I would like to thank you for being the only youtuber I've watched so far that says "Mod Podge" instead of "modge podge." Your content is pretty great, and proper diction has sealed the subscription (with bell ring). Keep up the good work!
In one of Jeremy’s first vids he actually says “modge podge.” My mom says “modge podge” and I never have the heart to say: “READ THAT FIRST PART CAREFULLY AND SPELL IT OUT LOUD!” Maybe, some day...
I think you should pull a Bob Ross on the intros of your videos and just show everything you will need at the beginning of your builds. These look really well made!
23:52 I was following along, and my rock was coming along great! Then he says, "Now the fun part... black wash." So, I grabbed the black wash I made up watching his other video, dipped my brush in, and started applying. SHOOT! Didn't let it dry, so the wet wash mixed black in with all the dry brushing creating a drab gray everywhere, ruining all the beautiful layers of dry brushing. Shucks. Really realized my mistake while watching Overgrown Ruins episode 035, where he explicitly calls out ensuring it dries, and to use a hair dryer if impatient. I'm excited though, was able to prove to myself that I can dry brush, and these rocks are going to look great!
13:16 is Punakaiki, Pancake Rocks on the West Coast of the South Island of NZ. Been there several times in my life. Thanks BMC for another awesome video for us crafters.
I consider myself fairly experienced in the hobby, but I learn something new with each of your videos I watch. Even something as basic as making rocks. Thanks a ton!
Black Magic Craft what power setting do you use for cutting such huge blocks of foam? I have the thermocutter from proxxon myself, but my experience with the power settings are limited.
Hey! I made a rock! My first ever experiment with XPS, hot wire, or just making terrain in general. I'm actually really happy ans surprised with how well it turned out. I'm just sticking some flock etc on it. Thanks for all the inspirational videos.
I really enjoy catching your videos. I am only maybe a week into my first attempts at terrain design. Ironically I am not at all cut out for D&D DM'ing. I could spend hours a day perfecting a miniature or creating these miniature terrains like this, but all the time I spend doing that I have 0 free time left to actually play. I have gotten my base of understanding from your videos. I must have watched a couple of them over a dozen times now to refresh my mind on the entire subject. The whole process has expanded my imagination of everyday objects to see them as more than just a simple object, but rather what they could potentially be if manipulated in just the right way for terrain building. I used to put a lot of time into creating youtube videos (lets plays primarily) and I understand how much time they take to create. Editing, tweaking sound, creating thumbnails, adding tags and such. Its a lot harder than people give credit, just like the process of creating any other form of art. I am somewhat embarrassed to say that I am watching your video at work right now and I can't go to the patreon site on my work network, however when I get home I intend to show the love for all the hard work you are putting forth for the sake of the folks who watch your channel. Thanks again!
Hey, thanks, it's actually really nice to hear when someone realizes the incredible amount of work and effort it takes to actually run a channel like this. Crafting is one thing, but doing these vids is essentially a part time job for me now, no free time left at all. Maybe one day with enough support I can make it a full time job and really give you guys a lot more. And yea, I myself struggle to actually find time to prep for my own actual games, it's really tough with the channel, career, and family...sometimes to much, but I owe it to my players not to let the fundamental part of this hobby slip. As for you, if you dont have time or interest in DMing, making this stuff even without a game can be really rewarding. If I didn't play I would totally just build dioramas for the joy of doing it and to display. Cheers
Can I just add that the production value of your videos is top notch? You are engaging to listen to, you cut to the chase without rambling too much, you DON'T cut out the bits we actually need to see, and yet you keep it snappy without dead air or off topic nonsense. You've got good editing skills, but I bet a lot of this is just your personality shining through, which suggests to me that you are likely an awesome DM too. The same sorts of skills transfer over-- keeping it brief but not too brief and whatnot.
I agree the video quality is amazing. The tutorials are easy to follow, and everything I craft using these techniques comes out great. But also as a husband, a father, and a professional, I struggle with time to craft and time to run my game. I have to make sure to try to get my crafting in when everyone is asleep....put the kids to bed, spend some quality time with the Mrs and then I dive into my crafts. Sure I wake up tired, but come game night it's all worth it. Once you've crafted a good amount of terrain, the crafting projects get smaller. That is until you take your campaign to a different setting. I recently put off my campaign for a week just to get some crafting done for a special encounter. I'd suggest to make a set of dungeon tiles, a set of modular cave tiles, some doors, and a game board or two (forest/under, forest/ice, or any different combo) depending on setting of your campaign. You should be a lot of game play with those.
I love your color choices. I had never thought of mixing in some metallic paints into the final wash like that, but that's a nice detail I'm definitely going to try on my next rock project.
You do great work. Between Black Magic Craft, Runehammer and Dungeon Craft I have found what I had no idea my game was missing and a true love of a hobby I’ve been at for over 30 years. Thank you
This is really inspirational for my small project! I'm new to this miniature painting field and you sir made a great tutorial for this noob. I really appreciate it!
I think adding a little glue once the paint job is done and then flocking in some gold and maybe silver to create seams of precious metals would be a really nice touch if you were creating a treasure room in a "Under Dark" scene, Or a "Mine" shaft. Your tips are amazing and push this craft to a new level for the community. I wish your work was shown off on Critical Role. Their model maker is good. But I think your work is a bit better and fits their campaign better as well. Well done sir and I wish you much success in the future.
Your stuff is amazing. I’m currently doing 1/32 slot car track and love your work, learning a lot, wanting to do a bridge for my track and other stuff.
im getting that patreon thing today and you are the first im going to follow, love your videos, always easy to follow and love that you put the links to buy the stuff also!
