How to Make Terrain for a Game

Draw card an outline of the base of the hill you want to build on the cardboard. Cut out the outline with a craft knife and lay the outline on a sheet of polystyrene.

Switch on the foam cutter and allow it to heat up. Push the wire of the cutting tool through the foam to cut the shape from the polystyrene. Use the card shape as a template. At this stage, you are only cutting out a flat sheet of foam.

Cut another, smaller card template which can fit inside the first. You only need to do this if you want to build your hill on multiple levels. Otherwise, skip on to the next step. If you want to build more than two levels for your hill, cut multiple templates, each of which can fit inside the previous. Leave enough of a gap between successive levels to position models on.

Cut out flat shapes of polystyrene for each of the card templates. Lay the layers on top of each other to see if the shape is how you want it. Use the wire cutters to sculpt the vertical edges of the flat shapes into smoother contours. Make sure you leave some flat spaces on each layer to position models on.

Spread PVA glue across the underside of each layer and stick it to the layer beneath. Stick the bottom layer to its card template. Lay something heavy on the top layer and allow to dry.

Paint the hill with PVA glue and shake sand, gravel or a combination of the two over it. Wait for it to dry, then shake off any excess sand.

Paint the hill with a layer of base color. Choose the color according to the terrain you are portraying. Wait for it to dry, then dry brush the whole thing. This involves putting a lighter shade of paint than the base coat on the brush, wiping the brush with a tissue and then making quick, light strokes on the terrain.