NOVA Open Display Board - ready for paint

I've been busy with work lately but with the deadline for the NOVA Open approaching rapidly I need to get some serious work done. Since I'm not planning on being Best General I decided to try to show my painting and modeling skills to the best of my ability. I used some of the tips from Forgeworld's "Model Masterclass" Book (I highly recommend it to anyone looking to step up there painting and detailing skills, it's loaded with great techniques). Not much else to say here so I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

I built and painted the frame for the board.



I then began assembly, gluing it all together with wood glue and super glue.



I boxed in the raised sides using plasticard so as to hide the foam texture and give it a finished look once painted.





After that I started the long tedious process of adding the texture through various means. I skimmed most of the untiled surfaces with joint compound then, while still wet added a mixture of crushed drywall and fine sand. This gave me a pretty natural texture and had some variety of depth. Leaving some of the bigger chunks of drywall looks really nice. I waited a day then went through with some spot detailing. I picked some bigger pieces of drywall out and glued them down in choice areas to create a more uneven surface and fill in some areas that looked like they needed some pils of rubble. I also added some small bits of crushed slate for the GW basing kit to add an even more varied texture. I finished by hitting the whole surface with some light coats of purity seal. I had tested the spray on a sample piece of foam to see how much it would dissolve the surface. I found that when used sparingly it actually helped to break up my hand carved flagstone ground.






The plan is to spray the whole thing with some black spray paint and then start airbrushing. I'd like to get this thing done by Friday since I'm going away for the weekend but we'll see. It's beginning to look like I'll be doing 40 hours of painting right before the Tournament. Oh well, all in the name of the hobby.