1:35 Chechnya war road signs

Chechnya, road signs 1:35 (ETA diorama)

A printed paper sheet for dioramas in 1:35 scale with designs of road and direction signs. It serves as a period depiction that gives a scene from a modern conflict a convincing setting. It is an accessory for a diorama, not a kit and not a waterslide decal.

Make sheet metal out of paper

A road sign has to be thin, stiff and metallic. With a paper design that is achieved by backing it: glue the cut-out print onto a plastic sheet a few tenths of a millimeter thick or onto thin aluminum sheet and only then cut the final outline. That gives a plate with a firm edge which can be bent, dented or nicked, and that is exactly what sets signs in a scene apart from flat stickers. Make the post from wire or a plastic rod and glue the sign to it with super glue, because paper alone has no bond to plastic.

Placing them in a scene and weathering

Do not set the signs upright and clean. A slight lean, a dented edge, a chipped rim and rust running from the fixing make the whole impression. Knock the color of the print back with a very thin wash, dust the lower part with pigment and suggest bare metal on the edge with a thin stroke of silver paint. Glue the paper itself onto its backing with matte white (PVA) glue and spray the finished piece with matte varnish, which suppresses the sheen of the print and strengthens the surface. A sign at the roadside also leads the viewer's eye and helps the composition of the scene.

Who the sheet is for

• Builders of road and urban dioramas in 1:35
• Modelers who have made their signage by hand until now
• Collectors of vehicles completing the surroundings of a model
• More experienced diorama builders working with backing and weathering

A printed paper accessory for a diorama. Backing material, glue, paints and varnish are not included in the package.