Hello all. I'm working on a diorama, and would like to include some rubble. It's going to be a scene similar to the opening sequence of "Terminator", so destroyed walls, bricks, wire, ect. would be ideal. What I'm seeking is input on creative ideas to make these things without spending much money, or any at all. If it helps, the robot figures I'm working with are about 5 inches tall, and the base they'll be on measures 11x14. All's done but the base, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Randy IPMS Houston
We're living in a world that's been pulled over our eyes to blind us from the truth. Where are you, white rabbit?
Make yourself some inexpensive moulds for plaster 'walls'. Once hardened, the plaster can then be broken into rubble. The moulds can be made with balsa wood and lined with wax paper. This will get you rock rubble.
You can add powdered colours to the plaster mix to get brick red and then score lines through your mouldings before the plaster hardens to get a brick wall effect. If the brick is supposed to be painted every line need not be represented. Sometimes the mortar on a brick wall fills out to the level of the brick courses and once painted, no line shows at a distance.
Wire shouldn't be too hard to come by if you know any model railroaders. They always seem to have leftover wire scraps. Once you get some you can strip the insulation and paint the wire a dark flat brown to represent rusted steel. Testors Rubber is a good match for aged rust. Their Rust should be used sparingly for only the most recently exposed steel.
Hey ... if people will buy it, someone will sell it. Y'know what Woodland Scenics has in their line and we sell a BUNCH of at the shop where I work? Sticks! It's intended to be used as fallen wood and stuff in model railroading. I figure I could probably make a small fortune bagging the brushpile in my backlot (and probably undercut Woodland in the process) Or, I could just save my brushpile for my own layout.
Get an old brick and a hammer. I'm sure you can work out the details... Two old bricks with a bit of concrete stuck to them will save you the cost of the hammer and give you some different colours as well. See you local tile shop and see if you can get a couple of offcuts of old tiles from where they have been cut to fit around pipes etc. that can be quite suitable for damaged doorway plinths. If you have an angle grinder, (or better a wet tile or brick cutter) then a thin slice of material can be cut of a tile or brick. This can be painted with a pattern to apper like a brick wall's cement with a little offwhite paint and a thin brush or tape and an airbrush.
A collection of dirt, sand and roadside pebbles can be used to create lifelike dioramas if used carefully. There is a surprising amount of modelling material available within 100 yards of your front door.
A cut up old paintbrush can make a variety of grasses, many grasses when left to grow without mowing will form clumps that are easy to reproduce like this. And an extra coat of thicker pant on the ends can look like the grass is going to seed. Old lace with a few cut up paper "leaves" will make good camo nets, cigarette foil will make a good bedroll or canvas for the back of a truck with a little paint and forming.
Drop into your local computer shop to get an old printer or similar cable (for free or close enough to) that can be pulled apart to give a variety of different coloured cables. Cotton or fishing line can do the same for wire, and fly tying wire can be had that is very thin.
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