I wanted to expand on my original How to Make Ice Terrain tutorial. That tutorial shows the tools and how to cut foam. This will help you get started creating ice shapes. This tutorial will jump in following the same steps as the previous guide but taking the detail further.

In the last tutorial I showed you how to cut foam ice shapes using the larger XPS blue foam you can find at Lowes. For most of the pieces in this set I used the Pink foam found at Home Depot I then did some layering to create a dynamic piece of terrain.

The image is comprised of three shaped pieces. You can tier this as much as you want. For the purpose of my terrain I wanted to keep it about the size of a single foam board. Doing this will make it easy to add into games for Dungeons and Dragons encounters. It will also give your other tabletop games a center-piece board to build off of.

Once placed where I desire them I used Tacky Glue to attach the pieces. After it dried I then went back with my Proxxon Thermocut Wire Cutter and cut the layers so they would be flush with the attached piece. This gives the appearance of a much larger piece of terrain. I then carved some sets of stairs to create a clear path between the tiers.

When the piece was set I I used the same technique from my previous tutorial to create “melted ice” spots. This is accomplished using a lighter, a torch, or my preference; a culinary torch. then went around the entirety of the terrain using Wood Filler to fill the gaps between the layers. You can also use drywall compound. I often use wood filler because it dries firmly and is easy to sand smooth.

Making additional pieces with Icicles

While the Wood Filler was drying I then proceeded to cut various other pieces of terrain. Since this set is intended to be modular I wanted some variety in the pieces. I created icebergs, arches, and small floating sheets of ice. These pieces can then be layered over each other creating diverse scenes.

Using cheap wooden dowels from Amazon I broken them into different size pieces. Taking a box cutter or hobby knife you can then whittle the end into a spike. Using the spike side you can then use it to drill into an overhanging piece of terrain to make a whole. Flip it over, apply some PVA glue and insert it into the hole you just made. This is the framework for large icicles (also cave stalagmites and stalactites)

Using the wood putty again you can apply it over the wooden dowels using your fingers to form a dripping icicle spike.

Sealing the Terrain

Once the pieces are done and are ready to paint the next thing you should do is seal the foam. XPS foam is notorious for melting with aerosol spray paints and you don’t want to ruin all of your hard work. I’m a big fan of the Black Magic Craft tutorials. Jeremy is a real master of creating incredible terrain. He offers a ton of guides and suggestions in his community and YouTube channel.

He has a great recommendation for how to seal foam terrain using a Mod Podge and black paint mixture which both seals, and essentially primes your terrain. Check out his tutorial here. And be sure to like, subscribe, and check out his other videos. You won’t be disappointed.

Using this method then sealed all of my pieces and left them out over night to dry.

First coats of Mod Podge going onto the main board

With the pieces sealed the next step is to add some color. To do this I used only two colors of spray paint. You don’t have to use the same ones that I used. The beauty of creating terrain is that you can purchase cheap spray cans in the color of your choice. I used what I had available; which was Citadel Corax White and Army Painter Crystal Blue Primer.

I put the Crystal Blue coating on first. Try not to put a full clean coat on. Some spots showing the black underneath through a translucent few spots on the your piece will help give it extra depth later on. Once this layer was on I then went over it with the Corax White. Spray downward on an angle. The goal is to cover the tops and raised surfaces (like snow) and blend with the blue layer. You don’t want to do a full cover of white and lose the depth created by the blue layer. Unless you REALLY want a winter landscape, and not an ice landscape.

Blue and white base coats going on

The main board based with blue then white

I wanted to add some greater detail to the waves and fractures in the ice. I thinned down some Scale75 Caribbean Blue paint and ran it through the airbrush. Specifically targeting the recessed areas and melted-spots on the terrain. spraying it slightly heavier in the centers and then fading it out as it blends towards the brighter white areas.

The same board followed up with some detailing using a turquoise blue to give it depth

Bringing Out the Icy Details

After this dried I used a bright white paint to dry brush over the surface. Because this is terrain you can use cheap acrylic craft paints and large cheap brushes. No need to get fancy here. You can get the job one and save some money at the same time.

I went over each piece dry brushing it white. I was happy with the outcome. It gave more texture (and almost a wind-blasted effect) across the surface.

The last two steps are pretty important for both sealing the paint from scraping /wearing off, and giving the “ice sheen” effect. I sprayed the entire model down using Testors Dullcote. Once this dried I went over all of the areas that I hit with the torch to created melted areas, and any area that had the Scale75 Caribbean blue paint using a gloss varnish. The gloss varnish gives it that wet sheen layer making it really look like ice.

Gloss varnish added to the turquoise areas to provide the appearance of wet ice

Final Touches

How you finish it off is entirely up to you. I took a little bit of Vallejo Snow ground texture in some of the corners and added ice. Trying to place it mainly in the spots where I imagine the sun would not have been able to fully melt the snow away. This is entirely up to you and however you want your scenery to look. I wanted mine to look mostly like pure ice with very little snow so I used it sparingly. I also didn’t overlap too many areas with this snow effect because this way I could lay my other pieces more flush on the main board, making it more natural look. We want this project to remain modular. You may want to create more pieces in the future.

Here is what the final product looks like. I set it up with some random layouts that I used as examples of it’s modular capabilities. You can create entire sets just using this method. You can also make a few simple pieces just to compliment other terrain.















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Good luck and cheers!