To provide extra texture I undercoat the model with a stone effect spray from a hardware store (the kind used on outdoor furniture etc). It gives the model an extra layer of fine spackle detail and helps hide some of the layers. You can be quite heavy handed as it dries with less texture than it seems when wet. To speed up the curing time you can over spray with a little grey primer while the stone effect is still wet.

Once the undercoat has dried, do an initial dry brush with grey.

Follow this with a further dry brush with silver. I use GW Necron Compound and Vallejo Silver.

Next we are ready to start adding rust texture - I’m using the paints and technique provided by the excellent Asset Drop (www.assetdrop.co/). The paints used are: Vallejo Mecha Weathering Rust Texture, Vallejo Mecha Weathering Rust Wash and Vallejo Mecha Weathering Light Rust Wash.

First of all roughly dab in the dark rust texture into the areas where rust has eaten away at the metal. You can be quite loose as the next two passes will help blend the edges.

Now apply feathered washes of the Rust wash, make sure to go beyond the edges of the initial dark Rust Texture.

Finally apply the lightest wash: The Light Rust Wash, again painting beyond the boundaries of the previous two rust paints.

Once your happy with the level of rust its time to start adding details. First pick out rock and stone details with a mid grey and dry brush with a lighter grey. I use Citadel Dawnstone and Longbeard Grey, but any decent grey will do the job.

Once the concrete, rock and stone areas are finished, pick out the eggs with GW Nurgling Green or something similarly nasty looking.

Follow with a green wash. Again I’m using GW Cathonian Green shade. I then go back and paint highlights with the Nurgling Green. Finally adding extreme highlights with a mix of Nugling green and white. Finish the eggs off with a Gloss Varnish to really make them slimy looking. Be careful not to get any varnish on the metal or stone.

To add the feeling of rust “leeching” into the surrounding area I apply a light orange weathering powder. Load up your brush, “tap” the dust into the areas and then dry brush the excess away and this will drive the dust into the recessed areas.

I’ve created a bespoke mix of grasses and tiny dry leaves from a hobby store, but obviously you can use any grass you are happy with.

Dab PVA into areas where you think the grass would settle and then blob on the grass mix, pressing firmly.

Turn the model upside down and tap the excess grass off. Now we are ready for final touches.

Finally add tufts of grass, branches, dried leaves and foliage to the models to really give them that overgrown and abandoned look.