I'm in love with the rocks I just made. Thank you sooooo much for the wonderful tutorials. Had to watch the video half a dozen times to make sure I didn't skip a step... But, hey more views 😉 watched a bunch of your other videos while I worked... Probably gonna hear you voice in my dreams tonight.
I've been following you for a couple months, and I'm about to start trying to make my own terrain. Thanks a lot for the tutorials, definitely staying subscribed.
Bookmarks for me 2:52. Styrofoam 3:25 use off cuts just make it thick use pva to glue to stick together ... leave for 48 hrs + 5:00 carve basic shape 6:15 leave top flat ( rule of cool) 6:45 start cutting different angles 7:50 Extra step use finger and get angry 10:40 Drywall joint compound protective coat. 11:45. Big Brush + Water slather on 12:55 finish with streaks to make texture. 14:00 Classic BMC mod podge coat. 15:40 Dark grey 16:38 grey/tan/ dash of yellow Heavy dry brush. 18:25 Burnt Siena dry stipple 19:35 dry brush TAN 21:05 lgt dry brush SWADE 22:40 vinilla /off white dry brush LET IT FULLY DRY !!!!! 23:55 Black wash 24:55 blk wash add silver +copper paint. Make stone shiny. 26:41. Seal with that stuff
Thank you so much for that Tutorial. I have been struggling to find a good Method by which I could bring a little bit more realism to my terrain. I know that my players will enjoy and appreciate the techniques you have taught me thank you so very much
Good project. Rocks and old wood are the only things I have found you can paint light to dark or dark to light An idea might be to show that...or you might have it and I have not seen it in your back video lol
i don't play dnd/any type of rpg game or make terrains but i still love watching your videos. what has been your most complicated/time consuming piece?
It is interesting that Devon pointed out that Mica is the glittery stuff in the paint. I live in Arizona and have access to tons, literally, tons of mica. Sand grain size up to 6 to 8 inches in diameter and still almost paper thin. It can be used directly on rocks and mountains directly.
i think a few vegitated cracks and some water puddle effects could look awesome on the plateau. nice easy project regardless, really digging the concave+dry-brush look. top job as always!
Just throwing this out there; green scrubby pads add nice fine texture to that type of foam as well. You can also twist back and forth to "carve" shallow holes with it, divots more accurately (in terms of form, at least). When basing it, you need to come at it from more angles, don't get me wrong (it's very rough and porous because the scrubby pad leaves it fairly jagged), but it's very appropriate for igneous (volcanic) rocks (the non-glassy ones, porous igneous like scoria) and corals (like astreopora and pectiniidae), if you'd have use for such a thing (*cough*sahuagin temple*cough*). You can also use the pad to "carve" a little hole, use blue/green wash on hot glue strips running down the side, to make like little waterfalls to feed pools.
I'm always looking for new ways to work with foam so I'll try the scrubber pads out. I only use the mod podge for coating foam before paint so it last a really long time. One small container lasts me several months.
A trick another channel sujested for glueing, was to only use small small drops of glue across the surface to glue the foam instead of a soild layer. that way air can circulate into it better.
Another simple but awesome technique to add a lot of dimension to the table. Thank you for another great tutorial video. Looking forward to trying this soon. I like those trees in the background of your intro too. Maybe a tutorial on those sometime soon?
Im really happy with the paint i did on them....I'm planning a vid showcasing all the minis I've painted lately, and what I've learned. Took a peek at your channel, looking forward to watching some of the vids when I get a chance.
Black Magic Craft Hey, after my laptop was broke, I took some time off. Family life is crazy with baby number 2 due this month. I have been trying different things. I hope to be doing videos again after the holidays.
Also. It can be mica especially in a metamorphic or igneous rock such as granite, which is mostly quarts and feldspar with mixed in mica, but more commonly seen is just quartz overgrowth cement that has filled in crack and weathered areas that causes that sparkling look to most sedimentary rocks.
Awesome tutorial! I may be getting ahead of myself, but do you have tips for creating igneous rocks vs. sedimentary rocks? To my eye they are VERY different looking - think North Shore of Lake Superior vs. the Grand Canyon. And so being able to clearly differentiate between the two in my creations would be awesome. I'm sure with enough trial and error I could figure it out but I'd appreciate your expert insight.
This may be a bit late, but as a geology nerd, I have some ideas. A few different sedimentary rocks ideas: FOR SHALE: cut a bunch of thin-ish layers of foam and rough them up individually before gluing them together. Break them up a little bit further once they're together, but you want lots of craggy ledges. Take it easy on the striation, but keep it in there. Paint it a nice dark grey. FOR SANDSTONE: One big block like shown in the video, but don't break it apart as much with your thumb--maybe even do the secondary breaking with a knife. I haven't worked with XPS much so I don't know how it would take sanding, but if possible, sand a few areas down to show where the wind has smoothed it. Really play up the striations, and paint a nice yellowy tan. FOR MUDSTONE: Keep the approach similar to sandstone, but don't add any striations. When painting, add lots of darker stippling, and try painting in a few similarly colored striations by hand. Igneous ideas: FOR BASALT: (Basalt comes in a lot of textures, but I think this would be the easiest to pull off and make convincing.) Do what he did here, except do all the secondary breaking with a knife, so you get smoother, flatter angles. Don't add any striations--try and keep the joint compound as smooth as possible. Paint it a dark, blu-ish black and highlight with dark greys. FOR GRANITE: Do almost exactly what he did here, but skip the striations (though a rough, stippled texture could look good) and stipple with black and some very washed out tan-ish pink. Maybe try applying with a sponge. Definitely don't skip the metallic wash. Tweak the colors a bit and you've got basically any phaneritic or porphyritic igneous rock (meaning igneous rocks with visible crystals).
