Stone tiles?

Thanks for the painting details for the rotten boarding Allan - it was more the board ends that I wondered about. :roll:  You've reproduced perfectly the "comb-like" rotten ends - surely that isn't done with just paint ……….:shock::shock::shock:

Normally, my buildings look reasonable until I grab my paintbrush after which, they tend to look like some primary school kids' offering ………..all over-bright colours, layed on far too thickly.  The "subtle shading" which gives that natural look seems to avoid me completely …………..

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Thanks for the painting details for the rotten boarding Allan - it was more the board ends that I wondered about. :roll:  You've reproduced perfectly the "comb-like" rotten ends - surely that isn't done with just paint ……….:shock::shock::shock:

Normally, my buildings look reasonable until I grab my paintbrush after which, they tend to look like some primary school kids' offering ………..all over-bright colours, layed on far too thickly.  The "subtle shading" which gives that natural look seems to avoid me completely …………..

Hi Peter.

It's not that often I use paint, well not in the strictest sense as I mainly use wood dyes on buildings and where I might use paint - doors, windows, woodwork etc - then I use it sparingly and well thinned out. Bright colours are too 'sudden', too in your face, and while they might work in the real world they light up a model like a neon light - "Hey, I'm a building with blinding white windows and fire engine red doors!!" 

Sutlety is the name of the game when painting buildings - and always use matt collours if you can - if you cant get the colour you want in matt,  then flatten it by mixing in talcum powder.

Oh, the the rotten boarding is distressed by slicing the ends up with a Stanley Knife - but here's another trick that works quite well - wood graining.

For this I draw a jewellers saw hard down the styrene boarding/strips which 'gouges' a very convincing grain effect into the plastic surface, then coulour this with wood dye, dry brush a little paint over the dye, as I have done on the model shown, and it looks pretty convincing - and it doesn't take all day to achieve it, just a few minutes. 

Allan.

Made fair progress today, buildings based, walling and steps finished, roofes weathered and canal basin second coated with PVA and almost ready for stippling.

Allan



 



 



 



 



 

It looks bliddy marvellous with the green on it, Allan.  I like the way the roof timbers have sagged over the years under the weight of the tiles.  :thumbs

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

It looks bliddy marvellous with the green on it, Allan.  I like the way the roof timbers have sagged over the years under the weight of the tiles.  :thumbs

Yeh Max, I used my waistline as a template!

Allan.

At the risk of repeating myself, that's awesome Allan. :doublethumb

So much detail to look at.  It's actually better than the Cotswolds because there aren't any crowds of tourists with cameras constantly clicking away. thumbs

Talking of crowds Peter, I was outside in the front garden taking some pics when a lady stopped and asked  "I like that, is it made out of Leggo?"!!!

"No" I said "fire cement"

"Huh" she said looking down down at her nose  "I only asked"!

Cheers.

Allan.

Almost there! drainpipes an stuff, then whatever takes my fancy - great being retired, do it the way you want and not the way others don't want you to !

Allan.



 



 



 



 



 



 

Great work again Allan,i don't know whether to look at them or move into them. doublethumb:doublethumb:doublethumb

Thanks Alan.

Arlington Row next -Bidbury, Cotswolds - or as much of them as I can fit into a given area.

Arlington row is supposed to be a 1,000 years old, and they look it, so somehow I've got to make the model look a 1,000 years old too!

Allan.

This is they.

Brilliant work Allan.  What's the process in creating the water?

Terry

[user=711]col.stephens[/user] wrote:

Brilliant work Allan.  What's the process in creating the water?

Terry

Thanks Terry.

Paint the bed black/dark green, then cover in a thickish coat of neat PVA then as it starts to skin over, stipple it with a one inch household paint brush then when dry repeat untill you get enough build up after which it will dry out transparant  and finish with a coat of clear gloss varnish.

The water seen here was treated twice - the more coats, the heavier the 'flow'

Allan.

[user=1427]allan downes[/user] wrote:

Arlington row is supposed to be a 1,000 years old, and they look it, so somehow I've got to make the model look a 1,000 years old too!

Allan.

This is they.

That's going to be some retirement then….!

Cheers, Gary.

Hi Alan,

Superb build. How long on average does it take you to complete one of your typical builds ?

They all look like a life times work to me but you seem to be able to pop these out at will. What a gift.

Cheers

Toto

[user=1505]toto[/user] wrote:

Hi Alan,

Superb build. How long on average does it take you to complete one of your typical builds ?

They all look like a life times work to me but you seem to be able to pop these out at will. What a gift.

Cheers

Toto

Hi Toto.

I don't put in anywhere near the hours I used to these days - probably 6 hours a day at most  and even then not every day- and when I was going at it full time a scene like those shown here would have been ready for collection in around 3 days.

What made this possible was not having to wait days, sometimes weeks, for materials where I always had plenty of everything in stock - I was literally surrounded by plastic ans cardboard !! - and of course, familiararity with the subject - sizes, leading dimensions, architectural disciplines  etc, and an uncontrollable immagination!

Do something, anything, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you end up being able to do it blindfolded - it was as much use as it was skill.

As for it being clever I would have said it was more of a gift as you say where I didn't have to learn it, it just kind of happened and that's not the same thing -  give me a loco kit and I'll show you what I mean - a total disaster !

Allan.

Hi Allan,

Thanks for the reply. I think I would rather be able to do the buildings and architecture side of things rather than the loco's.

There are plenty of acceptable loco's available of the shelf but the same cannot be said for buildings and where they are, not to anywhere near this quality. Not on the same planet.

3 days…….astounding.

Keep them coming…… A nice run down maintenance shed with outside crane gantry hoist built into the structure of the building would be nice……not that I'm suggesting anything of course ;-)…… Way down your to do list I would imagine.

Thanks for posting these wonderful structures in the first place.

Cheers

toto

Another lovely build Alan.
You are doing your bit for Ye Old England architecture.
I see Toto is steering you in an industrial direction!
Now a model of the first LNWR mechanical coal hoist circa 1915 would be a thing of beauty?
Many thanks for your building tips and photo,s.
Derek.

[user=477]shunter1[/user] wrote: Another lovely build Alan.You are doing your bit for Ye Old England architecture.I see Toto is steering you in an industrial direction!Now a model of the first LNWR mechanical coal hoist circa 1915 would be a thing of beauty?Many thanks for your building tips and photo,s.Derek.
 Yes, I shall be having words with Toto later !!

However, I do just happen to have a pic of a coaler - not LNWR I'm affraid, but a coaler nonetheless! - and although I have put it up before, I can put it up again if you so wish, just give me the word - any excuse to put pics up !

Allan.