To bring my project to an end I imagined to try to replicate this photo, using my models. Therefore I need a base that is big enough for the four vehicles.
As a starting point I used a sheet of plywood. The width of the base was defined by a traffic jam of four Flakpanzers and measures 30cm. At the back of the base a strip of plywood is glued that will become a garden wall with two porches.
The plywood was covered with a cheap brand of childrens clay. Using a template made from an old brush I pressed in thousands of cobble stones. Quite a boring job demanding some persistence. It took me several hours without interruption. Otherwise the clay would cure.
Some detail of the cobble stones and wall structure.
When the clay was fully cured it was covered with black goache paint and sealed with acrylic gloss varnish, mainly to prevent the clay sucking up all the paint.
Then the basic colours were applied. A dark grey for the cobble stones, a dark sandy colour for the shoulder, and diffeent grey tones for the wall.
Then I added a lot of colour variation. The colours look very bright now, but the idea is that they will be toned down after weathering.
After weathering, using a wide variery of washes, filters and drybrushes. Posts for the porches were made using matches and wooden cocktail sticks.
I built two porches, using very thin pinewood that is used to light cigars. The sheet of plastic on the back is for cohesion.
The porches cut to shape and detailed. The big porch is askew on purpose, intending to represent an old worn one.
After painting and weathering the porches.
The porches glued in position, and some grass added.
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Detail of the big porch with tyre tracks.
Detail of the small porch.
It's finished now. So let's start experimenting taking pictures.
Well done! BB