Rando's Market Tutorial

Where do we begin! Time to gather some supplies and get cracking.

Needed Items:

PHASE 1 : Preparation

After receiving or printing Rando's Market, you will need to prepare the PLA prints. Do so by first blow torching any loose stringy bits that may still be there from the printing process. You can also use the blow torch to help round off any edges of the arches that may have not printed the best. Once all the parts are cleaned to your liking, grab your can of filler primer (my favorite is linked above, found many places). Spray evenly across all parts, if you need some tips on using rattle cans for hobbying, check this video out.

Let dry, I repeat, let dry. Usually in a good conditions I will let it dry for 3-5 hours, preferably over night.

Once dry, grab up a 200 grit piece of sandpaper and wreak havoc on smooth surfaces, don't bother with small niches or worry too much about the details. After finishing with the 200 grit sandpaper, I recommend cleaning the surface (with canned air for example) and then hitting it with 400 grit sandpaper, you can do it dry or wet but I hear wet works wonders.

 Once you are satisfied with the sanding, Phase 1 is complete.

Phase 2 : Base Coat

Using the tips from the video above, prepare your can of base color. Evenly paint all parts of the models you are hobbying so that everything is covered with your base color. The Rust-oleum that I prefer dries very quickly and you can wait 15-20 minutes and then continue on with the next phase. I recommend doing all of the pieces in the same stage to complete the entire set more efficiently. 

Phase 3 : Detail Colors and Kit Bashing Bits

This is where freedom of choice comes in. You can see where and what I colored as an easy example above or feel free to mix it up. I was going with a remote desert type of theme, and I chose Gray for my trim color and mixed up the Red, Yellow, and Blue/Green on varied parts. I created a pattern on the model detail to the left and right of the large doorway using the colors mentioned above. I used the German Red Brown on the trim above the archways.

I applied all of the detail colors by brush, which I thinned each of the colors slightly with a small amount of water. By doing this, the paint applies more easily and allows you to build up a few coats quickly that will have a much nicer finish and appearance.

Phase 3b : Kitbashing

Kit bashing is more of a random art then one of something that is easily prescribed. I used a few bits from a Bandai model kit, AT-ST and Y-Wing that I thought were appropriately scaled for the terrain pieces. The secret here is not to go over board and make things look like they are / were a part of the structure. I also used some old wire from a failed 3d printer component to add a little something different. Here I used masking tape to hold the wire in place while super gluing slowly along the path. Most small wire between 20 gauge and 30 gauge will look best.

Phase 4 : Weathering

Here I made my own wash to apply to the nooks and crannies and then wipe the excess away with paper towel. I did not want to soak the entire model in wash and wanted to keep the surfaces very clean and dry in appearance. For my wash I combined 1 Part Vallejo Rust Wash, 1 Part Golden Raw Umber, and 1 Part Water. You can easily go heavier on the water or brown component to get more bang for your buck. The secret here is to apply multiple times, ensuring to dab excess away from higher surfaces with paper towel.

Here you can see in the arches on the left the wash applied, and no wash applied on the right. This is another area where you can determine how much or how little wash you apply and where, I would recommend all the detail brick work and even on top of your detail colors and randomly on your base colors. Remember to start light and do multiple layers and clean it up quickly after applying.

Phase 4b  : Sand Effect

The Sand Effect is quite easy, you will need some Sand Colored Tile Grout from your local hardware store and some very small grain sand to mix in with it to make a sand detail mixture. I saw this technique over at Lukes APS, and it makes a detailed final product as well as one that is very resilient. 

Lay down an adhesive layer with a mix of water and PVA glue (Elmers, hobbying glue, whtie glue) with a junk brush. The water allows for the glue to be easily brushed onto the surface of the model where you desire. I usually shoot for a 50/50 mixture. Once your glue is on the model, grab your mixture of grout and sand and sprinkle it over the surface of the model, I just use my fingers and apply it as if I was sprinkling salt on some food. I recommend doing this over a plastic container or dish to catch the sand/grout mixture as it will get everywhere.

Final step is to get some moisture on top of the mixture, I typically use a airbrush with just water and spray it down, alternatively you can use a spray bottle with some water as well.

Phase 5 : Drybrushing / Laquer Coat / Finish

Drybrushing is optional, however I would recommend it if you are going for a more weathered / aged appearance. Here I just used a Buffed white from Golden, any very light sand type of color would work easily as well. I drybrushed all the edges on the front facade to show weathering and age on the colors as well as edges that seemed appropriate.

Finish it off by using a rattle can of Testors Spray Laquer to seal everything up and protect that hard work.

Please let me know if this was helpful and send any recommendations to us through the Contact Us page!