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Post by jennifer on Jan 6, 2016 16:26:26 GMT
Love those mouselings, I look forward to seeing them painted. I've been thinking of getting them myself to use with Mice & Mistics and maybe later Mouseguard. high time I got my 7 year old daughter into rpg's Awesome! I bet she'd love some mice--they're too cute heh! Btw, I like that they are metal because I can just dunk them in some mineral spirits or whatever and start over Since I'm new, I'll probalby have to do that a few times heh..
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Post by sgtslag on Jan 6, 2016 16:44:08 GMT
Sounds like you have a great plan, looking forward to seeing photo's...
The rubber mats are $10 for 12-square feet, which is going to be more than your canvas as I will need more than 12-square feet... However, the rubber mats are customizable for size, and shape, which will justify the additional costs for my needs. Like I said, though, looking forward to seeing photo's of your set-up. Cheers!
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sotf
Advice Guru
Posts: 1,084
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Post by sotf on Jan 6, 2016 22:56:43 GMT
Also I like the fact that Frostgrave has spells vs. just Transfix in Song of Blades. There are other spells, largely dependent on what caster you use. There are a lot of other spells that show up as well if you have the other books. All of which is supposed to be combined in the new book that was kickstarted for the "advanced" ruleset...
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 0:47:02 GMT
Also I like the fact that Frostgrave has spells vs. just Transfix in Song of Blades. All of which is supposed to be combined in the new book that was kickstarted for the "advanced" ruleset... oh great, i had just bought all the expansions lol.
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 0:48:10 GMT
Sounds like you have a great plan, looking forward to seeing photo's... The rubber mats are $10 for 12-square feet, which is going to be more than your canvas as I will need more than 12-square feet... However, the rubber mats are customizable for size, and shape, which will justify the additional costs for my needs. Like I said, though, looking forward to seeing photo's of your set-up. Cheers! I'd like to see your rubber mat system when you have it done, so I can see what you're talking about.
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sotf
Advice Guru
Posts: 1,084
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Post by sotf on Jan 7, 2016 1:02:15 GMT
All of which is supposed to be combined in the new book that was kickstarted for the "advanced" ruleset... oh great, i had just bought all the expansions lol. There are a few other changes such as having reach weapons as an option. There are also a few things from the side books like Arthur and Merlin planned in it. The kickstarter was a few months back is also when they've started to include a bit of creation for a baseline setting...though largely retaining the freeform aspect to it.
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Post by kgstanley81 on Jan 7, 2016 5:42:55 GMT
He also added in some of the reaction rules from "A Fistfull of Kung-Fu", and gods and mortal game
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 5:53:37 GMT
Bought a couple yards of 60 inch wide heavy canvas today from Hanncock Fabrics for $12 including tax. Enough for 2 game mats to cover the entire dining room table. I am going to paint one for frost/snow environment. I did a practice run on a small piece of heavy canvas (ignore the untrimmed sealed frayed ends.. they can't fray anymore because I painted it). What do you think? Does it look real enough? I painted with a dark brown gray paint then stippled on a midton brownish grey over that. Then I finally stippled on the snow with pure white (after the others fully dried).. stippled with $1 harbor freight 1 inch wide house trim paint brush.
