Make and Paint Realistic Stones From Styrofoam

How to make miniature stones from XPS foam. Stone walls for scale models, dioramas, wargaming terrain, d&d scenery, warhammer 40k, model railroads, and dollhouses
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I have sculpted and carved bricks and stones out of foam many times now, and it's one of my favorite techniques for making models! I show you how to scribe your own stone pattern, texture it to look like rock, and paint and weather it using only acrylic paints!
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:14 XPS Foam
0:30 Cutting the Foam
1:18 Scribing the Stones
2:08 Sculpting the Stone Texture
2:50 Black Basecoat
3:11 Drybrush with Acrylic Gray Paint
3:49 Weathering with Washes and Speckling
5:35 Final Result!
5:56 Patreon
6:19 Bloopers
Music:
Song: Get Back
Music by: CreatorMix.com
Song: Shine On
Music by: CreatorMix.com
Song: Endless Lights
Music by: CreatorMix.com

[@lizday8140]

Awesome! KZbin knows I love creating miniatures.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks!!!

[@user-ei7bf1ey3g]

Thank you just what I was looking for. I’m grateful for you sharing your skill on this very realistic looking wall.

[@fightingcorsair7297]

The speckling adds a nice touch.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! Speckling is one of my favorite techniques!

[@Thicketworks]

Fantastic result. Love the layers of translucent tones - beautiful work.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@Dimanti88]

I've got to make these at some point. Would be a good way to start my scatter terrain collection.

[@3DComputing]

Excellent work, thanks !

[@williamcox6043]

Great work! Your techniques are easy to follow and learn - thanks for the help! 🙂

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! I appreciate the support!!

[@ryanofottawa]

maybe my favourite stone work colouration I've ever seen.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you so much!!!

[@ajknaup3530]

Very nice results. TYSM for sharing!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks for watching!

[@Neppy22]

That is stunning!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks!

[@YuanMekong]

That looks really realistic, good job!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@aaroncrumbley]

Gorgeous!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@jeannegem6253]

Merci beaucoup💐

[@janeholden6832]

Beautiful!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@philRminiatures]

Creative and beautiful work on these realistic and beautiful stones!👍

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!

[@savedbygrace5152]

Looks really nice thank you for showing how to do it. Great project for school vacation to keep the kids busy and teach them some cool skills😊

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@longbow1099]

Very good video! Made one too! Simple and realistic!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!! And that’s awesome, happy to hear you tried out the technique!

[@AzraelThanatos]

Depending upon what you're doing with the wall, it's normally a good idea to mix some pva/white glue or mod podge into the black layer there. It adds a lot of durability to the end result. Another way that I've been doing stones is to go with a chalkier white paint (I mainly use the larger bottle applebarrel white...for some reason that one seems to have the best result), go with that as a base coat or mix in a bit for a very light grey. Then I shift over to using thinned down inks rather than paints and use them to hit different stones. I've used greys, blues, reds, and browns along with some mixes. following that with a directional drybrush of off whites...and, sometimes, a pure white that's extremely focused for a final highlight.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks for the tips!

[@luismadrid6304]

Exellente trabajo, se ve increíble

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@theaterofthemini]

Awesome work!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@judygouchie9701]

Really cool!

[@magicdicemanufacturing]

Great job! Really inspiring.😉👍🏻

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@enzoroma14]

Simple and effective! Nice video, nice job 👍🏻

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@enzoroma14]

@@smolworldworkshop I thank you! you have a new subscriber to the channel 😉 keep it up!

[@pvhep4036]

Wow, what an amazing little piece of wall. Subscribed!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!

[@marcellasheridan269]

Brilliant 👍

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@ChimeraWargaming]

Great tutorial ❤

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@bibithd7532]

Wow ! Joli travail . Plus vrai que nature !

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@jonnil1997]

Great colour

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!

[@gregbenwell6173]

A couple of years ago my grand daughter asked me if I could help her with her class project!!! Her project was to build a "working volcano" and make it look "as realistic as possible"!! Now I am an old school model builder, who used to build scale models back in the 1970s!! And as I completed painting her volcano, with tricks I knew from years of building models, I suddenly realized I was missing a number of "stones" to make it look more "realistic"!! The solution was simple..... I went out to the end of my gravel driveway and grabbed handfuls of tiny stones and placed them in a few baggies! Returning I "graded the stones" by size and shape, and began randomly gluing them to the model using Elmer's white glue and a small brush! Ultimately when she was graded on "her project" the teacher gave her an "A++" on it, and told her that her model was one of the best she (the teacher) had ever seen!!

