21 March 2022

Some more scenery

As well as painting figures, setting up Zombietown and fannying about with a lightbox, I also got around to some more scenery pieces: three shipping containers and another billboard. 

Kicking off with the shipping containers, getting these done means I now have four. Instead of using the liquid latex technique like last time, I wanted to speed the process up a bit, so I just sprayed them both with white primer then put the colours and rust effects on top. 

I used Paprika for the orangey one and Sweet Pea for the pink one. Why pink? Why not? Although the paprika turned out a bit dark it still looks nicely industrial, and after daubing it with Dry Rust I added random splats (there's no other way to put it) of homemade black wash.

I don't know what happened to the Sweet Pea paint, but despite supposedly having a satin finish it dried with a very rough surface, as you can see in the photo. I guess I should have sacrificed a chicken to the Great Old One called Rust-O-Leum before shaking the can. Anyway, it too was weathered in the same way and when the Psychedelic Furs' classic song popped into my playlist while applying the rust, I was inspired to add some graffiti.

I made another billboard out of foamboard, stirrer sticks and dowels, just like my first one, and it went surprisingly well. After plastering it with black, nutmeg and khaki craft paints and some homemade washes, I glued on the poster and weathered it by brushing on water and scraping it with an Xacto blade, then slapping on some black and brown washes.

In case any of the older more mature Brits are wondering why the hell I'd use an advert for the 1973 Morris Marina Coupe, it's because my dad had one when I was a kid...

...and to prove it, here's me and my sister pratting around with the Marina in the background.

I rooted around in my bits box for some stuff to add to the base, and discovered this motorbike helmet with a smashed visor. I assume it came with some of the TTCombat bits I bought a couple of years ago. I like to think that there's a zombified head still inside it, waiting for someone to pick it up. 

The sign is just a small oblong of plastic card glued to a length of plastic rod. I also glued on a traffic cone and an oil drum, as well as a bunch of tufts.

The smaller container was sprayed Nantucket Blue before being weathered like the others. As the doors on these are separate and can be opened, I had an idea for something a bit more interesting than just another blue cube, so I got some of the arms from a sprue of Zombie Vixens and glued them to the inside of the right door.

After painting the warnings on the sides, I used a cheap necklace chain sprayed with Rust Brown to wrap around the container.


The chain was fiddly to put on because the spray paint had stuck the links together, but after a bit of mucking about I managed to attach it in several spots with gel superglue. It's not perfect but it looks good and turns a basic bit of scenery into something a bit more dangerous.

14 comments:

  1. Great bits of scenery Matt, love the container with the zombies, a very atmospheric piece, great details on all the pieces. When using similar colours to the rust, try using a dark grey to mark out the area you will then put the rust effects, it will give the illusion of the edge of the paint meeting the rusty spots.

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    1. Ooo, the paint meeting the rust is a great idea! Cheers, Dave, I'll do that when I inevitably buy another container :-)

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  2. All good scenic items, the cntainers look very good, especially the zombie infested one - great idea too btw. The billboard amused me and whilst I may not have recognised the car, I knew it was old !

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    1. Thanks, Joe! I love getting those old ads even if all my zombie survivors are modern day :-)

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  3. Lots of lovely items on show, Matt. But what's especially enjoyable are the stories you provide behind them - especially the car. Your attention to detail on the chained container with the zombies inside is also excellent. I can hear the groans of the Undead and the relentless banging of its partially open doors. Marvellous stuff. :-)

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    1. As soon as I saw that ad for the Marina I knew I had to use it, and then I remembered the photo of me and my sis :-) Cheers, Simon!

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  4. Oh, all of them are full of character, each piece in its own way. Containers are a must on any board, I have to say, but the last one is a piece of genius.

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    1. Thanks, Suber! That zombie container popped into my head out of nowhere and once I'd got all the bits sorted out it came together pretty easily.

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  5. Loving these, especially the chained container. Very cool idea and an idea executed so very well.

    You used to wear dresses as a lad? Fair enough. ;) Regardless, I think my grandparents had a Marina or a Princess or something way back then. Those British car designs tho....

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    1. LOL! For the record, Dai, I'm the one lying on the grass for some reason. My dad had a load of crappy British 70s/80s cars — the Marina was followed by a Maxi, a Princess, an Ambassador and then a Montego. Thankfully he discovered Ford and Vauxhall after that...

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  6. Wow! Matt, you've been busy!
    Love the weathering on the containers and that chain looks superb, as do the arms🙂
    Morris Marina... Cor! that takes me back! I need to find time to have a go at that, I've got all the bits but there's always something else to do first!
    I like the old photo, it looks like your sister has just won the fight!

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    1. Cheers, Justin, although I did knock these out over the past couple of weeks, and using spray paint really speeds things up.

      The billboard is amazingly simple to make, the only real time killer is waiting for the PVA on the base to dry. My sis probably did win the fight LOL!

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  7. Those shipping containers came out nicely and I love the one with the zombies packed safely inside! That is a really clever idea. I need to buy some more shipping containers for Fallout and the place I bought the first one from isn't making them anymore which is aggravating to me as I want them to be uniform. I love the billboard and the protestor's sign too. I don't think I've seen anybody add so many signs of life to their terrain as you, mate and it is a beautiful thing to see :)

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    1. Thanks, Jeff, although I wouldn't say those zombies are safely contained :-) Adding bits of detail really adds to the realism of the setting and it's one of my favourite parts of doing scenery.

      You can pick up the Reaper shipping containers on Amazon.

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