Concrete

[Stephen Rainsbury]

Any ideas how I could get a texture like this on a bridge support?

I was thinking make it from plasticard, grey primer, then a coat of grey paint mixed with talc of cornflour, stipple that on top, then a wash and dry brush to bring up the highlights, and other suggestions welcome please.

[Graeme Dunbar]

It's not something I've tried but is sounds very much the sort of thing to find amongst wargaming terrain building videos. I'm interested to hear how you get on.

[Stephen Rainsbury]

I have been researching and slate dust mixed with acrylic paint has been suggested,  a nice sounding chap from facebook is sending me a sample to try.

[Justin Phillips]

I am going to be modelling a (albeit very small) concrete slab and I have been wondering this. One thing I have done is rough up the plasticard with course sandpaper, but am yet to get to painting it. So, my idea might be rubbish! Will keep you posted.

[JulienW]

I made a small diorama for a WW2 1/72 aircraft* that involved a concrete slab 'apron'. What I found looked quite effective was sticking the sand paper down and painting it a concrete colour. I can't recall what grade the abrasive was - probably towards the finer end§ - and don't apply too thick a layer of paint as it will 'fill in' the rough surface.


(*Me 262 with the concrete being part of one of the Autobahns used as a stand in airfield)
(§ it's probably getting on for 35 years ago so sorry I can't recall what I used)

[Justin Phillips]

This is my (first ever) attempt at modelling heavily weathered concrete, complete with lichen growth. Having scoured the internet and looked at real life slabs (I live by the sea so weathering is something I get to see a lot), it is clear that there are lots of different colours and textures concrete can have.

Anyway, I painted a base colour of grey with a tint of yellow, then I dry brushed some browns, whites and a bit of black. The using a cocktail stick, blobbed on some dark yellow and white for the lichen spots.

At the end of the day, most of the slab will be covered with a bridge so actually worrying about it too much is a waste of time.

The next step once I have painted and weathered the stone work is to give it all a black wash to blend it in. I will report back to show you what it turns out like.

[Justin Phillips]

Abutments done with the black wash to blend it all in, and some rust weathering from the beams / rails above.

As for the concrete effect, I am not unhappy with the look, but I just could not get it to come out how my minds eye was seeing it.

[Graeme Dunbar]

I think it looks very good. I would not worry about it not looking as it does in your mind's eye. I think that just goes to show you have a very acute visual imagination.

Also, when seeing a piece in isolation it is easy to be hyper-critical but when it is in context and in place, things start to meld. To me, as it stands, it suggests a damper location rather than sun-baked, so when in place I might consider the hint of a bit of moss or even ferns, or by the time it it bedded in it might look just right as it is.