Thursday 14 January 2021

SciFi terrain mat made from curtain material

Last weekend was a nice sunny day so I took the I took the opportunity to make a new sci-fi tabletop mat. The material used is curtain material, it is a heavy material with a backing so sits well when laid over hill features and does not move around when playing a game. 

The base colour began as a light green. My intention was to overlay this with mid-green, brown and grey colours so it would fit in with my existing terrain. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the process to make it, but here are the step I took in creating the mat:

  1. Sponged on a watered down green paint (a sample pot from the hardware store).
  2. A second sponging of the watered down green was applied to get different depths of green.
  3. Sponged on a watered down brown (a tube of kids acrylic paint from the Art store)
  4. Carefully sponged on a mid-grey (which was not watered down) over areas of brown. This had to be carefully done so it did not look splotchy and in many cases I had to return a second time to build up the grey.
  5. Lightly sponged on a sand/cream colour on parts of the grey (a sample pot from the hardware store)

The finished mat on the tabletop.

A close up of the sponging effect.

An overhead photo of the mat.


Terrain and models added


20 comments:

  1. Very effective and sponging seems a gentler and material friendly way to go than rattle can spray paints.

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    1. I suspect sponging as a method is easier to control as you build up the layers of colour. With a dash of patience thrown in.

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  2. That is very effective Peter and love the look you have achieved:).

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    1. Thanks. The effect is built up with the layers of sponging. At the beginning it does not look that way and I always think this is not going to work.

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  3. Very effective. It'll work well for any historical game set in Europe or North America too.

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    1. True, there is some flexibility in its use.

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  4. Really nice look, valid for this planet as well as others.

    Not sure where to get patience around here though....

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    1. Thank you. I thought you would have an abundance of patience with all the casting of model soldiers you do.

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  5. Very nice. And I agree with A. J., it could serve on earth as well.

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    1. Yes, I agree and always good to get reuse. The most likely earth period would be as highland terrain with my Jacobite Rebellion paper armies. Thanks.

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  6. looks great! I have some terrain cloths in my to do queue and I never considered sponging paint on. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I always make sure the colour being sponged is heavily watered down.

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  7. Where did you get the curtain material? (I trust the lady of the house is not screaming "What the f**k happened in here? Who stole my drapes? Oh, Peeeteeer...!)

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    1. All purchased at a fabric/craft shop. My wife is a quilter so I get to see a lot of material. No disappearing drapes reported here.

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  8. Replies
    1. Thanks, I was able to get the look I wanted.

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