Looking for a way to make a bent/dented metal look for a diorama.

[hydin]

I'm pretty stumped.

Basically a friend of mine wants me to build him a diorama, and I thought it'd be cool if the background was a dented/warped piece of metal. Think hammered or big fist prints in a wall.

Only problem is, I have no idea how to do something like this. My only experience with diorama making is with styrofoam and using plaster to cover it, or water putty, and then painting it.

So... how would one go about making a big dented metal wall, complete with dull sheen effect?

Any tips are very welcome, cause right now I am completely lost.

Thanks!
Chris

 

[chuckyAPP]

You can use sheets or styrene or syntra and just heat gun the spots you want the dents and while the plastic is soft you can impress and design into it you like.

 

[Foamguy]

You can definitely still use styrofoam and just customize it to look like warped metal. It would take some craftsmanship but you can carve it and texture it how you need to and paint it to give it the metal look. If your having trouble getting the styrofoam sheets or other shapes you need, try Styrofoam | Expanded Polystyrene | Polyurethane Foam & Products from Universal Foam Products. They are a great place to get any sort of foam product you need.:thumbsup

 

[mcloudx]

do not rush, the best idea will come at the right time

 

[Jon Kelley]

Use sheet aluminum - "in the white," it will have that dull sheen you're looking for - or close to it.

To make dents and suchlike in it? Get some large steel balls, a board, and a mallet. Lay the sheetmetal on the board, and you can EITHER climb a latter and drop the balls from 6-8 feet to make dents, OR set the ball on the metal and give it a swat with the mallet.

The wood will back up the metal - it's soft enough to allow the dents, but still rigid enough to support the metal. A standard shelf board will do - but use sawn lumber, not particle board (particle board won't have as much "give" to it.)

A small steel wire wheel in a drill motor may be used to "scour" the aluminum sheet to show wear, and the sheet may be polished as well, if you like.

How's that sound? (If you used steel, your last step would have to be to varnish it to keep it from rusting in open air. Aluminum forms an oxide layer, which seals the surface for you...)

 

[glunark]

A cheap source of scrap metal can be just cutting up drink cans.

Beer or energy drinks can be quite large once you cut them open and bend them back into being straight, and they are only painted on one side.

You cant get more metal looking than real metal.