How to paint a cardboard box?

849 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by MobiusPrime, Feb 3, 2006

red120

Discussion Starter · Jan 29, 2006

Not like the title seems.

I'm making a conversion for my pathfinders; they're all going to be hiding in cardboard boxes to represent the +2 save from camoline cloaks.

Thinking about making the boxes out of plasticard, but open to suggestions.

The main deal is, how to paint a smooth and flat surface to look like the texture of cardboard realistically?

Thanks guys. I know it's not a common request to see cardboard on the battlefield.

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Andusciassus

· #2 · Jan 29, 2006

Lovely idea Red120, crazy crazy you.

I think what you should do is to first base them brown, then have drybrush of Bleached bone. Not to dry, this is such a time where that "a little to wet drybrush funginess" can be just what you are looking for. When this is done, make some fine lines close to the edges in a darker colour, maybe use a fine tipped pen instead of a brush. Then have a go with a little darker bleached bone, add a touch of brown, but in a rather thin layer.
Make sure to get an uneven coverage with the paints to show that this is not the first time them boxes seen battle...maybe add some bulletholes

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Commander Y

· #3 · Jan 30, 2006

I think most of the look will come from the modeling... You'll need some tears, rips... perhaps places where the corrugation shows through (they have textured plasticard that looks just like the wavy corrugation, in really small scales - mate that with an outside layer of the thinnest plastic sheet you can find, and it'll allow you to remove holes in the flat stuff to let the corrugation show), bends, crushed places, folds. Also follow the normal construction of a cardboard box, with the flaps, etc, so the SHAPE is easily recognizable.

I'd suggest Vallejo Model Colour US Tan Earth as a pretty close color match. And when applying highlights, try stippling... jabbing the bristles at the "box" perpendicular to its surfaces. Do this enough, with several different shades, and you'll get that almost mottled appearance.

Then there's also the detail cardboard boxes tend to have... shipping labels, big recycle logos, pallette-stacking instructions, brand names, etc...

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Wraith

· #4 · Jan 31, 2006

Oh, man... I don't really have anything else to add, they've already pretty much said it all. (I work freight though, so If you want pics of shipping boxes to work from, I can help with that)

I just couldn't resist linking this... ^_^

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red120

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 31, 2006

Commander Y said:
I think most of the look will come from the modeling... You'll need some tears, rips... perhaps places where the corrugation shows through (they have textured plasticard that looks just like the wavy corrugation, in really small scales - mate that with an outside layer of the thinnest plastic sheet you can find, and it'll allow you to remove holes in the flat stuff to let the corrugation show), bends, crushed places, folds. Also follow the normal construction of a cardboard box, with the flaps, etc, so the SHAPE is easily recognizable.

I'd suggest Vallejo Model Colour US Tan Earth as a pretty close color match. And when applying highlights, try stippling... jabbing the bristles at the "box" perpendicular to its surfaces. Do this enough, with several different shades, and you'll get that almost mottled appearance.

Then there's also the detail cardboard boxes tend to have... shipping labels, big recycle logos, pallette-stacking instructions, brand names, etc...

Really! I didn't know at all, where would you get plasticard like that? The only place in this city I've seen that sells plasticard is the very normal, flat, one in varying thicknesses.

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slorak

· #6 · Jan 31, 2006

If you have a local model railroad store you are likely to find the other plasticards. Barring that I know you will be able to find it online.

Evergreen plasticard

Plastruct Plasticard

Cheers,

-Mike

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IATFP

· #7 · Feb 1, 2006

Sneaking around in cardboard boxes, eh? That's the kind of silliness tabletop gaming needs! Well if you're gonna have em use the boxes like Solid Snake did, remeber to have the handle holes (shaped like a flattened circle) so they can see out of the boxes.

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red120

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 3, 2006

Tentative pre-painting version.

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slorak

· #9 · Feb 3, 2006

The bottom part of the box looks great. I would work on the top part. Get a closer fit and also score it in the middle to show both sides of the flaps. Otherwise looks good.

Cheers,

-Mike

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MobiusPrime

· #10 · Feb 3, 2006

I would recommend that after painting the box brown, put some small wording on the box.

The words don't have to be lidgible, just a small squigly line using a pen should do the trick.

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