@@n.m.dimmick194 to piggyback off of the shale ideas, I have created convincing "mountainous terrain" close to simulating the mountains of shale seen in the various cuts along the PA turnpike by slicing into the foam with a 'not so sharp' xacto knife following a diagonal to replicate how the hills were pushed up creating the mountains.....
Great content and good video editing! I don't have drywall fillers, but maybe this "Titebond III" might work? Maybe it won't get that same texture with it... we'll see.
As a bit of advice. The best glue for foam is a marine contact adhesive. Any water based glue takes ages to cure. I've seen pieces come apart after months.
I started sculpting a chunk of XPS foam to make a rocky ledge for my first diorama - and it was looking like butt. Immediately hopped on to get a refresher from the Black Magician himself. :)
The problem with PVA curing is, much like you said except it's exposure to the air. You would think smooth consistent coverage of glue is best, but we are all wrong. When working with PVA, it's best to lay it out in a small bead in a wavie line going from edge to edge without crossing over itself. That way the entirety of the glue is exposed to air and will set in a few hours. The best is polyurethane glues (Gorilla glue) either foaming or non-foaming. Those rely on a chemical reaction with H2O, which is why it directs you to lightly dampen at least one surface. I have tried the regular Gorilla glue and the down side is that it doesn't work so well with a hot wire cutter. I haven't tried the non-foaming type, but the Gorilla wood glue works exactly like regular PVA except it is a bit stronger and a bit stinky.
Have you ever merged your want to "make modular tunnels/caves" with your rock formations and a "Mat" ? Like use these rocks as walls and use a grid mat as the floor? Would that be harder to do in your opinion? I would make them like half the height in order to move minis around easier but otherwise I think it would work well.
I just subscribed to your channel and I love it. I think I've been watching for about 2 hrs now. Can you tell me what the purpose of the dish soap in the wash is for?
Hey man, been loving your videos! was following Scotty for a lot of ideas but after seeing your tiles I love yours a lot more haha but how thick do you make your floor tiles?
Black Magic Craft damn it haha I had that in my head but I couldn't remember for sure =p im in the UK myself and finding anything under the name xps foam thats thicker than 5mm is very hard. Here they call it "Extruded Styrofoam"
Black Magic Craft ah okay that makes sense then =p now in struggling to find anything under 25mm. the only stuff I found was £70 O.o I'll have to go thicker and cut it down with an extending knife
A suggestion for layering your foam in regards to how porous and absorptive the foam is. What if you were to put a light layer of Mod Podge in between the two layers to "seal" the surfaces, then PVA glue them together? Or do you think that would be more effort than just dealing with some wet glue in the middle?
The foam isn't pourus, its water tight. This is why the glue takes so long to dry, it has nowhere to absorb and gets no air. Sealing the foam ahead of time if the foam was porous would actually make it worse, but since it's already air and water tight it wouldn't do anything.
Great video! I've already started using your videos as a basis for my terrain crafting. One thing though. I was itching to see the piece closer up as a finished product. Unfortunately all I could see was the wet wash :(
Black Magic Craft I was unsure if that was just a filler during the seal clip or not. I wasn't trying to be rude man, and don't think I warranted any sarcasm from you. But yeah, I guess you're right. Close up, got it thanks.
Sorry....just every single video that has a close up shot of the finished piece someone comments that there were no close up shots of the finished piece. Every time. I put it before the project AND after now, but people still miss it. I don't want to just make 2 minutes of finished piece shots to make sure no one misses them.
That brush technique for making layered sedimentary rock... I've been trying to find a way to do that for the last two years! I fucking loved your bearded face when I saw that! And that metallic wash for adding mica is pure genious. You should make a video where you present those techniques to the railroad modellers. I'll bet you some of them will be very exited.
Where did you get the display shelves behind you at the beginning of your video? Can't find many options that have that many shelves for a decent price.
Most spray foam is polystyrene, it's just not high density and extruded into shape. Using the joint compound will help fill in the holes you get as you carve the surface away. This technique is perfect for spray foam.
I've been waiting for this one! I think your rocks look really good... there are a hundred levels from cartoony to the railroad modeler, and yours are a perfect balance of looking great without taking 2 weeks to make. I've struggled with settling for goofy looking foam rocks or pouring plaster rock molds and mixing up 5 different batches of washes, carefully staining, waiting to dry, wash some more, wait, wash, etc. They look good, but weigh a ton, and were so much work I quit making them. Thanks for your spin on these! Can't wait to give it a shot. (and this one shoulda won the poll anyway, just sayin) 👍🏼
Yea I try to have highly stylized stuff rather than super realistic.....step above looking like it was made by a kid, but not wasting time one model railroad level stuff.
You could always just buy some pearl powders through the amazon affiliate link and add them to your wash....just sayin' I've even gotten pearl powder in glow in the dark, as well as blues, greens, pinks....if you really want to develop the fantasy in your landscape!
Could you use the same caulk on these that you used for the cave entrances? And substitute it instead of the drywall filler. Thanks for the video. I'm looking forward to making these for my campaign. I've already found so many uses for the set of modular cave tiles from your first video. These will add awesome depth to the game board
Nice job!! With some different steps, same effort you can make dis much more realistic. It starts with your fingers, don't use them, use iron stomp objects. Don't use ready filler use the powder. First bring on a thin layer of mixt pva/water. Sprankel over the filler powder, tap of the exes stuff. you have to experiment with dis technique. You keep more dept and a more rocky texture will appear. If you do it well!!option 2 don't use any filler at Alleiii. just put some more effort in the first step and seal it with some extra coat of varnish. The hole painting process is another story to. use more different colors in the stippling technique process. Spent more time on this part. Gray rock have blau tints in it ;) Next level outcome. some steps to think a bout
Great Video as always Jeremy! Definitely going to be making a dozen or two of these rocks for my game board. Quick opinion of yours if I may; How would you imagine making a grid "plains" board? I have a 23x23 grid drawn out on a piece of xps. Should I cut the grid a bit into the material, base in black, coat in green, then blotches in dark/"real" green?