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sotf
Advice Guru
Posts: 1,084
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Post by sotf on Jan 7, 2016 8:16:31 GMT
Bought a couple yards of 60 inch wide heavy canvas today from Hanncock Fabrics for $12 including tax. Enough for 2 game mats to cover the entire dining room table. I am going to paint one for frost/snow environment. I did a practice run on a small piece of heavy canvas (ignore the untrimmed sealed frayed ends.. they can't fray anymore because I painted it). What do you think? Does it look real enough? I painted with a dark brown gray paint then stippled on a midton brownish grey over that. Then I finally stippled on the snow with pure white (after the others fully dried).. stippled with $1 harbor freight 1 inch wide house trim paint brush. It looks good, but painting it doesn't stop fraying. Pretty much what you need to do is fold the end in to the underside twice so that the edge is actually in the second fold, this should take about a half inch of fabric from each edge, and stitch it closed. Paint will slow it down, but in the end once it starts, you end up with something that looks a whole lot worse when it starts because the pattern break as parts of the weave unravels becomes extremely noticeable and hard to conceal
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 8:30:21 GMT
I don't have any problem with fraying painted canvas. After I paint it and trim it, I then seal the very edge with a mini flat brush soaking a bit of paint into the very edge as well. THe paint glues all of it together. If for some reason it starts coming loose I could always add more paint. I've made road sections, lakes, river sections and it looks very solid.. it'll appears it will most definitely never fray. THe reason it is frayed here is because it was fraying before it was painted. i.e. I didn't bother to trim it after I painted it becuase it was just a test. I should of trimmed it I guess before taking the photo. The road section in the photo below is on the same canvas as the photo above. I LOVE canvas because it's heavy, flexible and quickly sits very flat--and this wouldn't be the case if I unnecessarily do what you suggest with respect to folding it under. The following road (and pond) is so glued together along the edges, I don't see how you say painting it won't prevent the fraying. The glue and/or paint goes into the spaces between the woven threads and glues all of the threads together every which way. Also, I've had zero problems with the 3 foot by 3 foot painted heavy canvas mat I've already made (i.e. the grass above in the photo). I just inspected the edges along every side very closely and even tried to pick the threads out/off and couldn't. When I put the base coat of paint on, I put it on thick and made sure it absorbed into the threads well, maybe you didn't do this before and had a bad experience.
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Post by sgtslag on Jan 7, 2016 14:52:00 GMT
jennifer , your Winter ground cloth looks superb! Bravo! I agree, if you glue the edge of the cut fabric, the weave will not fray unless the glue breaks up. I would suggest trying painting some Mod Podge Matte on the edges: it is inexpensive, and it seals quite well, as well as taking acrylic paint quite well, after it dries. Creating a folded hem will also create a noticeable ridge along the edges, which would be a challenge to hide. Just be careful to inspect the edges periodically, after unrolling it 6+ times, as flexing is more likely to break down the glued edge, over time, and with use. Here is an example of my rubber mats, cut with a 1"-square pattern, to allow modular card stock models to be inserted, to create buildings, dungeons, and with full 3-D cavern pieces laying on top, to create modular caverns for mini's gaming [TSR's BattleSystem Skirmish (OOP) rules]: Painted mat, 1"-square cut pattern, with card stock printout's glued to 2mm-thick backboard, inserted into the cut channels. Four mats, interlocked, but not cut yet. These demonstrate how they work together, almost seamlessly. The cut patterns will be aligned, so everything will work well together, without walls mismatching. Here is a BS Skirmish game in progress. We are using my modular, 3-D cavern pieces, on top of the foam mats, to form a cavern system. This will be written up as a project when I finish making the rest of the cavern sections (quite a bit more work to do yet, but I hope to finish it within the next two months). I also plan to use the same types of cavern wall sections, to create glacial walls, for playing out the classic, G2: Against the Frost Giant Jarl module, using BS Skirmish rules (the current work is aimed towards playing the classic, G1: Steading of the Hill Giants module). I am hoping to take these games to some conventions in 2017. Cheers!
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 16:35:17 GMT
sgt, those interlocking mats are actually quite brilliant (did you get the mats from Harbor Freight? I think it's like $8 for a 4 pack or something?) Nice paint job What brush (or sponge?) did you use to stipple with? Love your modular cave walls Regarding the canvas, I cut the frost sample one I did above and painted the edges with acrylic paint. No way in heck it is gonna come loose.. it is totally encased in paint, and acrylic is flexible. I don't ever see the paint breaking down. I might inspect it every other year just to see , but I doubt it will. I should take a macro close up shot of the edge so you can see what I'm talking about. It looks like a vinyl mat from the top and sides and only looking on the bottom do you notice that it is canvas, and you see paint seeped through the canvas as well almost all the way to the bottom, getting inside the weave.
