Adding Earth Effects To Scale Models – Wave Ma. K Gladiator Part 6

“Adding earth effects” is really a fancy way of saying “make it look muddy”. Sure there are dust marks, rain marks, and a host of other specific things we can add to our models. But in the end it’s all about mud and grime.

When I was a kid, I loved digging in the dirt. My friends and I would dig foxholes and trenches all in the woods next to my house. Piles of dirt would become battle fields for our toy soldiers. Dirt clod wars were commonplace.

But little did I realize at the time that it was good training for future modeling.

Certainly there are plenty of cues to be taken from the world around us. Photos online, a visit to a construction site, and simply observing our own cars can help us understand weathering.

But of all the references available to me, I still think knowing what it’s like to be covered in mud, dirt, and grime really brings it alive. (The Army helped greatly in that regard too! 😉)

Adding Earth Effects To The Gladiator

The Gladiator is 1/20th scale, so it offers great opportunity to go big on the weathering. In smaller scale, it is very easy to get way out of scale quickly with “large brush” effects. Maschinen Krieger is perfect though for adding great amounts of clumpy, muddy texture.

In the video, I use textured products from Adam Wilder’s line of products. It doesn’t require a commercial product though to accomplish it. Gravel from a craft store, or even from your own yard, can be added to a variety of products to produce the same effect. And if the color is not what your looking for, the textured layer can always be painted over with additional colors.

This video is the final in the series focused on building Wave’s 1/20 Gladiator, from famed artist Kow Yokoyama’s Maschinen Krieger franchise. It’s a wonderful kit that I’d recommend to any modeler.

Be sure and check out the full build series for this Gladiator, as well as my other Maschinen Krieger videos.