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Hello Dakka,

Just wondering if I could get an idea on how to paint concrete. I have taken a bunch of extra little pieces of polystyrene and some pieces of sprue and glued them to about a 6" strip of plasticard to make a concrete rubble "wall" that troops can shoot over and get cover. I know not to spray paint the polystyrene black, but I assumed painting it with black latex paint would be the best thing to start off with. But, after that, how do I get a concrete rubble look? I have seen some pictures of some really sweet looking effects but I don't know the proper sequencing of paint to get that effect. Anyone got any tips?

Thanks in advance!

Mix some sort of grit into the base coat - not only will it help cover and protect the foam, but it adds a bit of texture for washes and dry brushing. I prefer to use acrylic house paint from Home Depot (oops cans at $1 per quart) mixed with plaster. Alternatives would be any sort of cheap craft paint mixed with sand, ash or commercial products like Foam Coat from Hot Wire Foam Factory.

http://hotwirefoamfactory.com/-025-Foam-Coat-3lbs.html

When painting Styrofoam I give it a coat of watered down PVA and really get it in all the grooves. It helps stop the little balls falling off.

Secondly, paint it with a rich coat of PVA mixed with sand. This adds texture.

Paint black / dark grey

Heavily drybrush a medium grey over the top

Lightly drybrush a pale grey

Finish with a very light drybrushing of white on the tips.

Try to avoid using sprays as they'll eat/melt your foam.

I'd add some brown into the mix as well.
Add some wire & paint it rusty to simulate the reinforcement bars.
Also try graffiti and stains.
look at other people's stuff too, eg -
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/184836-Nurgle%2C%20Terrain%2C%20%26quot%3BNurgles%20Back%26quot%3B%20Montage.html

One thing that makes concrete rubble look great is to have bent paperclips to represent re-bar. Paint that rusty to break up the grey.

Polonius, did you do a Devlan Mud wash on that piece of concrete he is standing on? Also, it looked like you etched the grooves of the re-bar into the paper clips. You just take a hobby knife to do that?

Thanks for the tips, guys/gals. Hopefully, this will turn out looking pretty sweet.

Kurce wrote:Polonius, did you do a Devlan Mud wash on that piece of concrete he is standing on? Also, it looked like you etched the grooves of the re-bar into the paper clips. You just take a hobby knife to do that?

Thanks for the tips, guys/gals. Hopefully, this will turn out looking pretty sweet.

Many paperclips come with grooves in them, not positive as to the purpose, but I know the one I just recently used for pinning had grooves on it to begin with.

It's not devlan mud, I forget exactly what it was but it was just a brown/black wash.

The grooves just come on some paper clips.