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Post by sgtslag on Jan 7, 2016 16:51:17 GMT
Yep, Harbor Freight, 4-pack for $9.99 without a coupon. They come with edges which make straight, smooth edges, with rounded corners. I have not done anything with those yet, don't know if I will bother. I used DM Scotty's natural sponge painting technique: wet the sponge with water, squeeze out the excess; pat it into a quarter-sized blob of acrylic paint, pat it several times on my ceramic tile palette, to evenly distribute the paint throughout the sponge; tap it onto the mats. randomly, darker paints first, continuing to the lighter paints. I found that I needed to clean the sponge, and the palette, after each mat section was done. I also did one color after another, while all were still wet, which helps tremendously, with blending of the colors together. It is super easy, and actually fun. I am also creating dungeon mats, using shades of gray, brown, and yellow. I found a 2.5-D set of dungeon walls and doorways, which will suit my needs, the same as the wooden palisade/fortress set I will use for the Steading structure (color printout's wrapped, and glued to, 2mm thick backboard, to be inserted into slots cut into the rubber mat sections). Here is a sample. Note that I am taking advantage of the rubber mat's gray color, and all painting is done on the flat, smooth textured, back side only. I have not sealed the paint, either. I don't believe it will be necessary. Cheers!
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 18:13:49 GMT
Great Thinking about doing my kitchen countertops with a technique like that. I could sand the formica, prime it. Paint it and then seal with polyeurethane a few times. I probably could make it look just like granite
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 21:31:45 GMT
Got a set of 5 woodland scenic pine trees (supplied with snow flocking) for $7.50 or so with 40% off coupon. Largest stands 3 1/2 inches tall. I need to get several more trees in the 4-6 inch range I guess. What's the tallest pine tree I should get ? At least I have the little ones taken care of now. That battering ram in the background came with a $9.99 toys-r-us knights bucket. Got my money's worth on that bucket--lots of other things came with it--check it out at toysrus.com: www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=84170566&cp=&parentPage=search ... I actually got the bucket for free because toysrus shipped me the wrong bucket.. I was supposed to get the fantasy mythical one--they are out of stock right now or else I'd have that one. I winterized my wire tree (with rough sawdust & pva glue for the bark). I over-did the white on the trunk.. gonna repaint brown/gray and then re-highlight more gently. Everything is sitting on the blank heavy canvas I still have to paint to make look like the one little square patch of snow sitting on it. I need to winterize the ruins bases as well. And frost up the tops of them.
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Post by kgstanley81 on Jan 7, 2016 22:01:28 GMT
Looking good
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Post by jennifer on Jan 7, 2016 22:52:54 GMT
Had a leftover saran wrap tube .. very strong cylinder -- thick. Couldn't let it go to waste.. was thinking it might make some artistic looking stairs--not necessarily around a tower ruins but it's an idea. I cut the step pillar thingies in 1/2 inch increments. I love my compound miter saw
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Post by bananapanda on Jan 7, 2016 23:49:17 GMT
Nice looking stuff! Can't wait to see your stairs finished.
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Post by SpielMeisterKev! on Jan 8, 2016 2:31:15 GMT
Howdy, The Spielmeister likes this idea. I know you have outlined how you did it above. How about a detailed tutorial? I am going to try it for sure. What is the weight of the canvas? Hopefully, Kev!
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Post by jennifer on Jan 8, 2016 8:41:47 GMT
Howdy, The Spielmeister likes this idea. I know you have outlined how you did it above. How about a detailed tutorial? I am going to try it for sure. What is the weight of the canvas? Hopefully, Kev! Do you have a Hancock Fabrics near where you live? Store locator: hancockfabrics.com/store-locator/store-locator.htmlIt's the beige heavy canvas there for $10.99 a yard (60 inches wide). (I don't know the exact weight but it is the heaviest they have.) The rest of the canvas is much cheaper per yard and lots thinner. Also, Hancock Fabrics always has a 40 to 50% off coupons on their website so make sure to bring that in. In my case I have a 3 x 5 kitchen table, so one yard works out perfect So for only $7 or $8 I have a gaming mat I can paint to my liking, that lays flat (after trimming edges after drying), and will hold up. Also the texture of the canvas is relatively rough so it helps keep terrain from sliding around. Regarding tutorial I guess I could try to take some pictures of the one I"m about to do (the 3 x 5 snow/frost mat). Basically I am going to lay down the 3 x 5 foot of fabric on some kraft paper and do a nice coat of dark grey brown. After that dries I'll stipple on the light to medium grey/brown. After that dries I'll stipple on the pure white snow. After that dries, I'll trim off 1 to 2 inches around the borders so the mat lays very flat. Then I'll use a tiny miniture type brush to get the very edges/sides of the canvas to help ensure it has a good paint seal, and prevent any fraying (not that it can fray much as is because the top coat of paint really locks it in).
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