Personally I don't use a grid for outdoor terrain. But yea the method you are thinking of would work, you could also say paint dark green then make a grid out of very thin masking tape and do all your lighter painting, then remove the tape.
Fantastic! Question about the washes: I find that when I apply the wash it seems to be removing some of the paint layers beneath. How do you keep the acrylic paints beneath from getting diluted applying the wash? Thanks!
also try to avoid using a brush or anything to move the wash around too much as it can smear rehydrated paint. Use the dip method, spray bottle, or if using a brush use more of a dabbing technique.
Is it important to use a layer of glue between foam layers instead of dots or lines of glue? PVA dries in air, so dots or lines would dry quickly whereas a layer might never completely dry until it's cut.
Hey, do you or have you used hard press board to base your rock formations. Especially, spires that need a base to be stable on the table. Do you have any advice on using hard press board like 1/8" or 1/4"? Great videos! I really appreciate the time you are putting into the quality of these videos and taking time to do a step-by-step instruction. How about advice on making a full themed table and storage? Thx!!
I don't bother with basing my stuff on hardboard or plywood. If I was doing a lot of wargamming or public gaming I would, but for home table use it's overkill and I prefer the look without a base. For stuff like spires I embed washers at the bottom for weight and they never ever fall over even if bumped.
Hi! Same here with washers! Inspired by this video I started out a cave wall/rock walls/ rocks over lava set and came to a problem that the pieces were too light, so I went on and glued some steel washers and they worked like a charm. pp.userapi.com/c638117/v638117638/55f78/Khs5k1Hjfo4.jpg
Hey is there an alternative to mod podge as a base coat or primer for xps foam? I find paint doesnt stick well to the slick side...do I need to sand it?
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial No, it's paperish but it doesn't peel off. I can see it on your foam in the videos. On the parts i carve, the texture is rougher, so the paint sticks better but on the slick parts the black dries with gaps.
Hey, can I use some voice clips from this with credit for a track of mine? That bit about texture would _really_ fit in one of my songs. I bet I could cut more voice clips from other episodes too, but y'know? I wanna ask first, 'cause it's polite. Again, big fan of the show and apologies for that one dumb shirt question a while ago.
I would like to thank you for being the only youtuber I've watched so far that says "Mod Podge" instead of "modge podge." Your content is pretty great, and proper diction has sealed the subscription (with bell ring). Keep up the good work!
Keep a look out for Luke Towan, he has some great content too and speaks very clearly. He even says “mod podge” correctly
In one of Jeremy’s first vids he actually says “modge podge.”
My mom says “modge podge” and I never have the heart to say: “READ THAT FIRST PART CAREFULLY AND SPELL IT OUT LOUD!”
Maybe, some day...
@@bradster1708 he also, to this day, calls his sealant “mini-wax”😏
I think you should pull a Bob Ross on the intros of your videos and just show everything you will need at the beginning of your builds. These look really well made!
I’ve never seen the addition of metallics with rocks, but it makes a lot of sense and is pretty smart.
23:52 I was following along, and my rock was coming along great! Then he says, "Now the fun part... black wash." So, I grabbed the black wash I made up watching his other video, dipped my brush in, and started applying. SHOOT! Didn't let it dry, so the wet wash mixed black in with all the dry brushing creating a drab gray everywhere, ruining all the beautiful layers of dry brushing. Shucks.
Really realized my mistake while watching Overgrown Ruins episode 035, where he explicitly calls out ensuring it dries, and to use a hair dryer if impatient. I'm excited though, was able to prove to myself that I can dry brush, and these rocks are going to look great!
I have been doing terrain for years. But i love that guys like you and others have still got stuff to teach me.
13:16 is Punakaiki, Pancake Rocks on the West Coast of the South Island of NZ. Been there several times in my life.
Thanks BMC for another awesome video for us crafters.
I consider myself fairly experienced in the hobby, but I learn something new with each of your videos I watch. Even something as basic as making rocks. Thanks a ton!
Of all the modelmaking videos I've seen for wargaming, yours are truly cutting edge
Thanks, I try to not recycle too much that's already been done
Black Magic Craft what power setting do you use for cutting such huge blocks of foam? I have the thermocutter from proxxon myself, but my experience with the power settings are limited.
On something that thick it's up pretty much all the way, like one below max
Cutting Edge....I see what you did there.
Kuda's Korner I missed it lol
5:49 "Now the really satisfying part..." DON'T STOP I'M SO CLOSE
The glitter in granite comes from quartz, feldspar, and in some cases mica.
so the reflective bits on granite are mica. turns out the reflective bits in your metallic paint? likely also actually mica
That's really cool. Meta! Thanks for the info
Mica is used in a lot of things for that effect
Making fake stones, while using Stone bits 😂
That’s cool that we are making rocks for wargaming with actual rock particles
Hey! I made a rock! My first ever experiment with XPS, hot wire, or just making terrain in general. I'm actually really happy ans surprised with how well it turned out. I'm just sticking some flock etc on it. Thanks for all the inspirational videos.
