1:35 The walking dead - maps

The walking dead - maps 1:35 — printed maps for a diorama (ETA diorama)

The sheet is a paper accessory for scenes in 1:35 scale. It carries printed maps that will end up in a scene spread on a hood, pinned to the wall of a command post or dropped on a table. It is not a kit, a photo-etched set or a waterslide decal. The theme comes from an imaginary horror subject and serves as a backdrop for a post-apocalyptic scene, nothing more.

Weathering and aging the paper

A map that is to look used in a scene needs some work. Freshly printed white paper looks like an office printout, so first coat it with a very weak solution of tea or a thin oil wash in an ocher shade and let it dry thoroughly between two sheets under a weight, so that it does not curl. Then tear the edges lightly with a fingernail instead of using scissors — a torn edge has fibers and looks real, a cut edge does not. Small smudges can be added with dry graphite rubbed off with a finger.

Creases and setting it into a scene

A real map has creases. So before gluing, fold the paper into quarters or eighths, run a fingernail sharply over the fold and unfold it again; the creases stay visible and the map stops being flat graphics. On a hood or a table it is glued only at a few points with a thin layer of PVA glue, so that the corners can lift freely. Finally a light matte clear coat from a spray at a distance, so that the print does not reflect light.

Who the sheet is for

• Builders of post-apocalyptic and horror dioramas in 1:35 scale
• Modelers who want to add small narrative details to a scene
• Figure painters building scenes with figures over a map
• Modelers who enjoy weathering paper and working with creases

It is a printed paper accessory for a diorama. Glue, paints, figures and vehicles are not included in the package.