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Charles King
127 articles

Old Concrete Road and Wall (Portion of a small truck yard)

May 21, 2023 · in How-to · · 14 · 524

I've been working on a diorama for a few of my trucks. I decided I wanted an old truck yard(obviously, its me), where old or almost run down trucks and trailers can be parked. I wanted the old concrete look and miscellaneous objects lying here and there to give more visual interest. So here is the start of this theme I have in my head.

My methods:

  1. I mixed the tile grout very heavily with water.

  2. Spread it on the area of the diorama. I used grout (thick consistency). I did this outside, when the sun was out and let the heat dry the surface of the grout. As this dried quickly, it slowly produced the minuscule cracks you see.

  3. Even it out with spreader.

  4. Took a sponge and dabbed certain areas with it. I continued to sponge certain areas to give the grainy patches you see in a few of the photos

  5. I used a small spreader to draw over the grout to produce some of the half broken concrete patches; sub-levels, and other small u level, rocky crevices you see..

  6. Then I used a black wash and let that dried for a day. Then went over it again with the same black wash. Then let it dried for an hour, then went over it with a brown wash. I will go over it again, to knock back the brown again. Will post the complete diorama when done. Hope this helps those who are probably wondering how I achieved this results.

Reader reactions:
7  Awesome 1  7  2 

18 additional images. Click to enlarge.


14 responses

  1. @tiking - Incredibly realistic results Charles! Fantastic technique for weathered concrete.

  2. WHAT! no way that's not real! Amazing, Charles, just amazing.

    Is the main color, the color of the grout or did you paint? If painted what color(s) did you use? I aways find getting the color of concrete "correct" to be tricky.

  3. Looks indeed absolutely real, my friend Charles!
    Congratulations!

  4. Fantastic how this concrete looks, Charles @tiking
    At first I thought they were pictures of real concrete.

  5. Great start, Charles, really looking forward to seeing how this diorama works out.

  6. Amazing results!

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