Model my Property › Printing and painting a land model
Printing and painting a 3D model of your land
A land model is one of the kindest things you can print. It sits flat on the bed, needs no supports and shows off fine layers. A few settings make the difference between a good print and a lovely one.
Before you print
- Open the STL in your slicer (such as PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer or Cura). It comes in at the size you chose, with the base flat on the bed.
- Do not rotate it. Printed flat, every hill is built from the bottom up and no supports are needed.
- Check it fits. If it does not, go back and choose a smaller width or split the model into pieces.
Slicer settings that suit terrain
| Setting | Suggested | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Layer height | 0.12 to 0.16 mm | Gentle slopes show as visible steps. Thinner layers make smoother hills. 0.2 mm is fine for a quick test. |
| Variable layer height | On, if your slicer has it | Thin layers on the slopes and thick ones in the solid base, which saves hours. |
| Infill | 10 to 15% | The model is mostly solid shape. More infill adds weight and time, not strength you need. |
| Top layers | 5 or more | Stops infill showing through on flat fields. |
| Ironing | Optional | Smooths flat tops such as a level yard, but can blur fine hedges. |
| Supports | Off | Nothing overhangs on a land model. |
| Brim | On for large prints | Helps wide, flat bases stay down at the corners. |
A 200 mm model at 0.16 mm layers typically takes 8 to 14 hours on a home printer, depending on how hilly the land is.
Choosing filament
PLA is easy to print, crisp on fine detail and fine indoors. PETG is tougher and better in a warm room or a sunny window. Matte filaments hide layer lines and look more like a sculpted model, while silk filaments show every step.
- White or stone grey: shows the shape of the land best, the way an architect's model does. Light falling across it brings out every slope.
- Green: reads instantly as farmland. A mid or sage green looks more natural than a bright one.
- Wood-fill: sands and stains, and suits a traditional gift.
Colour by height, with one nozzle
Without a multi-colour printer you can still add colour, by changing filament at set heights. In the slicer's preview, slide to a layer and add a colour change (also called a filament change or M600). The printer pauses, you swap the filament, and it carries on.
- Base in a dark colour, then the land in green: the base reads as a plinth.
- Valley floors blue-green, hills green, tops brown: like a relief map, and good for hilly land.
- Land green, the last few layers white or grey: buildings and hedges, which stand highest above their surroundings, pick out in a lighter colour on gentle land.
If your printer has several colours, use the coloured OBJ instead. Many slicers can paint colours onto a model from its texture.
Painting the model
A single-colour print takes paint beautifully. Hobby acrylics are ideal.
- Prime it with a light grey spray primer, in thin coats. This fills faint layer lines and helps paint stick.
- Base coat the fields in a mid green, the woods darker, the yard and tracks a grey-brown and water a dark blue-green.
- Dry brush a lighter green over the fields. A nearly dry brush catches only the raised parts, which picks out hedges, banks and slopes.
- Wash a thin dark brown into the valleys and along hedge bottoms to add depth.
- Pick out the buildings with a fine brush: slate grey or red-brown roofs, pale walls.
- Seal it with a matte varnish so it can be handled and dusted.
Static grass and model trees from railway modelling shops can be glued on to woods and hedges for an extra-special finish, but keep it light so the shape of the land still shows.
Finishing and display
- Stand it up: the optional stand holds the model upright at 75°, like a picture frame.
- Frame it: a deep box frame protects it from dust and knocks and suits a wall.
- Label it: raised lettering for the farm name can be added on the model, or a small engraved plaque on the base.
- Light it: light from one side, low down, shows the hills best. A shelf by a window works well.
Common problems
The corners lift off the bed
Clean the bed, add a brim, and slow the first layer. On large prints, a thicker base also resists warping.
Hedges and fences look broken
They may be thinner than your nozzle can draw at this scale. Print larger, or turn on the slicer's option to print thin walls (sometimes called "detect thin walls").
The hills look stepped
Use a thinner layer height, or variable layer height, and a matte filament. Primer and paint hide the rest.
More guides: How it works · A 3D printed farm model · 3D print terrain from lidar · A 3D model of your house · Choosing the size and scale · UK lidar explained
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Lidar: Environment Agency and others, under open licences. Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics. About and contact · Privacy policy · Terms of use