue gun, wilkos do one, its takes the mini glue sticks, still melts a little much reduced though compared to a regular glue gun ;)

[@grantkrick6005]

Hey Mel, is this foam you are using different the XPS foam? I'm about to start this tutorial on my own and want to make sure I get the right materials.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Nope, its xps, just thinner than my usual stuff mate

[@kevinm3751]

Awesome, I learned a new word today... "squidge"... now there is no dictionary definition for it but we know what you mean buddy...';) Now Igley Pigledy I dont think I am gonna touch that one...;)

[@user-ro1cs5hp5e]

squidgeskwɪdʒ/verbinformalverb: squidge; 3rd person present: squidges; past tense: squidged; past participle: squidged; gerund or present participle: squidgingsquash or crush.make a squelching noise.

[@kevinm3751]

LOL!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Imagine trying to walk in a direction drunk ..... Igly Pigly

[@J4JCypher]

I know you looooOooOOoove your filler, but could you also use tilegrit? Might help give a nice basecolour too

[@joshjohnston7388]

I use a colored sanded grout (earth) for sandy, rough textures. It works very well for that. I can only imagine how fussy it would be to mix it into the right consistency to replace filler/spackle/gypsum paste. I mean, I'm sure it would be easy with practice, but ugh.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Sure, I just use the simplest materials possible in these tutorials

[@sharonc8150]

Is it possible to clay and resin this on top? Great tutorial! 😊

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Sure

[@sylviajennings5495]

Just wondering... what do you do with all these creations? I'm thinking I'll probably really like this type of hobby (just starting my very first project), but what would I do with them?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Play tabletop games with them

[@seemoon6338]

Big like

[@ronhurst3822]

I like that sweatshirt is it available?

[@The13Guevara]

Yeah 👌

[@johnbolt806]

Hi. Do you paint the back of the mountain

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I do, but it's a personal preference thing

[@eldonevans2618]

Wire brushes erode foam with natural look

[@burtwonderstone5906]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[@davidekstrom9595]

Awesome Mel, feeling a little concerned about your shakes hands tho man..... hope that isn't a constant for you, and just excitment

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Actually it is, but I deal mate

[@DeathByFrenchFry]

Fun drinking game; take a shot every time he says "crack on"

[@4hedgesfamily]

What about "Get stuck in?"

[@jeffnolan6876]

No lie there @@UmbertoLoCicero

[@Monkeyman12534]

Tip

[@spencergalland5754]

If your suicidal, take a shot every time he says "bit"

[@dacedebeer2697]

Wotchacolit

[@Goulmy86]

With you using blue foam, why not rip up some stife cardboard and draw lines in the back? You can just following the layers you made on the front to guide you.

[@DiceandBrushes]

Just curious, why don't you use a low temp glue gun?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I need to get one tbh mate

[@karlbrooks5693]

How about a deep pool in the open space?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It's a technical tutorial mate, so I was only focusing on the actual rock technique

[@carroviejo80]

looks a nice idea for a further video.

[@eldonevans2618]

Why didn't you daw into it with a soldering iron?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

That gives a different effect mate

[@SunDancerGE]

Instead of using a blade for cutting the back I reckon a hotwire cutter would be easier.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It'd definitely work mate, but there's a bonus to being able to run the flat of the blade against the rock surfaces to get a level cut without worrying a slight deviation could dig in and give the edge/surface an un-natural cut. Saying that, it could just be that I'm all over the place with my hotwire cuts and I prefer a guide where I can get it lol

[@joshjohnston7388]

I have to say that for my own preferences, I find cuts with a blade come out more natural-looking than hot wire cuts after weathering. I feel that a wire cutter is certainly superior for cutting the basic shapes of larger projects, but for something small like this and for the final shaping, a blade gives me more natural results (imo, etc).

[@carroviejo80]

Totally agree. For rocks and cliffs, the knife or even breaking the material gives a lot of texture, wich will show later when painting. But i will prefer a hotwire for buildings or large cuts, and then snapping material with a knife for weathering.

[@sylviajennings5495]

With a blade, there's no worry of toxic fumes emitted from burning foam. What I would like to know is where do you find a knife sharp enough and long enough to cut through 1" foam? I saw a guy slicing foam to form a hilltop like he was cutting cheese, while I struggle with the foam forcing up into a lump, even though my knife (utility knife) is pretty darned sharp.

[@MEDIASYSTEMSTUDIO]

!!! :)

[@danielcave9606]

Love it, i've watched a bunch of these now, but every time you get the flock out I cringe, get some lukes APS base ready, and it will loke 10x better rather than a little bit... you know... basic. Love it, will watch the whole collection. I've already made some hills using the expanding foam video: www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/comments/lnomim/blue_horror_respawn_point_foam_terrain/

[@jizzallovaislam]

I think you should start dressing up like a wizard from now on please.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Tried that, Kez wasn't impressed

[@craneinsaneusa1289]

Geologists are losing their minds right now! Still nice work though! Thanks.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

If any of them fancy educating me, they are very welcome

[@jhoephadz478]

Dami naman daldal neto di nalang gawin un gagawin....

[@russnightlife5870]

If I had £1 for every time he says “yeah” I would be a millionaire

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Same could be said for any verbal tic mate

[@russnightlife5870]

TheTerrainTutor sorry was just a joke didn’t mean for you to take offence

[@y2j1490yahoo]

Yeah?

[@micheledeemer8905]

whats your mailing address

[@jameskaufman8263]

buy yourself a 3 dollar low temp hot glue gun for polystyrene