Made simply from High Density Insulating Foam Board or recycled scraps of styrofoam beadboard, with paperclay or paper mache and gesso used to add details, these domed buildings are useful for all kinds of scenes, from school projects to Christmas nativities and gaming terrains. The Romans are thought to have developed the domed roof for buildings, but you can find examples in many different cultures. These buildings were designed for a Christmas village or nativity and are open on the back to allow the insertion of a light bulb.
Instructions for making miniature building roof domes from plaster or paper mache are given in a separate set of instructions. Once you have made your dome in a size suited to your model building project, you can construct a base and supporting roof using these simple instructions and materials if you wish. Sturdier buildings can also be built using Davey Board or Bookboard or Gator Foam Board or Baltic Birch Plywood or Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
Materials Needed to Make a Simple Domed Roof Model Building From Foam Board or Styrofoam:
- High Density Foamboard - or styrofoam bead board, large enough pieces to make a roof and walls for your chosen scale or size.
- Skewers or wooden toothpicks - to hold the foam building together at the corners.
- Glue - suitable for the type of foam you will be using for your building.
- Artist's Gesso or Rosco Foamcoat - to coat the building and protect the foam.
- Scraps of Card - for doors if wanted.
- Acrylic Paints - I used white, raw umber (for the bricks) and a gloss varnish. The gilding on the domes was made with Jacquard Pearl Ex Pigments brilliant gold, mixed into some clear acrylic glaze.
- Creative Paper Clay - for covering the roof and securing the foam edges. You can use Rosco foamcoat or artist's gesso instead.
