Brainstorm and sketch ideas for the various buildings which will make up your ghost town.
Draw aging elements onto the buildings. Cracked windows, aged wood and cobwebs will make the town seem more deserted and old. The simplest way to make a building seem deserted is to make all of the windows and open doors dark. Consult some reference images of ghost towns, for example those on the sites listed under References.
Transfer the drawing onto grid paper, to scale. Use a scale such as one square on the grid represents 1 square foot in reality. The grid drawing doesn't need to be as detailed as the original sketch, but should give enough of an idea that you can build from it.
Place four 2-by-4 planks so they form a square frame for one of your buildings. Place the one which will make the base at the bottom, the two sides above that, and a fourth across the top. Build this according to the scale on your drawing. Nail these pieces together.
Place a fifth 2-by-4 inside the frame. Center this plank and nail it into place. If you are going to install an opening door or window on the frame, add two spaced wide enough to accommodate the window or door. Cut a length of 2-by-4 to install at the top and/or bottom of the window or door, and nail those into place inside.
Cut two lengths each of 2-foot, 1-foot and 6-foot 2-by-4 planks.
Lift the frame upright. Nail the 2-foot length at the bottom corners to make a foot for the frame. The foot should point backward from the frame.
Brace the foot using the 6-foot length. Nail it into place between the tip of the foot and the main body of the frame. Repeat on the other side.
Brace the foot brace with a 1-foot length of wood. Attach it horizontally between the frame and the foot brace. This creates a sturdy base for the wood frame.
Cover the front of the frame in canvas, nailed into place. If you have added a door or window, cut out a void in the canvas for that piece, and install it according to its directions.
Paint the canvas according to your sketches and diagrams. Start by painting the basic shapes of doors, windows, and signs. Add details like wooden siding and lettering on the doors or signs.
Paint grain details onto the canvas using a thin paintbrush. Make the wood look cracked and aged, worn at the edges where the wood has been exposed for years.
Sand some parts of the paint and wood to make the paint flaky. When the wood paint is tacky, sprinkle some dust onto parts of the wood to give it a dusty look.
Paint windows and open doors in black. On some panels, draw sharp, thin white lines to imply cracked and broken glass. If you have installed an opening door or window, paint or stain it for the same cracked and worn look.
Attach panels from the old wooden pallets to the front of the frame to give a more textured look. Hang cobwebs off of these pieces of wood or open doors. If you need to put some cobweb somewhere on the canvas but can't hang it on something, you can tack it into place on the canvas.