Warsenal Kum Garage Step By Step

Here is the complete step-by-step process of the Warsenal Kum Garage terrain kit, copied from the last several weeks' posts and put all in one place. There are over 100 pictures, so this might take awhile to load!

Over the next several days, I will be chronicling the assembly and painting of the Warsenal Kum (rhymes with Broom) Garage. This is the largest terrain kit I have ever assembled, and makes a killer centerpiece on the gaming table.

The kit is made of MDF and acrylic, and like most MDF terrain kits comes packaged in flat sheets that you punch the pieces out of. Some of the pieces have a tiny tab connecting the MDF to the frame, and it is better to slice through this with a hobby knife than it is to try and push it out with brute force!

I used sanding sticks, a sanding block, and sometimes a square needle file to clean up any nubs left by those connecting tabs.

I spent a bunch of time dry-fitting everything to make sure that I understood how the kit went together before I applied any glue. Regular craft glue works great on the MDF to MDF joins, while super glue takes care of MDF-to-acrylic.  

The assembly PDF that Warsenal has on their web site is super handy. 

I also had to plan out a general idea of how I was going to paint it. If I assembled it all at once, I wouldn't be able to get to everything that needs to be painted, so I broke it down into logical sub-assemblies that would be easier to paint. Also, if you stick it together before painting, then you'll end up priming the clear acrylic windows, and that's no good.

About 42 million pieces

Pre-Paint assemblies

When all put together, this thing has a 12" x 12" footprint, and is 6.5" at its highest point. It's huge!

I primed both sides of everything (even if it would later not be visible, to help against warping) with Krylon Dual black paint and primer in one.

Continuing the step-by-step of my Kum Garage by Warsenal.

The first thing I painted were the metal accessories - Awnings and ventilation, parts of the gas tank and trash bin. I used an airbrush (A Badger Patriot that I won in a contest on the WGC Infinity Facebook Group), and only used a "regular" brush for the final edge highlights.

After priming everything black (I used Krylon Dual Paint and Primer In One), the parts were base-coated with Vallejo Model Color 160 Neutral Grey, and then highlighted with VMC 155 Light Grey:

And then highlighted further with White:

Then first shadows were applied with VMC 168 Black Grey:

And more shadows with Black:

Tones were applied using Vallejo Game Colour Turquoise, with some P3 Cygnar Blue Base mixed in:

Finally, edge highlights were applied in White with a brush. I use the flat of the bristles (the side), instead of the point, and drag it along the edge at a 45-degree angle, so just the sharpest edge is picked out.

Before moving on, time to mask off the steel areas just finished so I can paint the other colors. I'm using Utrecht watercolor art masking fluid, as well as plastic wrap from the kitchen and some blue painter's masking tape.

Continuing the step-by-step of my Kum Garage by Warsenal.

With the steel bits masked off, it's on to painting the body of the trash bin and gas tank. Since the building was going to be primarily blue, I decided to go with orange on the accessories (because the color wheel told me to).

I started with a base of VMC 137 Cavalry Brown:

I highlighted with VMC 131 Orange Brown:

That was then further highlighted with VGC Scrofulous Brown:

I added white to the Scrofulous for a further highlight:

I edge-highlighted with a mix of Scrofulous and White, and then removed the masking:

Continuing the step-by-step of my Kum Garage by Warsenal.

With the steel masked off, time to paint the blue bits of the accessories that will match the main color of the bulk of the garage.

First I base-coated with VMC 070 Blue Green:

This is shaded with a mix of VGC Turquoise and P3 Cygnar Blue Base (sometimes I forget to take a photo of a step...), and further shaded with P3 Coal Black:

Then I highlighted with VGC Wolf Grey:

And final highlights with White:

After edge highlighting with white, I removed the masking and all the accessories were ready to be roughed up a bit. I'll get into the weathering on Monday's post!

This week I'll continue on with the step-by-step of the Kum Garage by Warsenal.

Having all the smaller add-on bits finished and factory clean, it's time to give them that "used universe" look.

First thing is to rough up the edges, where paint is likely to get stained, rubbed off and chipped over time.

