I've been a fan of Judge Dredd since reading the 2000AD comics in the 70's and 80's. Unlike many comic-boys I actually didn't mind the Stallone movie, but was disappointed with its lightheartedness. Hearing a new, darker version was on the way inspired me to make a Dredd of my own.

The model is more-or-less entirely scratch built in 3 sections - Dredd, the Lawmaster bike and the diorama base. It is approximately 1/6th scale so Dredd would be about 12 inches if standing.

Dredd started with a wire frame, covered in foil and then paper mache and then Das clay for the musculature, face, clothes, armour etc. Accessories on the belt are various bits from the spares box, the Lawgiver gun is an old Action Man (GI Joe in the US) item, modified on the setting dial and muzzle with more spare bits. Dredd's helmet is the lid of the wifes deodorant can cut down to helmet shape with added clay for the badge.

The bike turned into a mission and then some. I started off with a set of fat wheels from a radio-controlled buggy and a couple of motor housings from the same source. When held together they kind of looked like a mean motorcycle like the Lawmaster from the comics. The frame was made from wire fed down flexible tubing and bent to shape. The seat and fuel tank section are from a Kazon Fighter, a Star Trek model I bought for spares - although I never thought it would end up as a motorbike. The headlights are small battery torches, which is cool because I can pose it with the headlight beams on in the dark for a really cool atmospheric look. A lot of it is built from plastic sheet, cut and bent as required and around 500 odd spare bits from the seemingly neverending spares box. The tiny Eagle logos on the fueltank are from Games Workshop and the Lawmaster logos are small moulded letters for a real 3d effect. The whole thing was spray painted with automotive primer, then airbrushed and hand brushed in various colours, mainly all acrylics as they are easier to clean up. Dirtying down was done with dry-brushing, sponging, and lots of ground pastels, especially around the exhaust pipes, to simulate rust and heavy corrosion.

The diorama base is a photo frame filled with polystyrene sheet, as are the back and side walls. There are a few in-jokes and tributes, like the miniature 2000AD comic discarded in the corner of the alleyway, the graffitti on the wall (a reference to the comics' 'alien editor') and the posters (each is photoshopped gag; take a close look and giggle along with me if you like). The street is littered with all kinds of stuff. It was mainly made from plaster mixed with different pigment powders, small scale diorama spares and odds i found around the house - pen springs, plastic cogs, anything to litter the place up and give the feeling of neglect in a dystopian future.

Image: Lawmaster Front