1:72 Posters column

Posters column for a diorama in 1:72 scale

A cylindrical posters column is among the typical features of European cities and in a diorama it does surprisingly much work: it gives the scene a vertical point for the eye to rest on, and at the same time it suggests an inhabited place rather than a mere backdrop. The accessory comes from the manufacturer Hauler and is rendered in 1:72 scale, that is in the range common for small vehicles and aircraft alike. The material of the parts and their number are stated on the box.

What the accessory is for

It is not a kit of a machine but street furniture. A column suits a street corner, a sidewalk, the entrance of a house or the middle of a small square. Combined with a curb and a piece of paving it creates a scene even where there is no room for a whole building.

Building and painting tips

A column has the shape of a cylinder of revolution, so every asymmetry is recognized on it at once — check it for vertical against a ruler before gluing. Paint the base with an airbrush in vertical strokes, so that any graininess does not come together in horizontal bands. You can print the posters on thin paper yourself, but watch the scale of the text: in 1:72 the lettering must not be legible, otherwise it looks over-drawn. Glue the paper with thinned PVA glue and press it into the cylinder with a cotton bud before it dries. Finally dirty the bottom of the column with dust pigment and add a few lifted poster corners — it is exactly these small things that make a scene believable.

Who the accessory is for

• Builders of urban dioramas in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who want to give a vehicle or figures a setting
• Those looking for a small accessory with a large visual effect
• Beginners in dioramas — a small scene can be done in an evening

This is a diorama accessory, not a model of a machine. A base, figures, glue and paints are not included in the package.