hey i am about to start my first city ruin diorama to the berlin campaign! I seriosuly need some help with advice on buying city ruins, rubles and those kind of things that needs to be added to a good diorama. I am very cheap, when it comes to the that! eh can you make them yourself and if so, how? thanks for the help in advance

http://www.armorama.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=showall&secid=9 Take a look there..... all kinds of tips....

Hi

First of all you'll have to make some kind of drawing of the building. I think that the variety Verlinden provides are useful for inspiration on your own project. I ordered some Verlinden ruins trhough historex-agents, and they arrived to my adress in Copenhagen all in one piece. (Well, they're ruins right?)

When I build my own buildings, I use polystyrene boards. You can get those cheap in the DIY shop. They're easy to make windows and doors and such things in it. When I have cut the windows and doors, I make doorsteps and windowframes, either of wood or plastic strips.
Once the plates has been cut to size, I make a thin mix of PolyFilla and water (you can add glue and sand if you want a rough surface) plus some paint, just to make it easier to paint afterwards. Then I add the thin PolyFilla onto the walls with a brush and a spoon. By doing so you'll make the surface plain and like a real wall. The last thing I do, is to place the doorsteps and windowframes. Press it gently into the wet PolyFilla, that'll make it look more firm to the wall. Leave the walls to dry for some 10 hours.

When dry I glue the walls together and make the roof. Thats about it. A very simple and easy method, which allows your imagination and skills come to live.

Heres two of the buildings I've made using the above method:





If you want to have more hints, you could pm me. Its a lot easier in danish, and then I could give you the correct details in danish.

Good luck with it.

Simon

Check outthe many article on buildings and rubble. here is my article on the subject

Basic Building Constructiion



and here isa breif reveiw on my rubble method:

create my own rubble. Mixed up some Durhams Water Putty ( or plater or what ever else you might use) and pour it out on a plastic bag ( I use 1 gallon zip lock pbags thicker and will not crumble up). I spread it out to the right scale thickness and the nlet it dry a little. before it hardens I score the surface the width of the brick or block I am trying to recreate. Once dry I simple snack it into the right length piece and toss it all in the bag and give iita few wacks witha rubber mallet to break it up and give mea variety of simplesand shapes.

Note: I always tint my putty mixture a dark grey to make it easier to paint later

AND

Before I pour the putyy out on the plastic bag, I spinkle or powder the bag with Dry Durhams. This way the back side of my bricks are not slick and flat, but have a textured finish.

Neill

okay thanks guys! i will try some of miniart's ruins! they do look good and cheap! but thanks again! Simon: i will probaly PM you, when i run in some problems!