However, inspired by Peter at Grid-Based Wargaming, I got hold of some cheap oil pastels and had a go at tarting it up a bit. I reasoned that if I cocked it up, the cloth was easily replaced at little real cost.
This was the result. Three different blues and some white for the wave crests. Took about an hour to do the whole 3' x 3' area.
I was impressed with how it turned out. Visually, anyway. It was only after I did it that I realised that oil pastels never dry. If I touched the cloth (stop laughing at the back there) then the colour came off on my hands. Not ideal at all.
Fortunately a good spray with sealant seems to have fixed that issue. But it needed a good spray.
Anyway, I haven't played a game with the new look cloth, but I have taken a picture.
Obviously I need to do something about the bases of the ships now.
Looks great Kaptain!
ReplyDeleteI've read about artists blending oil pastel paintings using isopropyl alcohol. I wonder what effects spraying alcohol on the cloth would have. It'd probably only make the colors run together but probably not dry the oil.
This has a wonderful impressionistic look about it, which both acts as art and conveys "waves" nicely.
ReplyDeleteIt has worked out well on a large piece of cloth where maintaining a consistent look to the sea would have been difficult.
ReplyDeleteKK - I worked in an art company that sold less impressive works than that for a considerable sum. Never mind playing games on it - get it framed!
ReplyDeleteIs this the point where I tell you I failed Art O-level :-D
DeleteBack in the dim and distant past, along with doing ink and watercolour paintings, I did dabble with oil pastels. They will dry, eventually, but like all oil based paints, they take a very, very long time.
ReplyDeleteNice basecloth in any case.
Six months on and it still hasn't dried properly ...
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