I really enjoy catching your videos. I am only maybe a week into my first attempts at terrain design. Ironically I am not at all cut out for D&D DM'ing. I could spend hours a day perfecting a miniature or creating these miniature terrains like this, but all the time I spend doing that I have 0 free time left to actually play. I have gotten my base of understanding from your videos. I must have watched a couple of them over a dozen times now to refresh my mind on the entire subject. The whole process has expanded my imagination of everyday objects to see them as more than just a simple object, but rather what they could potentially be if manipulated in just the right way for terrain building. I used to put a lot of time into creating youtube videos (lets plays primarily) and I understand how much time they take to create. Editing, tweaking sound, creating thumbnails, adding tags and such. Its a lot harder than people give credit, just like the process of creating any other form of art. I am somewhat embarrassed to say that I am watching your video at work right now and I can't go to the patreon site on my work network, however when I get home I intend to show the love for all the hard work you are putting forth for the sake of the folks who watch your channel. Thanks again!
Hey, thanks, it's actually really nice to hear when someone realizes the incredible amount of work and effort it takes to actually run a channel like this. Crafting is one thing, but doing these vids is essentially a part time job for me now, no free time left at all. Maybe one day with enough support I can make it a full time job and really give you guys a lot more.
And yea, I myself struggle to actually find time to prep for my own actual games, it's really tough with the channel, career, and family...sometimes to much, but I owe it to my players not to let the fundamental part of this hobby slip. As for you, if you dont have time or interest in DMing, making this stuff even without a game can be really rewarding. If I didn't play I would totally just build dioramas for the joy of doing it and to display. Cheers
Can I just add that the production value of your videos is top notch? You are engaging to listen to, you cut to the chase without rambling too much, you DON'T cut out the bits we actually need to see, and yet you keep it snappy without dead air or off topic nonsense. You've got good editing skills, but I bet a lot of this is just your personality shining through, which suggests to me that you are likely an awesome DM too. The same sorts of skills transfer over-- keeping it brief but not too brief and whatnot.
I agree the video quality is amazing. The tutorials are easy to follow, and everything I craft using these techniques comes out great. But also as a husband, a father, and a professional, I struggle with time to craft and time to run my game. I have to make sure to try to get my crafting in when everyone is asleep....put the kids to bed, spend some quality time with the Mrs and then I dive into my crafts. Sure I wake up tired, but come game night it's all worth it. Once you've crafted a good amount of terrain, the crafting projects get smaller. That is until you take your campaign to a different setting. I recently put off my campaign for a week just to get some crafting done for a special encounter. I'd suggest to make a set of dungeon tiles, a set of modular cave tiles, some doors, and a game board or two (forest/under, forest/ice, or any different combo) depending on setting of your campaign. You should be a lot of game play with those.
The new moustache adds pure value to those videos (y)
I think so
The extra peices would also make great rock debris too.
I love your color choices. I had never thought of mixing in some metallic paints into the final wash like that, but that's a nice detail I'm definitely going to try on my next rock project.
You do great work. Between Black Magic Craft, Runehammer and Dungeon Craft I have found what I had no idea my game was missing and a true love of a hobby I’ve been at for over 30 years. Thank you
This is really inspirational for my small project! I'm new to this miniature painting field and you sir made a great tutorial for this noob. I really appreciate it!
"I don't know what there are, however i know that they are there" Words of wisdom right here! :D
Holy dear gawd I am so glad I found your channel...
I think adding a little glue once the paint job is done and then flocking in some gold and maybe silver to create seams of precious metals would be a really nice touch if you were creating a treasure room in a "Under Dark" scene, Or a "Mine" shaft. Your tips are amazing and push this craft to a new level for the community. I wish your work was shown off on Critical Role. Their model maker is good. But I think your work is a bit better and fits their campaign better as well. Well done sir and I wish you much success in the future.
Your stuff is amazing. I’m currently doing 1/32 slot car track and love your work, learning a lot, wanting to do a bridge for my track and other stuff.
im getting that patreon thing today and you are the first im going to follow, love your videos, always easy to follow and love that you put the links to buy the stuff also!
I'm in love with the rocks I just made. Thank you sooooo much for the wonderful tutorials. Had to watch the video half a dozen times to make sure I didn't skip a step... But, hey more views 😉 watched a bunch of your other videos while I worked... Probably gonna hear you voice in my dreams tonight.
I love it, here is the one more step, just start breaking it. I am sure everyone was expecting something more.
I've been following you for a couple months, and I'm about to start trying to make my own terrain. Thanks a lot for the tutorials, definitely staying subscribed.
Thanks for this video. I've been able to create some simple yet attractive pieces for my friends to enjoy.
Fantastic channel - I could watch it all day! Thank you for your generosity in sharing your knowledge!
Bookmarks for me
2:52. Styrofoam
3:25 use off cuts just make it thick use pva to glue to stick together ... leave for 48 hrs +
5:00 carve basic shape
6:15 leave top flat ( rule of cool)
6:45 start cutting different angles
7:50 Extra step use finger and get angry
10:40 Drywall joint compound protective coat.
11:45. Big Brush + Water slather on
12:55 finish with streaks to make texture.
14:00 Classic BMC mod podge coat.
15:40 Dark grey
16:38 grey/tan/ dash of yellow Heavy dry brush.
18:25 Burnt Siena dry stipple
19:35 dry brush TAN
21:05 lgt dry brush SWADE
22:40 vinilla /off white dry brush
LET IT FULLY DRY !!!!!
23:55 Black wash
24:55 blk wash add silver +copper paint. Make stone shiny.
26:41. Seal with that stuff
Lol after all that Im gonna 3d print the rocks and use the paint tutorial.
Really liked this piece but wish you would have showed more of the final dry piece. Great vid.
