# My first background



## kwaka (Apr 27, 2013)

Hi guys,

I know there are heaps of threads on backgrounds, but some piccy's of my attempts might inspire someone else.

Styrofoam, liquid nails, and some design ideas produced the initial shape...



Here it is, with a little hide I also built for when he is bigger, post render and in situ...



Just put Crommelin's pond sealer on, and will post another piccy once the second coat has gone on. And in what universe is this stuff able to be sprayed???? Unless you have a high pressure industrial one, this stuff is getting painted on again.


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## J-A-X (Apr 27, 2013)

I've never sprayed, always painted. 
Why didn't you add some different colors to make it more realistic ?


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## kwaka (Apr 28, 2013)

J-A-X said:


> Why didn't you add some different colors to make it more realistic ?



'Cos I'm going to paint over the top of the sealant......


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## J-A-X (Apr 29, 2013)

?? - sealer goes on last, it protects the paint !


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## Shotta (Apr 29, 2013)

that is a pretty sweet looking backround, also is that a reptile one vivarium


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## kwaka (Apr 30, 2013)

Ok, so I need to get some clear sealant.

Dammit!

How likely is the paint to come off with a Stimmy???? 

The Crommelins is really thick, is there a thinner sealant you could recommend that I can apply with a spray bottle so I don't moosh up the surface (or the textured paint) any more than I have to?


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## kwaka (Apr 30, 2013)

Nilesh said:


> is that a reptile one vivarium



Got it from Reptiles Inc here in Canberra, the brand is "Knock down", but essentially the same.


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## jacevy (Apr 30, 2013)

Can I please ask.
The end product looks great. I see that it is not smooth.
I am a complete noob but would the snake get scratched?
Sorry to ask I just know I filed my purchased hides down so that there was no sharp bits.
Was I being over protective and can they have a rough texture?


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## kwaka (Apr 30, 2013)

It is much smoother with the sealant over it.....

Some roughness is good, as they can utilise it to assist with shedding, but no, you wouldn't want it all to be rough as!!


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## Justdragons (Apr 30, 2013)

tech term "rough as".. lol looks great


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## J-A-X (Apr 30, 2013)

Run your hand over the render, if something 'scratches' then file it off. You can have a rough texture without sharp bits.
I use ponditite clear to seal, it's a little thicker than water but not too thick, I've brushed over painted areas without a problem. Yes it will help to smooth the render a little but not totally. I will have to change to crommelins at some point but I will only ever buy clear sealer.

The sealing served two purposes. 
One: stops liquid being absorbed into the render, 
Two: makes cleaning easier. Prevents paint being smudged with vigorous cleaning.


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## mad_at_arms (Apr 30, 2013)

jacevy said:


> Sorry to ask I just know I filed my purchased hides down so that there was no sharp bits.
> Was I being over protective and can they have a rough texture?



Sometimes the casting process isn't that great, I also have had to file down some sharp edges on ones I purchased.


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## kwaka (May 2, 2013)

Update...
Painted with spray, layered for effect, going for local granite look, turned out more like rhyadolite....


A close up of where I dry-brushed to get a lichen/moss effect, and painted in the crevices for depth.


let that dry, clear sealant over the top, then set it up and get temps right.

Woohoo!!


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## prodigy97 (May 2, 2013)

wow that is impressiv 
time consuming im guesing


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## kwaka (May 2, 2013)

Not really time consuming. It would have gone quicker if I had used clear sealant in the second coat, over the top of the paint, instead of two coats of coloured sealant, then paint, then clear sealant. That was pretty much the only mistake I made. 

The paints were water based, so I put them in cheap spray bottles from Bunnings, and squirted it on randomly, changing the consistency until I found one I liked. I started with the dark grey as a base, put some silver with sparkles over the top of that, then a really watery white. Because it was water based, I could squirt splodges with water spray to thin it out in spots or remove excess.

All in all, not a bad representation of granite.

ps, hi to Kingaroy...I hail from Nanango.


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## J-A-X (May 2, 2013)

Good end result. Definitely worth the effort


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## kwaka (May 3, 2013)

J-A-X said:


> Good end result. Definitely worth the effort



Thanks Jax. It would have been easier if I had taken advice on clear vs sandstone sealer, but that's part of the experience.

Cheers


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## Smithers (May 3, 2013)

Glad to see your giving one of the little one's a great new home to chill out and explore when he grows a bit more. Looks great Wayne.


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## kwaka (May 8, 2013)

Finished, and getting the hang of the thermostat. I have a 100w ceramic over the shelf, and a 7m heatcord underneath the tank in a grooved piece of marine ply that is on the thermostat. Currently just playing around with temps, so I can put his click-clack (on the paver) inside this, keeping the ambient temp around 20ish, so I don't have to heat a whole room. Once he is big enough to move in, I will up the temps to around 28 for the thermostat, and the ceramic puts the shelf at 33, so he will have lots of options. Under the hide gets warm too, so 28 for ground temp should equate to mid 30s under his hide.Sorry for the mess, can't upload the photo or do carriage returns....will post and try to edit. Admin, lil' help??


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## kwaka (May 24, 2013)

Quick update and a learning....

Have the thermostat set on 23 just to keep some ambient temps in the viv, working well, a solid 33-35 at the hot end of his click-clack, about 28 at the cool end, on the paver with the heatcord under it.

LESSON ALERT
Let him have a quick wander around last night, since he wasn't eating, and he got behind the background!!! Very angry with myself.

Once it warms up, and he is looking ready to go in, I will silicon seal the edges of the whole shebang so it is stuck and he can't get hurt. Will need to put a hole in there for the thermostat cord coming in the side, but that is the price you pay for having a background cover 2 sides.

Seal it, seal it, and glue it in place - they can get in the smallest spaces, and it scares the poop out of you!!!


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## Skitzmixer (May 24, 2013)

kwaka said:


> Quick update and a learning....
> 
> Have the thermostat set on 23 just to keep some ambient temps in the viv, working well, a solid 33-35 at the hot end of his click-clack, about 28 at the cool end, on the paver with the heatcord under it.
> 
> ...



haha my bredli loved getting behind the fake rock wall I had for him, it worried me once but then I just let him go, he couldn't go to far.


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