One neat way to do this chipping effect is to use some blister pack foam and a dark earth tone or even black. Here I've used P3 Umbral Umber. Balling up the foam and securing it with a rubber band helps prevent unnatural, repetitive shapes that can happen if you use a more geometric shape or the corners.

Next I added some rusty areas using the airbrush and a mix of VMC 131 Orange Brown with a touch of 137 Cavalry Brown mixed in.

To the orange tank and bin, I applied some staining again with the airbrush, using P3 Umbral Umber and VMC 100 Black Green.

Tomorrow, we tackle the floors.

Continuing with the step-by-step of the fabulous Kum Garage terrain kit by Warsenal.

I decided I wanted the arrows on the parking spaces to light up red (well, fake paint light-up - not LED craziness or anything), so the first step was to paint the arrows, which would then get masked off before painting the bulk of the concrete floors.

They started with VMC 034 Burnt Cadmium Red.

(Cadmium is really toxic, so do not spray it unless you have one hell of a respirator mask, or if you are using the newer, cadmium-free formula. I like heavy metal, too - just not this kind).

This was then highlighted with Vallejo Game Air Bloody Red. The white-ish "highlights" you see are glare from the lamps... sorry.

More highlighting with Game Air Orange Fire.

And even lighter with VGC Gold Yellow. You can see that I am concentrating the brighter colors toward the centers of the arrows.

Final Highlights, very focused at the center, are with White.

Once that is completely dry (and I do use a hairdryer to speed things along), I can then mask it with liquid masking fluid.

The mask takes awhile to dry (I lay it on pretty thick so that it is easier to remove). Once it is I can base the concrete with VMC 160 Neutral Grey.

Then I highlighted with VMC 110 Deck Tan.

I soften the transition between them using P3 Cryx Bane Highlight.

Final Highlights are added with White.

And then shading is done with P3 Coal Black.

Using white to edge highlight the concrete, that part is done. But don't go peeling off the mask just yet, as there is more to paint on this sub-assembly.

Continuing with the step-by-step of the fabulous Kum Garage terrain kit by Warsenal.

First thing we need to do is protect the finished parts from getting over-sprayed. Blue painter's tape and some cellophane will cover it up quickly and easily.

Then we can paint the grates in our same steel colors.

After liquid-masking those, it is on to the interior floor colors (also used for interior ceilings).

First is a base coat of VMC 104 Iraqi Sand.

That is highlighted with VMC 005 Ivory.

Then some shadows with VMC 133 Cork Brown.

And more shadows with VMC 142 US Field Drab.

After masking off the floor, we can paint the interior bits our main Blue color. I start with VMC 070 Blue Green.

That gets shadows with VGC Turquoise and P3 Coal Black.

Highlights are added by mixing VGC Wolf Grey into the VMC 070 Blue Green, and then adding white to the mix.

Peel up the mask, and Vee-oh-lay, a base piece ready for some weathering.

I stain the base with the same rusty mixture as the steel parts received (VMC 131 Orange Brown with some 137 Cavalry Brown mixed in). I also stained parts using P3 Thornwood Green.

I then applied the paint chipping with blister pack foam, using a mixture of P3 Umbral Umber and Black. I not only stippled around corners and edges, but also used dragged the foam to create streaks. Make sure to dab off most of the paint first.

Next, I did something I wish I hadn't done. I liked the look of the red arrows at this point, but wanted it to glow a bit more, so tried the old trick of spray some white, then overspray the area with Ghost Tints Red. I liked it better before I did this...

Next up will be a whole lot of stairs and steps...

Continuing with the step-by-step of the fabulous Kum Garage terrain kit by Warsenal.

The exterior block of steps needed to be the same concrete colors I used for the base:

VMC 160 Neutral Grey highlighted with 110 Deck Tan

Then tint the area between those two colors with P3 Cryx Bane Highlight

Shade with P3 Coal Black

Finally highlight more with White

The interior has a staircase that I painted in steel colors.

