Anybody recommends making buildings out of styrene sheets?
My previous attempts were not so succesful...
2 major issues :
1. The styrene gets eaten by paint
2. If I cover the styrene with plaster in order to scribe bricks or stones, unless I make the plaster so thick that I may as well not use styrene and just mold plaster, then the plaster breaks under my knife while I'm scribing...

So I was just wondering if I should just forget about styrene and just start molding plaster, which is a big pain...

Hopefuly I will soon get my hands on those premade plaster sheets, and then my issue will be over...

Thanks for any advice

Styrene is not a good base for buildings, for the reasons you already stated. It would be quite expensive in the long run as well.

Better materials are balsa wood or styrofoam covered in plaster. Balsa foam is also great. It is soft and can be sculpted like plaster, holds paint well, and is strong enough to stand up on its own, etc. Another option is artists foamcore board. It is foam with thick paper on either side.

Just remember, if using styrofoam of any type, either paint it with acrylics or cover it with plaster or something. Solvents in enamel paints will dissolve the foam.

Good luck.

I disagree. Styrene will work fine for making buildings if you use certain methods. You can use styrene card and then glue cork onto it for a stone like texture. You can either cut it in brick shapes or lay down larger sections trimmed with basswood. Then put on a thin layer of Spackle and let it dry, then paint. It should work fine. It gives you a nice lightweight building and it's easy to use. I just built a bridge with the same consecpt and had no problems. Anyways this is the method I use.

I would aske the resident expert, Blockhaus, though. He is the cork master, and turns out awesome work.

HTH,
Salvo

in my opinion, with plastic you can do very interesting works. I have used the plastic with these results, but to be able to seek advice better I should know that building type wants to make with plastic
tipical city building corner:



russian workers house



industrial building with bricks exposed



wood house

destroyed wall

in general I softhened the plastic with solvent for make texture or covert it with a layer of putty.
hope that this helps

Blockhaus your stuff is just awesome. Man I wish I could build stuff like this. Beautiful work.

Cheers,
Salvo

If Ropi is talking about paint melting the styrene maybe he is already talking about styrofoam. I have never known paint to melt styrene.