Thank you so much for that Tutorial. I have been struggling to find a good Method by which I could bring a little bit more realism to my terrain. I know that my players will enjoy and appreciate the techniques you have taught me thank you so very much
Good project. Rocks and old wood are the only things I have found you can paint light to dark or dark to light
An idea might be to show that...or you might have it and I have not seen it in your back video lol
i don't play dnd/any type of rpg game or make terrains but i still love watching your videos. what has been your most complicated/time consuming piece?
It is interesting that Devon pointed out that Mica is the glittery stuff in the paint. I live in Arizona and have access to tons, literally, tons of mica. Sand grain size up to 6 to 8 inches in diameter and still almost paper thin. It can be used directly on rocks and mountains directly.
I am clicking thumbs up just for that intro. 😜👍😝.
i think a few vegitated cracks and some water puddle effects could look awesome on the plateau. nice easy project regardless, really digging the concave+dry-brush look. top job as always!
Just throwing this out there; green scrubby pads add nice fine texture to that type of foam as well. You can also twist back and forth to "carve" shallow holes with it, divots more accurately (in terms of form, at least). When basing it, you need to come at it from more angles, don't get me wrong (it's very rough and porous because the scrubby pad leaves it fairly jagged), but it's very appropriate for igneous (volcanic) rocks (the non-glassy ones, porous igneous like scoria) and corals (like astreopora and pectiniidae), if you'd have use for such a thing (*cough*sahuagin temple*cough*). You can also use the pad to "carve" a little hole, use blue/green wash on hot glue strips running down the side, to make like little waterfalls to feed pools.
I'm always looking for new ways to work with foam so I'll try the scrubber pads out.
I only use the mod podge for coating foam before paint so it last a really long time. One small container lasts me several months.
I just today picked up the same size jar BMC uses at Walmart for under $5.
Thanks man! You took the mystery right out of that project.
:D
A trick another channel sujested for glueing, was to only use small small drops of glue across the surface to glue the foam instead of a soild layer. that way air can circulate into it better.
We are canadian... hello from Montreal Canada
Another simple but awesome technique to add a lot of dimension to the table. Thank you for another great tutorial video. Looking forward to trying this soon. I like those trees in the background of your intro too. Maybe a tutorial on those sometime soon?
I just buy woodland scenics trees
you ever make them with like a gold vein or silver running down them? could probably use glitter to add to some of those rocks
Shoutout to the Mage Knight Demons in the left corner! I am going to be doing a video on Mage Knight stuff soon.
Yea quick rebase and paint and they look sweet
Great weird flesh tone on those.
Im really happy with the paint i did on them....I'm planning a vid showcasing all the minis I've painted lately, and what I've learned. Took a peek at your channel, looking forward to watching some of the vids when I get a chance.
Thanks! Your perspective on minis will be really interesting and I eagerly await that video.
Great stuff. I like how you can vary the details to cater to the crafter's taste for tabletop gaming.
Hey Kev, where ya been? Haven’t seen ya around in a while.
Black Magic Craft Hey, after my laptop was broke, I took some time off. Family life is crazy with baby number 2 due this month. I have been trying different things. I hope to be doing videos again after the holidays.
you are so helpful thanks so much I'm DM ing for a group of friends and this will really impress them
new to the hobby to bring kids and grandkids together, thanks for the tips. Nat 20's 2 ya
Excellent video! I was carving some rock pillars today and got hit by surprise with this. Great! =)
Nice
Nice tip. I have never seen the metallic paint added to the wash.
Thanks, I think it's a nice touch.
I think a few too many dry brush coats buy each person it different. Love your videos. They have changed my gaming table.
Great video, it is awesome to see how you could put something together so intricate with only simple materials. Keep it up!
Also. It can be mica especially in a metamorphic or igneous rock such as granite, which is mostly quarts and feldspar with mixed in mica, but more commonly seen is just quartz overgrowth cement that has filled in crack and weathered areas that causes that sparkling look to most sedimentary rocks.
Sweet video! I have been using thrift store finds for terrain lately.
Just awesome you do a wonderful job teaching,thank you.
Awesome tutorial! I may be getting ahead of myself, but do you have tips for creating igneous rocks vs. sedimentary rocks? To my eye they are VERY different looking - think North Shore of Lake Superior vs. the Grand Canyon. And so being able to clearly differentiate between the two in my creations would be awesome. I'm sure with enough trial and error I could figure it out but I'd appreciate your expert insight.
This may be a bit late, but as a geology nerd, I have some ideas.
A few different sedimentary rocks ideas:
FOR SHALE: cut a bunch of thin-ish layers of foam and rough them up individually before gluing them together. Break them up a little bit further once they're together, but you want lots of craggy ledges. Take it easy on the striation, but keep it in there. Paint it a nice dark grey.
FOR SANDSTONE: One big block like shown in the video, but don't break it apart as much with your thumb--maybe even do the secondary breaking with a knife. I haven't worked with XPS much so I don't know how it would take sanding, but if possible, sand a few areas down to show where the wind has smoothed it. Really play up the striations, and paint a nice yellowy tan.
FOR MUDSTONE: Keep the approach similar to sandstone, but don't add any striations. When painting, add lots of darker stippling, and try painting in a few similarly colored striations by hand.
Igneous ideas:
FOR BASALT: (Basalt comes in a lot of textures, but I think this would be the easiest to pull off and make convincing.) Do what he did here, except do all the secondary breaking with a knife, so you get smoother, flatter angles. Don't add any striations--try and keep the joint compound as smooth as possible. Paint it a dark, blu-ish black and highlight with dark greys.
