I started this build a while ago but put it down to concentrate on commissions I had on the go. After building three sewers I wanted to have one to expand upon the TMNT Lair I built earlier this year.
With the structure already made I have drawn on the brick work ready to score on the walls. I have put down the walkways as I have done in the past.
I’ve been painting miniatures for a year and it was about time I learnt how to do eyes.
The method I have found (to which at this point is my first attempt so this will probably change later) is:
After a year of painting 40k I thought I’d assemble a battle a scene, containing various miniatures from over the course of that year.
Saturday the first day of the Science festival, I was originally placed in Gallery 1 along with 50 years of space history, I was truly privileged to amongst such history.
While showcasing my installations I started painting a couple of Space Marines I had taken with me. Due to the location I was in, I was unable to let anyone make any aliens for the Lunar Scape diorama.
For the Sunday I was relocated to the top of the stairs on Level 1, this gave me the opportunity to allow people to create their own aliens.
Throughout the day the number of aliens increased and quickly filled the space.
I was fortunate that my youngest daughter wanted to come across and help out, she helped the younger children create their alien and placed them on the moons surface. While I started painting the second of the marines I had brought with me. I am very proud of my little girl!
My daughter and I where completely exhausted by the end of the day but we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
We are both looking forward to next years festival!
This is the painting guide I use for my Warhammer 40K miniatures because I am colour blind I need the assistance.
This guide is taken from the Citadel app from https://citadelcolour.com/ , Warhammer Conquest magazine and the reverse of the Games Workshops models boxes. I hope you find it as useful as I do.
This year for the Bradford Science Festival the theme is space, so I am creating a Lunar landscape diorama with the activity of children creating plasticine aliens to place within it.
I’ve created a box which is 30″x 23.75″ x 17″ which at the moment has a double layer of 10mm board. To create the surface I will be laying a foundation of newspaper, layered with wire mess. The craters will also be made of mess and then coated with Modroc plaster of paris strips.
I’ve added a third layer of foam board to the base, then covered the area with ball of newspaper. Over the top of this I covered with a sheet of wire mesh, which I’ve glued into place.
I’ve started modrocing with the help of my daughter. It’s starting to look a little more lunal and not a rubbish pile
After I finished modrocing the Lunar scape, I gave it a black base coat.
When the base coat dried I mixed up blue/ grey acrylic and water solution and covered they entire surface with it.
I have layered this piece three times, each layer I have added more white to the grey/blue mixture I used for the base coat.
I airbrushed a light grey over the entire surface, adding a mottled effect.
I painted the top of the frame with light grey and black round the back.
With the landscape finished, it’s now time to work on the surroundings.
Taking some black card and soft pastels, I sketches out an alien world as a backdrop. For the planet I called upon inspiration from the 80’s. Can you guess?
I started to add a star field behind the planet using pastel, for the rest I am probably going to do with my airbrush.
I added a magnetic strip to the back board and its opposite to the back of the base. The backdrop I cut down and stuck it to the backboard using adhesive spray.
The two side panels I cut them down diagonally to make it easy access for people to place the alien creations within.
What is left to do is paint the two side boards and add magnets for them to attach to the base and backboard.
Magnetic strips have been added to side panels and 8 little magnets have been glued in to fix the sides to the back board. I have also painted a black board around the base.
The side panels have been painted with galaxies and stars, I’ve put an LED strip light around the base. This is now ready for the weekend.
The time is almost upon us for the Bradford Science Festival, I will be back exhibiting my diorama’s. Creating a space themed model.
This year I will be bring a lunar landscape, to which I would like everyone to fill it with alien plasticise models. Go nuts with you ideas and creations!
Mars rovers, slime-making, space VR, life-size video games and a 12-metre rocket ship… It can only be Bradford Science Festival!
Bradford Science Festival is a free weekend of surprising science in the city, packed with activities, demos and games for the whole family. This year’s festival will explore a range of fascinating themes, including space travel, chemistry and caring for the environment. And with new venues joining the fun, it’s set to be bigger and better than ever!
https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/whats-on/bradford-science-festival-2019
Click here and you can view what I got up to on the weekend, even had a welcomed surprised helper to!
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.
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.