Base with VMC 160 Neutral Grey, shade with Black Grey and Black. Highlight with Light Grey and then White. Tones are added with a mix of VGC Turquoise and P3 Cygnar Blue Base. Using a normal brush, edge highlights are done with white.

Both stairs and steps were weathered like the rest of the building. The rust is a mix of Vallejo 131 Orange Brown and 137 Cavalry Brown. Then the chipping effect is stippled on with blister pack foam and P3 Umbral Umber.

Continuing with the step-by-step of the fabulous Kum Garage terrain kit by Warsenal.

The Main Event! The walls make up the majority of the structure. 

The base color is VMC 070 Blue Green.

Highlights are applied by mixing VGC Wolf Grey into the base color.

Further highlights added with pure Wolf Grey

Final highlights added with White

Shading starts with VGC Turquoise mixed with P3 Exile Blue

P3 Coal Black is airbrushed on for final shading

All the blue parts finished! Notice the masked-off steps before spraying the walls blue.

Getting close now!

Continuing with the step-by-step of the fabulous Kum Garage terrain kit by Warsenal.

Adding a pop of color to the interior doors. They have a small control panel/screen area that I wanted to make orange. First step was to mask off that rectangle on each piece. Then I sharpied on an arrow so I would know which end was up.

Started with old GW Blazing Orange. VGC Hot Orange is the equivalent.

Highlight with P3 Heartfire

Highlight with old GW Golden Yellow. VGC Gold Yellow is the equivalent

Highlight with VMC 013 Ice Yellow

Shade with Vallejo Game Air Bloody Red

Remove the masking, and Robert is your mother's brother.

Time to weather the blue, starting by stippled P3 Umbral Umber with blister foam.

Rust was added with the usual mix of VMC 131 Orange Brown and 137 Cavalry Brown

Now all the blue has to get masked off before painting the tan of the floors and ceilings and the metal of the window frames and things.  I used some sticky notes to block bulk areas, instead of wating a bunch of tape.  This took... long.

Continuing with the step-by-step of the fabulous Kum Garage terrain kit by Warsenal.

The ceilings and floors are based with VMC 104 Iraqi Sand, then shaded with 133 Cork Brown.

Further shading is added with VMC 142 US Field Drab.

Highlights are added with VMC 005 Ivory

The floors then got masked so the interior steel catwalks could be painted. Base with VMC 160 Neutral Grey, shade with Black Grey and Black. Highlight with Light Grey and then White. Tones are added with a mix of VGC Turquoise and P3 Cygnar Blue Base. Then edge highlight with white.

Floors needed to get weathered with a mix of VMC 131 Orange Brown and VMC 137 Cavalry Brown, then stippled with P3 Umbral Umber using a piece of blister foam.

The orange lights are first sprayed white - in fact, they are over-sprayed to create a halo around the light details. I did a couple of coats, and concentrated the pigment toward the center of each light rectangle. When that dried, I simply spray over the area with Orange Ghost Tint.

The bottom of this piece hangs over the back wall, so needs to be half interior color and half exterior.

I got all the pieces outside and spray-varnished both sides with Krylon 1311 Matte Varnish.  It's a little shinier than Testor's dullcote, but it is a heck of a lot cheaper, and so it's great for terrain.

After varnishing, I glued in the clear acrylic windows and then dry-fit all the pieces together before committing to glue.

The final assembly was completed using Aleene's Tacky Glue craft glue and super glue. I varnished the pieces first, because you can't spray varnish the acrylic windows once you glue them in place. Any shiny glue spots I touched up with some brush-on matte varnish.

This thing is DONE. Complete pictures in tomorrow's blog post!

This fantastic piece of terrain by Warsenal is their Kum Garage (But I'm calling it my PanO Remotes Garage!). It makes a great centerpiece for any table, and also takes up a nice chunk of real estate. It features LOS-blocking obstructions around its perimeter, a fully playable interior accessible via removable roof with catwalks, stairways, railings and doorways. And the base includes two tunnels models can crawl through after opening the grates.

To watch this building come together step by step, click on the "Kum Garage" tag in the word cloud in the right column.