[@smolworldworkshop]

That’s awesome!! Thanks for sharing!

[@wouterbraamhorst1883]

Looks amazing. I tried carving before, but this technique is way more promising. Definitely gonna try this out. Thanks for the tutorial

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!! I hope this technique helps!

[@wouterbraamhorst1883]

@@smolworldworkshop it allready has. I started experimenting right away

[@smolworldworkshop]

@@wouterbraamhorst1883 glad to hear it!!

[@kidgrave]

Amazing tutorial. Thank you. :)

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@fransgaard]

Really nice work

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@droberts1664]

That looks do real. Good job

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@photogfrank2146]

This is the best stone wall video and best stone wall I've seen! It's a little bit more complicated and time consuming but it looks a lot more realistic! Awesome job dude!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you so much!!!

[@phyllissanfiorenzful]

I agree!

[@sudheeshjr9405]

@@smolworldworkshop '

[@longbow1099]

Me too! Very Nice!

[@downthehobbyhole]

Great tutorial dude.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@anthonybussey8394]

❤sweet thx

[@vascotoys]

Great tutorial!!!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@pauloinventostube7533]

Ótimo trabalho 👏 sucesso aí irmão 👍

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!

[@SmallSoldier]

Nice work!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@festa67]

Simply stunning a subscription well earned.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you so much for all your support!

[@johnrodriguez489]

Awsome

[@glynstimpson]

Great video very enjoyable thanks very much

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@PsychoMachado]

It always baffles me how much you can transform the piece with paint

[@uncardedreviews9721]

👏😎 this was a great demonstration and tutorial video. Your technique made this project look easy and fun. Definitely would like to see some more 😎👍 #subscribed

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@goforitpainting]

Really cool.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@lesthiele4921]

Sir, that was excellent work on the stone wall some great advice to follow, you have yourself another subscrber, best regards from Australia 👍👍👍

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you so much!!!

[@Flonjua]

Very good work....👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks!

[@raykd2ibp198]

Wow

[@modelrailwaynoob]

Impressive

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks!

[@joshuaedley5191]

Very good video! I might be able to do something similer if I need to do some wall myself!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!

[@robertmunoz7543]

Technique appears rock solid!🤣 Jman

[@smolworldworkshop]

Haha thank you!!

[@leratonbricoleur]

Very interestant. I like it very much.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!

[@Anecron1]

Looks great! But you really shouldn't be sanding XPS. The dust is not something you want to be breathing in.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! And I agree - every time I sand I wear full face respirator that covers my eyes as well. I always make sure to clean any residual dust as well after sanding.

[@eXtremeFX2010]

Yes, as this does cause Cancers in the State of California... but I live in Texas and am very careful wearing the appropriate safety masks when working with Pink Foam Boards. Anyway...GREAT VIDEO!

[@jollyrogerquill]

​​@@smolworldworkshop ​@Smol World Workshop awesome walls!!! But wow... I never use any masks or respirators when I handle this sort of material... on what phase of the process do you use face protection? Only when sanding? Or also when you are scribing or carving the stones?

[@smolworldworkshop]

@@jollyrogerquill hello!! Just when sanding dust is present. I don’t wear a respirator when I’m scribing because it doesn’t make any dust. I hope this helps!

[@franciscovillamar9001]

Hola, que tipo de material que hace ese muro

[@Qwertyuiop-lg7ko]

nice

[@bobo327]

Nice video 👌

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!

[@garycamp3389]

Very nice!! Great tips. Gary from . Ct. U.s.a.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!

[@gl8884]

More Fantasy tutorials!

[@adamdahlberg4403]

Great video can't wait to use this in my terrain for SW Legion, I'm sure a stone wall will end up on some planet. Subbed. I know this is a newer channel, but I wanted to say that's for not putting annoying music in the video. P.s. I don't see a bell, for your new videos.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you so much!! I hope this technique works well for you!

[@motehayday5273]

great

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks!!

[@williambryant5946]

What scale would you say the wall you made in this video, would best fit?

[@smolworldworkshop]

1/24 scale would probably suite it best!

