I just got Operation Zverograd and my first building pieces. Anyone have any advice on how best to paint these? As far as I can tell, most of what I've seen is a single colour coat with a wash applied. Anyone have any advice or examples of more detailed painting for these?

I was just about to begin a building myself, however I have decided to wait until I buy a few more so they can all be painted at once, so all the component pieces will match, building to building, and I will not have to worry about matching them up, or it looking funny if I want to combine kits for colossal structures. If you plan on using premixed colors, this will not likely not be necessary, as replication of the color scheme should be no problem, but the getting the washes an even density may be.

While I agree with a monochromatic color scheme, just the grey and a wash can look a little flat on some that I have seen. I plan on using at least a couple grays (at least one for the "bricks" and one for the "stone/concrete") and I may do the stone parts in a granite finish on top of its grey using several grey tones and the "toothbrush" technique, along with a dark grey/black wash for definition and a brown over wash on parts for weathering. Should go pretty quick, especially if I elect to skip the granite texturing.

A final detail may be to add some 1/48 propaganda posters on the ground floor pieces, although that may limit their utility.

The one piece of advice that seems pretty universal on the buildings is to mask the the "tongues" (connector pieces), because due to their snug fit they will be most troublesome to connect with paint layered over them.

Thanks, Fenton. Yes, I may just wait until I have a few more before painting. I was thinking of going for more of a sandy brown look. There are a few variations on the cover for the Operation Zverograd rulebook that look nice. Again, thanks for the good advice.

Are they pre-primed like the other models in the line?

The buildings in Operation Cerberus are not primed, and I can only assume the ones in the stand alone box are not either, although I have not taken my cellophane off those boxes yet.

The boxed building is not primed, just grey plastic. There is some good stuff on the buildings in Dust Chronicles that should give some inspiration for painting.

Londoncopper said:

Wow. Not sure how I missed Dust Chronicles. Great stuff. Thanks.

And for anyone else who hasn't heard of Dust Chronicles, here's a link: javascript:void(0);/*1351906070782*/

I just ordered Cerberus today. My plan is to give the buildings the Krylon touch in black, then drybrush 'em up gray with some craft paints. Then, finish off with a dullcote. That oughtta work right?

Mattador Actual said:

Make sure the krylon is for plastic.

I am not a big fan of Krylon anymore. I heard the new formulations to satisfy California's laws are what have lead to their decline in performance and incompatibility with certain plastics. The buildings are polystyrene, so you should not get the "sticky reactions" from it.

Polystyrene… is it the same as the crates and tank traps? I can test on one. And I'm not brand loyal, so anything that'll go on well and not screw it up is fine. Any recommendations?

I've also heard it suggested that I mask the connector-y bits. Any tips?

Either way, I'll try to document the process. Science!

Yeah its the same consistency poly as the ammo crates (as opposed the "chewy" plastic of the minis) so most paints should be fine in my experience.

Generally, I use water based (like Vallejo or even acrylic craft paints) if possible on everything, so you never have to worry about eaten or sticky plastic, but that will likely require you to buy an airbrush.

Although if you are going to be using you airbrush for non-detail work like you would a "rattle can," a cheap one will be fine, even a single-action would suffice.

If you are sticking with rattle cans, on the building it should be fine to use Krylon Fusion, or whatever. However, my first choice would be Tamiya synthetic lacquer, which is more expensive for a little can, but can go on about anything safely, and is much more durable than anything I have ever used.

I am currently masking five stories worth of building myself (Cerberus builiding plus another Warzone Tenement) and while I considered It could "self-mask" If I simply painted it assembled as a five-story beast, since the channels and connectors would be covered (except the vertical connectors on the top floor), but for a couple reasons that may not matter to most, I decided to just mask every single piece.

If you do them separately, don't forget to put a piece of the tape in the channels in addition to taping over the connector tabs, as the fit is already pretty tight and dried paint in the channles can be jsut as bad as paint on the tabs.

I am already more than an hour in, just taping (so beware this method if you are trying have a quick job of it) and have been trying to document my progress.

If it comes out well, I will try to put together a post as a "tutorial," if it comes out horrible, I 'll likely still make a post as a "cautionary tale."

I used spray textured paint from DIY stores, you can get various stone colours and just spray it on, I then picked the pillars out in a deep red. A nice quick and effective way of painting them.

I would love to see pictures if you are up for posting them. I have a small can of over overpriced "granite" spray paint with the texture and whatnot I got at a hobby store I have been afraid to break out on the buildings. If you are getting good results from a textured spray, I am ready to jump on board.

Here you go, I used Desert Bisque by Rust-oleum:

Well Done! I may throw a few washes on and age/weather the stone a bit, but that looks really great.

I had bought a can of textured paint, but was ultimately too cowardly to go ahead with it. You have opened my eyes sir.

Did you overcoat it with anything to preserve the finish? Is it holding up well?

Interesting results. I'm still trying to decide how to approach the buildings. I've primed all the bits with Vallejo grey primer but I think I'm going to leave this on the back burner as I have TOO MANY figures waiting to be painted and at the rate new units are released, I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever catch up.

Does anyone else find the buildings a tad wobbly? The pieces from the building I got with Zverograd is very shaky. I've had to do some gluing on the two halves that make each piece to keep them together properly.

Fenton said:

It was sprayed straight on with no sealer and is still there, no chips or flaking. Was going to weather them myself but have not plucked up the courage yet as Its not something I have done before, I did do a black wash on the red on some of the other buildings though.

Siouxfire said:

Yeah, the joints are pretty crap really some stupidly tight and others really loose.

Building looks good !!! No dirty it up…NO FEAR ……im sure you will do well.