1:35 Concrete bricks No.1

What kind of accessory it is

A set of concrete blocks for building dioramas in 1:35 scale. It is building material, not a finished structure: you arrange the individual pieces around a scene as you please, so one set produces something different every time. Concrete is also rewarding in that it suits most settings, from a unit's rear area to an urban outskirt, and the age of the scene is governed mainly by the painting.

What it is good for in a scene

From the blocks you can build a low wall along a road, the lining of a trench, a building under construction or a heap of stacked material at a loading point. Broken pieces serve as rubble under a shelled structure and smaller fragments as a base under vehicle tracks. It pays not to build perfectly: an irregular joint, one block sticking out and a slightly collapsed corner give a wall the credibility that a precise row never achieves.

Building and painting tips

Cut the excess material and manufacturing marks off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the surface. Before painting, wash and degrease the pieces and apply a primer. Concrete does not have one shade: play the base gray so that a few pieces shift toward a warmer and a few toward a cooler tone, otherwise a wall looks like a single block. Then comes a thin wash into the joints, a dry brush in a lighter tone over the edges and finally pigments at ground level. Suggest exposed reinforcement with thin wire.

Who it is for

For builders of dioramas and vignettes in 1:35 scale who compose a scene themselves and want structural elements piece by piece. Figures, vehicles, a base, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.