FOR GRANITE: Do almost exactly what he did here, but skip the striations (though a rough, stippled texture could look good) and stipple with black and some very washed out tan-ish pink. Maybe try applying with a sponge. Definitely don't skip the metallic wash. Tweak the colors a bit and you've got basically any phaneritic or porphyritic igneous rock (meaning igneous rocks with visible crystals).
@@n.m.dimmick194 to piggyback off of the shale ideas, I have created convincing "mountainous terrain" close to simulating the mountains of shale seen in the various cuts along the PA turnpike by slicing into the foam with a 'not so sharp' xacto knife following a diagonal to replicate how the hills were pushed up creating the mountains.....
Great content and good video editing!
I don't have drywall fillers, but maybe this "Titebond III" might work? Maybe it won't get that same texture with it... we'll see.
As a bit of advice. The best glue for foam is a marine contact adhesive.
Any water based glue takes ages to cure. I've seen pieces come apart after months.
I started sculpting a chunk of XPS foam to make a rocky ledge for my first diorama - and it was looking like butt. Immediately hopped on to get a refresher from the Black Magician himself. :)
lol, I said it out loud "striations", then you said said it too! I'm here to stay!
always interested on playing D&D but for now I want to apply some of your techniques on figure dioramas. Great vid btw.
Thank You! Any chance you could Do some some Sci-if, 40k Tyranids inspired terrain?
The problem with PVA curing is, much like you said except it's exposure to the air. You would think smooth consistent coverage of glue is best, but we are all wrong. When working with PVA, it's best to lay it out in a small bead in a wavie line going from edge to edge without crossing over itself. That way the entirety of the glue is exposed to air and will set in a few hours. The best is polyurethane glues (Gorilla glue) either foaming or non-foaming. Those rely on a chemical reaction with H2O, which is why it directs you to lightly dampen at least one surface.
I have tried the regular Gorilla glue and the down side is that it doesn't work so well with a hot wire cutter. I haven't tried the non-foaming type, but the Gorilla wood glue works exactly like regular PVA except it is a bit stronger and a bit stinky.
ua-cam.com/video/YCIYMVOMBso/v-deo.html
My dads a carpentor... UNLIMITED FOAM
is it possible to learn this power?
@@ethancollins0309 not from those who buy their terrain
hamano taiki 😂😂😂😂
Unlimited foam equals unlimited power
Thanks Dad.
Have you ever merged your want to "make modular tunnels/caves" with your rock formations and a "Mat" ? Like use these rocks as walls and use a grid mat as the floor? Would that be harder to do in your opinion? I would make them like half the height in order to move minis around easier but otherwise I think it would work well.
I just subscribed to your channel and I love it. I think I've been watching for about 2 hrs now. Can you tell me what the purpose of the dish soap in the wash is for?
To act as a flow aid and break surface tension. You want it settling in low spots not flat areas.
Hey man, been loving your videos! was following Scotty for a lot of ideas but after seeing your tiles I love yours a lot more haha but how thick do you make your floor tiles?
thanks.....as I state, over and over in my vids :P, my tiles are made from 1/2" XPS. Welcome to the next level
Black Magic Craft damn it haha I had that in my head but I couldn't remember for sure =p im in the UK myself and finding anything under the name xps foam thats thicker than 5mm is very hard. Here they call it "Extruded Styrofoam"
extruded styrofoam should be the same thing, xps just stands for extruded polystyrene
Black Magic Craft ah okay that makes sense then =p now in struggling to find anything under 25mm. the only stuff I found was £70 O.o I'll have to go thicker and cut it down with an extending knife
on the plus side, I can get 20cm thick foam for rocks =p
Damn dude thats clever about the metalics!
A suggestion for layering your foam in regards to how porous and absorptive the foam is. What if you were to put a light layer of Mod Podge in between the two layers to "seal" the surfaces, then PVA glue them together? Or do you think that would be more effort than just dealing with some wet glue in the middle?
The foam isn't pourus, its water tight. This is why the glue takes so long to dry, it has nowhere to absorb and gets no air. Sealing the foam ahead of time if the foam was porous would actually make it worse, but since it's already air and water tight it wouldn't do anything.
Great video! I've already started using your videos as a basis for my terrain crafting. One thing though. I was itching to see the piece closer up as a finished product. Unfortunately all I could see was the wet wash :(
Guess you werent watching the video.....close ups before the project started and close ups again after the wash.
literally seconds after the wash there are two still images of completed rocks in game use.
Black Magic Craft I was unsure if that was just a filler during the seal clip or not. I wasn't trying to be rude man, and don't think I warranted any sarcasm from you. But yeah, I guess you're right. Close up, got it thanks.
Sorry....just every single video that has a close up shot of the finished piece someone comments that there were no close up shots of the finished piece. Every time. I put it before the project AND after now, but people still miss it. I don't want to just make 2 minutes of finished piece shots to make sure no one misses them.
That brush technique for making layered sedimentary rock... I've been trying to find a way to do that for the last two years! I fucking loved your bearded face when I saw that! And that metallic wash for adding mica is pure genious.
You should make a video where you present those techniques to the railroad modellers. I'll bet you some of them will be very exited.
It's really hard to come up with original techniques in this well covered hobby, but one in a while I manage to come up with something :)
Where did you get the display shelves behind you at the beginning of your video? Can't find many options that have that many shelves for a decent price.
Great stuff. Was wondering if I could use this technique with expanding spray in foam as well for much larger pieces?
Most spray foam is polystyrene, it's just not high density and extruded into shape. Using the joint compound will help fill in the holes you get as you carve the surface away. This technique is perfect for spray foam.
