Creating an island coastline for WoW and SoG

[ArkansasChuck]

Greetings friends!


With a huge thanks to others who have done this before (Thank you Ron/Bligh at SailsofGlory.org), I’ve started creating my own Island coastline for Sails of Glory which I can also use for my Ocean battles in Wings of Glory!. It’s very exciting. My kids are impressed already!


I purchased the foam board this morning at Home Depot:




My first task was to outline the Island Coast. Just drew the coast with a Sharpie marker on the foam board, no sweat. Then I used a box cutter to gently and CAREFULLY cut through the foam board, one small cut at a time. It was actually a more difficult and time consuming task than I expected.





This was right before I broke the Island pieces from the rest of the board. It is cut in this photo, but still needs to be carefully cracked off the rest.....



Annnnnnd where I’m at as of this post! Ready to start sanding and sculpting for the coast to appear more “natural.”



You can see the size of the Island Coast compared to the Wings of Glory Allied planes. FUN TIMES ARE COMING!


More photos to come as I add grass and paint and beach next!!!!


~Chuck

[BwanaJoe]

Great start, looking forward to seeing the progress. You could turn into a “how-to” article.

[BobP]

I did not know that Hobby Lobby sold that. I have to look for it as there are other things you can use it for. Keep us updated on this project.

[ArkansasChuck]

Bob, my mistake! It’s Home Depot, not Hobby Lobby! Apologies. I went to 4 stores this morning for this project and Hobby Lobby was last on the list and on my mind. That’s the ISBN number of the foam board at Home Depot.

[BobP]

Thanks Chuck. I thought maybe I was losing it. And with that I didn't know they came in small sheets so thanks for that. Have to check that out.
Just checked their site and see that they have a 2X2 which is much better then having to buy those bigger pieces. Thanks for the info.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Very creative Chuck, I look forward to seeing the end result

[clipper1801]

The elves tell me a bit of fun can be had with a well ventilated area and a bit of acetone or fingernail polish remover, seems to have a dissolving effect on this kind of foam, a swipe with a acetone on a rag or a brush with it on it will make for some nice effects, just stay away from the vapor . . . and any flames of course!

[flash]

Nice one Chuck - That's a nice rugged bay you've created, if you take your off cut and join it to what you have done you'll have a nice headland on the other side to go with it..

[tikkifriend]

A very cheap and tidy way to make a coastal scenery piece. Look forward to seeing the end result Chuck.

[matt56]

You might look at Michael's or Hobby Lobby for a 'foam cutter', Chuck. I bought this one years ago (15, maybe?), and it does a lovely job. Two D-cell batteries in the handle power it, and they provide 'heat' to the wire stretched between the tube and the curved wire holder at the top. Once the wire is warm, you just gently 'carve' into the foam. You can angle or go straight, which allows you to easily 'slope' your coastline if you want. The heated aspect of the wire also smoothes the surface of the foam - a hobby knife can leave a rough surface (although depending on the effect you're going for, rough can be nice, too).



The only real down side is the size of the pieces you can cut - you're limited by the u-shaped holder to that depth of a piece. So looking at your original square of foam, you might not have been able to get all of it cut with the Wonder Cutter...but it would be a great finishing tool, depending on what you are looking for as a final product.

Keep up the great work - I am looking forward to seeing the final product!

All the best,
Matt

[BwanaJoe]

Thanks Matt. I was looking at this for building a coastline for Blood and Plunder. The wire cutter idea will make a nice beach slope.

[Nightbomber]

Yes, styroform or styrodur is a great stuff for making coatline elements. I used it to make some SoG islands and coasts. Chopped it with some angle, painted and decorated with little stones.

[zenlizard]

Nice start; like others have said, easily convertible to a "how-to" project.

There's something vaguely familiar about this coastal outline, though:

Hm, let me think.



Hm, maybe that's it.

[BobP]

https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscen...ST1439_c_1.jpg

OK here is an expensive ($80.00) foam cutter by Woodland scenic. They have 1 other that are like what Matt showed and a bit cheaper. Sorry it didn't come out bigger but you can go to the Woodland scenic site to get a better view.

[BobP]

I also checked MICROMARK and they have a couple of foam cutters that may be good for you.

[BobP]

I was in the PX today and they have a pack of CROK BOARD that might be something you could also add for your coastline.