[@williambryant5946]

@@smolworldworkshop How about do some of these in 1/87 ho scale. I mean a lot of these can just be scaled down but the sidewalk video with the texture doesn't scale down. I'm only asking if you would. I do model trains in ho scale. Your videos are awesome. 👍

[@jenpink4298]

I’m not gonna lie, that is a fine looking stone wall! Would you do it the same way if you were making it a floor instead of a wall? And where would you put the highlights? Toward the viewer?

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you!!!! For a floor, I probably would only highlight with a drybrush layer of a lighter color, that way it would catch on the highest edges of the textured stone which would receive the most wear and tear.

[@funkymonkeymp]

awesome video! I will steal this method if you don't mind 😁

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! And of course!! I hope this method works well for you!

[@vivianphillips768]

SO COOOOOLLLLLL😬🤩🤩

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank u so much!!!

[@thirsk]

Your wall videos are all great. Could you recommend a more time-efficient version of this technique though? For example, can you get away with doing the deck tan highlights only once? If so, at what point in the process? I looooove the end result but if you're trying to paint 15 sections of wall, that's hundreds of stones that have to be highlighted and washed with different browns TWICE.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! If I were to do something quicker, I would only add the gray tones and highlights by drybrushing since the paint practically dries instantly. I would then probably do a brown wash and green wash for dirt and moss. Then I’d speckle on some black and white and call it good. It won’t be as detailed, but it will still look great in a fraction of the time.

[@roberth5767]

I just tried to duplicate your process on y own small piece of foam. Mine doesn't look nearly as good as yours, but this was my first attempt. I wish you would have shown a little bit on the sides and top of the wall. Thanks!

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! I’ll keep that in mind for next time!

[@patricialavender2902]

I want to build a stone wall out of foam to go around the garden of my French style dolls house. The only problem is that the wall curves, and foam isn't bendable. I would love your advice please? I am mesmerised by your skill in making dioramas look so realistic. Thank you.

[@smolworldworkshop]

If the foam is thin enough, it can be bent to a certain extent. I made a curved foam wall similar to this one in my medieval tavern video if you want to check it out. Another way is to use individual stones, made from foam or real gravel, and stack them one by one in the shape of your curve. Thank you very much, and I hope this helps!

[@patricialavender2902]

Thank you so much for your reply. Must admit after I had sent the question I got to thinking that maybe I could get thin foam, which I now have. I love the way you have made the wall so realistic, and am looking forward to having a go. I am an avid watcher of your videos which I find absolutely fascinating. Thank you.

[@smolworldworkshop]

@@patricialavender2902 thank you for all your support! Good luck with your projects!

[@wilfredodiaz8743]

👍👏👏👏

[@camy252camy3]

Anyone suggest GW colour matches for the tan/brown colours?

[@martinchalifoux8115]

Look very nice, but what did you do in the back of the wall?

[@smolworldworkshop]

I just left it blank since this is a demonstration piece, otherwise I would texture the back the same way

[@SulemanTariq-gy8uq]

You are very interested of your art

[@unfrozencavemanlawyer3950]

I want to make a model of my house, it has some pretty light colored South Bay Quartzite with a light grout. How would you suggest that be replicated? Obviously the black won’t work for this. What could you suggest? I could send a picture if you have an email address.

[@unfrozencavemanlawyer3950]

Btw I LOVE your rock wall

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thank you! Try starting with a light base coat, maybe white or a very light gray. Then use lots of tan acrylic washes to build up the color that you want!

[@AstaRoth0086]

What is the material that you use?

[@smolworldworkshop]

Here is the foam I used: www.amazon.com/Owens-Corning-Pink-Insulation-Thick/dp/B085RFQSXY/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=TNSGHTLJCZZB&keywords=pink+foam+board&qid=1680884491&sprefix=pink+foam%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-5

[@x.davidwilliams83]

Huzzah

[@josephlopez4041]

Build miniature shotgun hi

[@beirney82]

A much quicker way to widen the gaps is to pass a hot gun over it.

[@smolworldworkshop]

Thanks for the tip!

[@user-ze6ye4pm1m]

great work: carving, shapes, colors... but in my humble opinion the color spots from the brush are too much. they make the stones more artificial, less natural...

[@SheepWaveMeByeBye]

XPS dust is bad for you.

[@chriswashere]

sorry but foam will always look like foam.

[@shilgiiamehaagadot1676]

Best wall results I've seen 🧱 really greatful for your videos. It's been extremely helpful !

[@MisterBroad]

Dude, Middle and Ringfinger are not supposed to be on the brush.

[@smolworldworkshop]

I just hold it how it feels comfortable, works for me!