I've been waiting for this one! I think your rocks look really good... there are a hundred levels from cartoony to the railroad modeler, and yours are a perfect balance of looking great without taking 2 weeks to make. I've struggled with settling for goofy looking foam rocks or pouring plaster rock molds and mixing up 5 different batches of washes, carefully staining, waiting to dry, wash some more, wait, wash, etc. They look good, but weigh a ton, and were so much work I quit making them. Thanks for your spin on these! Can't wait to give it a shot. (and this one shoulda won the poll anyway, just sayin) 👍🏼
Yea I try to have highly stylized stuff rather than super realistic.....step above looking like it was made by a kid, but not wasting time one model railroad level stuff.
Awesome open to the video!
A bit of pearl glaze would make a good addition to that last wash, too...
I keep meaning to buy some pearl glaze to mess with and always forget
You could always just buy some pearl powders through the amazon affiliate link and add them to your wash....just sayin'
I've even gotten pearl powder in glow in the dark, as well as blues, greens, pinks....if you really want to develop the fantasy in your landscape!
Could you use the same caulk on these that you used for the cave entrances? And substitute it instead of the drywall filler. Thanks for the video. I'm looking forward to making these for my campaign. I've already found so many uses for the set of modular cave tiles from your first video. These will add awesome depth to the game board
You can, but it's much harder to work with, and will look more like mud than rock.
Great work man
WE MAKIN ROCKS!!!!! ❤
Another awesome video.
Question regarding the drywall compound... are they brittle?
Good tutorial , thank you
Amazing! Thank You!
I know I'm super late, but I finally got around to watching, Some of us wargamers like playability over realisim
Nice job!! With some different steps, same effort you can make dis much more realistic. It starts with your fingers, don't use them, use iron stomp objects. Don't use ready filler use the powder. First bring on a thin layer of mixt pva/water. Sprankel over the filler powder, tap of the exes stuff. you have to experiment with dis technique. You keep more dept and a more rocky texture will appear. If you do it well!!option 2 don't use any filler at Alleiii. just put some more effort in the first step and seal it with some extra coat of varnish.
The hole painting process is another story to. use more different colors in the stippling technique process. Spent more time on this part.
Gray rock have blau tints in it ;)
Next level outcome.
some steps to think a bout
Great Video as always Jeremy! Definitely going to be making a dozen or two of these rocks for my game board.
Quick opinion of yours if I may; How would you imagine making a grid "plains" board?
I have a 23x23 grid drawn out on a piece of xps.
Should I cut the grid a bit into the material, base in black, coat in green, then blotches in dark/"real" green?
Personally I don't use a grid for outdoor terrain. But yea the method you are thinking of would work, you could also say paint dark green then make a grid out of very thin masking tape and do all your lighter painting, then remove the tape.
Love it! As usual! :) Great video.
Super useful, thank you.
Can i use acrylic modeling paste instead of the wall compound and the podge?
Fantastic! Question about the washes: I find that when I apply the wash it seems to be removing some of the paint layers beneath. How do you keep the acrylic paints beneath from getting diluted applying the wash? Thanks!
It should not remove paint. That means the paint below isn't dry enough yet for a wash, or you have a bonding failure.
Probably the former issue. Thanks.
also try to avoid using a brush or anything to move the wash around too much as it can smear rehydrated paint. Use the dip method, spray bottle, or if using a brush use more of a dabbing technique.
Awesome advise. Yeah, I was definitely brushing it on. I like the spray bottle approach.
get those small little spray bottles at the dollar store, they are perfect
Is it important to use a layer of glue between foam layers instead of dots or lines of glue? PVA dries in air, so dots or lines would dry quickly whereas a layer might never completely dry until it's cut.
Great tuto. Thanks
Another home run, dude. Keep it up and I'll have no choice but to give you money! :P
that's the idea
Well... joke's on you, Jeremy, because I just became a $5/mo. patron on your Patreon. Ha! I win! Wait....
Awesome, thank you! I think....or at least hope, that you will find it totally worth it. This is just the beginning of BMC!
Rt on!!! Loved it!!
Hey, do you or have you used hard press board to base your rock formations. Especially, spires that need a base to be stable on the table. Do you have any advice on using hard press board like 1/8" or 1/4"? Great videos! I really appreciate the time you are putting into the quality of these videos and taking time to do a step-by-step instruction. How about advice on making a full themed table and storage? Thx!!
I don't bother with basing my stuff on hardboard or plywood. If I was doing a lot of wargamming or public gaming I would, but for home table use it's overkill and I prefer the look without a base. For stuff like spires I embed washers at the bottom for weight and they never ever fall over even if bumped.
Thx! I like the simple approach of weighting the spires.
Hi!
Same here with washers!
Inspired by this video I started out a cave wall/rock walls/ rocks over lava set and came to a problem that the pieces were too light, so I went on and glued some steel washers and they worked like a charm.
pp.userapi.com/c638117/v638117638/55f78/Khs5k1Hjfo4.jpg
This video, rocks!
Can i use this drywall compound on regular tiles? To make them harder?
Next project mountain with trees more plateaus for minis 😱
Where do you buy your lanterns for your dios?
Hey is there an alternative to mod podge as a base coat or primer for xps foam? I find paint doesnt stick well to the slick side...do I need to sand it?
Did your foam have a plastic film on it?
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial No, it's paperish but it doesn't peel off. I can see it on your foam in the videos. On the parts i carve, the texture is rougher, so the paint sticks better but on the slick parts the black dries with gaps.
Felspar - the glinting speckles in granite. Edit : Make that "mica"
Hey, can I use some voice clips from this with credit for a track of mine? That bit about texture would _really_ fit in one of my songs. I bet I could cut more voice clips from other episodes too, but y'know? I wanna ask first, 'cause it's polite. Again, big fan of the show and apologies for that one dumb shirt question a while ago.