I have been building models for sometime but recently have decided to build a diorama, something along the lines of an partially destroyed house or building which some soldiers will be using for cover. What is the best material to use to create a realistic looking brick or concrete building? Plaster, foamboard, and how do I get the texture, the brick and so on to look right? Any help would be appreciated. ([email protected])

Jeza,
Check out my article "Leaders, Operators, and the Stalkers" here in the dio feature section. I give a little description on how I built the building from scratch. If you need any other info, feel free to PM me or e-mail me.
Welcome to Armorama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This works pretty good for walls, brickwork, cobblestone or blockwork. I use styrofoam insulation board - ( blue board , but the color doesn't matter ). Anyway cut the foam to about a 1/4 inch thick ( say you are doing a wall ). Take a ballpoint pen and draw in the stone, block or brick lines. After your stones are drawn in, peel the thin plastic coating from the foam - Its on one side of the board. Now take a small stiff brush ( a brass seude nap brush works great ) and gently rough up the stonework adding texture to the stones. Paint with acrylics in the color you want and let it dry. Next , hit it with a wash to bring out the parting lines and stone texture. Weather it to blend to terain.

I swear one of these days I am going to learn how to post images here. Anyway, if you click my link below and go to page two, you will see a house ruin I scratch built for the diorama contest. The pictures on my page show only the beginning stages, but that is what you asked about.

The foundation for the walls is plywood. I cut out the windows and the damaged edges with a Dremel tool. I cut small strips of balsa wood to make the corner pieces as well as the decorative pieces around the windows. I then covered the walls with drywall compound. After this dried, I scribed the bricks and damaged places with a dental probe, then made them deeper with my dremel. The window frames are balsa, as are the shutters. This is the first building I scratch built, so I know if I can, anyone can. Good luck.

Patrick

I have a pretty long "step by step" guide article posted in the FEATURES - "Hall of Fame #7" called "How to build a diorama from scratch". It will pretty much describe (with photos) how to build architecture using foamboard and simple household items. Here is the link:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/70

And here is a preview of what you will see...

there is a brand call citadel minitures, they make those warhammer war games thingees, although they arent made for this, they work equally well, they make low walls, high walls, hedges, the lot, and they are great for dios, they make everything u could want for a dio, and its not even ment for them! :-) ive been using these for some time, or u can always use clay or stuff do make your own bricks, then stick them all together and make your own, hope it helps u

I have also "Cast" my own walls, and will put up a "digital diamond" article on this. Basically, I buy a large bag of Custom Dioramics bricks, and then lay them one at a tim into a bed of clay. Then I use RTV to cast a mold and viola!... you can now cast all the brick walls you want in any size or shape. While a little timely to do the first master (almost 500 bricks laid in place to create a 6 inche x 4 inch section), it creates the most beautiful and realistic wall you could ever ask for. I also did a cobblestone road, and a hex-pattern tile section. Pics to follow!

I would sure like to learn more about this and see some pictures of the process.

WELCOME TO ARMORAMA.

ROBERTO
BRAZIL

Try using wood or foam board. Both work great, and with the foam board you can scrib brick work into it with a pen.
Hope this helps and welcome to ArmoramA.