This project went along side with the Hive Wall for Toronto Fan Expo 2019. We made physical props that guests could hide behind while they got their photo taken.
The build consisted of a barrel, 2 concrete bunkers and sand bags.
The barrel was a repurposed steel drum that we battle damaged with a pickaxe and metal drill bits to create dents and bullet holes. The entire drum was painted black and various weathering techniques were used from aluminum dry brushing to authentic rusting. It was later sealed with a matte clear coat.
The bunkers were built from Styrofoam panels and epoxied in place. Battle damage was done with various sharp tools to create scratches and bullet holes. We wanted an authentic concrete look and feel without the weight so we inquired about Buddy Rhodes products from Sculpture Supply Canada. They had a vertical concrete mix that could be pigmented and applied on a vertical surface without dripping. After a short while, the vertical mix was dry and we could apply some light weathering with black wash paint and dust. These were incredibly light and could be lifted with one arm.
Since real concrete has metal rebar inside that gets exposed when it’s damaged, we wanted to have the same effect but safe. So we molded a piece of real rebar and cast it in pigmented silicone rubber with a thin metal bar inside so it can be bent into shape but stay completely soft.
The sand bags were made from burlap sacks and stuffed with packing peanuts to keep them lightweight. The stack was glued with construction adhesive and they were battle damaged to give a worn look.
Overall, this build was extremely fun to work on and we got a ton of people to take photos with the props!
Thank you for viewing! If you have any questions regarding this build, feel free to contact us!
