I recently purchased Kenners 80’s Ecto-1, this is a beautiful vehicle but I felt it was too bland compared to the cartoon version it represented.
To start I used a watered down bleech solution to remove some of the discolouring brought on through sun damage.
I have used Humbrol paints as a base because of the type of sheen used on the toy prevents standard acrylic paints from bonding to the plastic.
I have used Humbrol Silver chrome for the metal work around the windows, fins and bumpers. Light grey for the center of the roof lights, the block that roof chair sits on and dome on the roof. Blue for the raised block behind the front siren lights. The side cylinders I have used yellow and a yellow/green for either end and the center of the cylinders.
Once dry I have used Game Workshops paints to layer and dry brush each of these items to age.
I have ordered replacement stickers to which I am waiting for them to arrive.
I’ve been commissioned to produce a couple of sewer dioramas, one identical to the one I had created earlier this year.
As you can see I have the basic form of one and the other two are in the process of joining this one.
With the design agreed I can now branch this piece of onto it’s own page. My client has asked for a few of changes to be made previous version. Instead of the central column with grate, he would like it replaced with a barred tunnel entrance, damp walls with multiple pipes running along the sides.
To apply the magnets to the walls I sanded all the sides down, having the magnets in place at this stage, I find it easier to work with model.
The brick work has been marked out and ready to be scored. I had marked out the size of the tunnel entrance and toyed with the idea of adding a raised smaller sewer pipe further down one of the wall.
The sewer tunnel entrance was cut, along with a frame to the tunnel. The walkways I sliced and sanded the corners of that run on the length of each.
The brick work was scored into the foam, it’s now starting to look like a sewer.
Using barbecue skewers as bars for the entrance at the end of the tunnel, each one cut down to size, pressed into the foam and then glued in place. Once they have been painted tissue paper will be placed behind the bars and then sandwiched in place with another layer of foam behind it.
Testing with the look with ripple water sheet.
Painting
I have applied a base coat consisting of watered down Burnt Umber and white, spreading the paint evenly using a mini roller. When this had dried, I added a touch of yellow into the mixture and added it to the areas of broken brick. A second coat was then added, the mixture comprising of Burnt Umber, yellow and black. This was then thinly applied over the surface of the entire diorama, making sure the paint didn’t overrun into the cracks of the walls and floor.
The walkway edges, tunnel entrances where painted using Games Workshops Mechanicus Grey, the bars where painted with Games Workshops Leadbelcher, shaded with Nuln Oil and highlighted with Games Workshops Stormhost Silver.
I dry brushed GW Longbeard Grey over all of the stone, this has helped pick out all the extra details.
Using Green Stuff Worlds River Water Sheets I have created the effect of water running through the center. The sheets where glued to the base and the walkways glued over the top.
With the barred entrance finished, I took the second piece of 5mm foam board that had been cut and glued a piece of blue tissue paper over the hole that had been cut out. This piece was then glued to the back of the barred entrance wall.
Using GW Nurgle’s Rot I applied it to the water sheet and areas of the two walk ways. Using my airbrush to spray over the surface with a light brown wash.
Using plastic piping, sprayed them metallic silver. Sprayed a brown wash over them, once dry gave them a coat of GW Nihilakh Oxide and a layer of Agrax Earth shade. Cables where fixed onto the wall to finish it off, a ladder was glued to the wall opposite.
For the final touch I painted the visible edges and the outer sides with black acrylic, this now completes this diorama.
The base is made of 2 pieces of foam board 20″ x 10″, the boards were glued together using PVA glue. Once they dried I’d marked out the tiled floor, where each flag stone is 3″ x 2.5″.
The slabs have been scored into the foam, using some excess pieces I have built a small alter along with some corner steps. Before these become permanent fixtures I am playing with ideas before adding the columns.
The steps have been aged to match the rest of the diorama.
The pillars are two pieces of board glued together, then cut down to form two. A notch has been cut into them, with a matching hole cut into the floor to seat them.
I returned my attention back to the steps in the left corner, this battleground is placed in the ruins of a building. I have built two walls to encompass the steps, the idea here is to build these two grand walls and the break them down to create the ruined effect. I have added a couple of more layers to the alter to raise it up to suit 6 inch figures.
The foam board walls were scored to resemble weathered stone stone.
The sections of the wall broken down to ruin.
The broken down parts have been be reused to make small ruined wall situated in far right corner
The two pillars and altar have been whethered for age to match the surrounds, whilst also adding in battle damage.
Sanding down the inside of the ruined wall, then tidying up the side before using my rotary tool to make impressions on the ruin walls. I then sprayed a black base coat over the entire model.
Painting
A base coat of grey was applied evenly over the model using a small roller.
White was added to the grey and rolled over. I then went over the crevices with black.
Adding in more white to grey, I rolled another even layer. For the final layer I added green to grey and lightly brushed all the surfaces with the paint.
When the paint had dried I mixed up a light brown and using the airbrush to apply the paint around the edges of each slab.
To complete the painting of this piece, I dry brushed over the entire model with Game Workshops Longbeard Grey.
The finishing touch is adding foliage to different areas around the diorama.
I’ve been commissioned to produce a couple of sewer dioramas, one identical to the one I had created earlier this year.
Build
As you can see I have the basic form of one and the other two are in the process of joining this one. The other two will be getting their pages as they develop, as you can see they are still in their early construction phase.
With the walls dry it was time to cut the mouths of the sewer tunnels into one wall of two of the sewers. I wanted these sets to marry up with the ones I had previously cut for me TMNT Lair I made a couple of months ago.
With this done I can now start to etch in the brick work into the walls of these two sewers. The third sewer I need to cut a sewer tunnel mouth in the center of the middle wall.
I cut out a circle entrance on the wall running in parallel to other long wall, the circle cut is about 5″ diameter. I scored in the brick work to match up with the rest of diorama. I cut a ring of foam as a frame for this entrance etching stone work to it.
I then marked on the brick work, each brick is 2″ x 1″.
I scored into the form to form the brick wall and walkways.
The sewer loosely put together
I finished up scoring the walkways, I’ve swapped the two walls over, added the magnets and trimmed it all down to size.
I created the central column which sits between the two walkways.
Using barbecue skewers for bars, cutting them down to size and then gluing them into place. Rounding of the front corners of the central column then tacking my rotary tool with its sanding head, I weathered the bricks of the column and wall behind it.
Painting
I have applied a base coat consisting of watered down Burnt Umber and white, spreading the paint evenly using a mini roller. When this had dried, I added a touch of yellow into the mixture and added it to the areas of broken brick.
A second coat was then added, the mixture comprising of Burnt Umber, yellow and black. This was then thinly applied over the surface of the entire diorama, making sure the paint didn’t overrun into the cracks of the walls and floor.
