Geode Base

[Thrym]

New base WIP.

 

I started in on a cork round 4 inches in diameter. 

 

 

I removed the cork to reveal two levels.

 

 

Then started painting the surfaces.  The upper levels got a basecoat of Reaper Midnight Blue.  The lower level got Walnut Brown.

 

Then I used an orange, Vallejo Amarantha Red around the edges of the raised surface.

 

Then started painting "rings" on the raised surfaces.  I used Witchcraft Purple (inner most ring), Vallejo Panzer Aces Stencil (offwhite ring), and Vallejo Blue Violet (other purple ring).

 

I painted Reaper Auburn Shadow out from the bright orange edging and then Reaper Spattered Gore.  The middle of the lower level received a wash of Reaper Black Ink to help blend in the heat glow.

 

The Black Ink wash is still wet in the following pic.

 

 

Then some finishing details were added and the rings and heat glow given some contrast.

 

 

I'll be adding some gloss varnish to the geode surfaces and finishing it up shortly.  Look for this in Show Off.

[Chris Palmer]

Wow! That's beautiful!

What's going on it?

[Erifnogard]

Very innovative, well done!

[Evilhalfling]

looks great, I to want to know, whats next? 

[Sanael]

Really nice.

 

Your cork looks like a Trivet of some kind...I have a few, apx. 12mm thick, maybe 18cm diameter; is this something similar?

 

What did you use to pull that volume of cork off the top layer? My usual flat-nose plier method seems like it would be tedious for the purpose.

 

I'm loving the multiple-level, multiple-texture effect on this.

[Thrym]

Wow! That's beautiful!

What's going on it?

 

I was considering this...

 

 

Really nice.

 

Your cork looks like a Trivet of some kind...I have a few, apx. 12mm thick, maybe 18cm diameter; is this something similar?

 

What did you use to pull that volume of cork off the top layer? My usual flat-nose plier method seems like it would be tedious for the purpose.

 

I'm loving the multiple-level, multiple-texture effect on this.

 

It's a "cork mat" ... a coaster, a plant mat, trivet, and I imagine a hundred other uses.

 

It's 4 inches around and 1/4 inch thick.

 

I used a drill bit in my pin vise and dug it through the cork defining the area I wanted gone.  The remainder came out quite easily.  I scored the space with a hobby knife and then dragged the cork off with a sculpting tool.

 

 

 

Thanks for the comments.  I have several of these cork pieces and will be trying out other ideas.  Feel free to throw some at me.

[K2h2m3]

That base is awesome!

[ub3r_n3rd]

Looks fantastic, Thom!!

[Melkavar]

Awesome!

[Thrym]

So, I want to get the polished, cut stone, finish on the geodes.

 

Any thoughts on achieving this through "finishing" the pieces.  I added a gloss coat since the last photo.

 

 

 

 

Also, I started on a larger, 6 inch version ...

 

Edited September 23, 2015 by Thrym

[K2h2m3]

 Vallejo makes a product called Still Water for modeling ponds, puddles etc. Perhaps a thin coat of this might do the trick?

[Arydis]

you might also be able to apply a thin layer of sculpey to the upper layers, smooth it out, and bake it.  I assume the cork would hold up through baking, but someone here can tell you that for sure.

 

Look at MissMelon's discussion post "All about that Base" in the conversion, display, sculpting part of the forum for the type of effect I think you are looking for.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Arydis

[Thrym]

 Vallejo makes a product called Still Water for modeling ponds, puddles etc. Perhaps a thin coat of this might do the trick?

 

 

I've used Realistic Water before on bases:

• The Dragon Eye

 

Does Vallejo's Still Water dry rock solid?  Some of those always have a slightly pliable surface and collect dust like Swiffer pads.

 

you might also be able to apply a thin layer of sculpey to the upper layers, smooth it out, and bake it.  I assume the cork would hold up through baking, but someone here can tell you that for sure.

 

Look at MissMelon's discussion post "All about that Base" in the conversion, display, sculpting part of the forum for the type of effect I think you are looking for.

 

Well, I want to take the existing piece and get a finish on it that looks more like stone and less like a gloss layer.

 

Thank you for the link though.  I use Sculpey for bases a lot.

[K2h2m3]

Honestly I only played around with it to see what it was like. I let it set for about twelve hours and iirc it was slightly pliable still. I then checked to see if I could remove it so I have no idea if it sets harder. When I say pliable I mean if I pressed hard on it I could leave a mark.

[Glitterwolf]

Awesome!