Saturday, June 9, 2012

Learning Experiences, Case #1 - Working with Cardboard

This started with some small cardboard pieces I found around the office. Here is what one looks like:


They are just the right size and shape to hold small items. Prior to this project, holding bits was their main contribution to my gaming projects.



They are just the right size and shape to hold small items. Prior to this project, holding bits was their main contribution to my gaming projects.


Then, one day, I flipped one over. It was about the right size and shape to be some kind of 15mm building. Maybe a bunker or a small house or something.

Eventually, I was inspired by a thread over at TMP about cobbled-together colonies. I used some other cardboard pieces and other bits to make something that wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi setting like Firefly. So far, so good.

(By the way, I wasn't the only one inspired by that thread. Check out these MDF pieces offered by GameCraft Miniatures. Good stuff.)

The failure occurred when it came time to paint the thing. This was supposed to be a quick, cheap, and easy project. An afternoon prototype. The kind of thing that gets done in between more time- and resource-consuming work. So I reach for some black spray paint.

Now, in my defense, I had yet to try painting cardboard. Imagine my surprise when the cardboard starts coming apart. I expected some warping, but the material started to fray where I sprayed it. I'm not sure if it was the cheap spray paint or the amount I used, but the piece was unusable after that.

No pictures, I'm afraid. The offending piece got thrown out. I have some ideas on a new approach, but it will have to wait a little longer.

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