Westlake Publishing Forums

The 1/2"-scale "Playland Arcade" project has been lying dormant since I made some arcade games for it nearly
five years ago. Indecisiveness about what type of building to make put the project on hold, but it's
time to knuckle down and bring the project back to the bench.  Here are a couple of the games:

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...and a shooting gallery game under construction:

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After drawing up some ideas and roughing in the buildings with Gatorboard, the Arcade is
coming back to life.  The idea is an old arcade that's being emptied out, with the contents being
loaded onto the back of a stakebody truck:

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Just to get my feet wet, I'm concentrating on this little hallway in the building beside the
Arcade.  It will only be seen through this open front door, but there will be a dim light in there
so it will need some detail:

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I wanted some peeling wallpaper to show, as well as a small piece of a damaged
plaster wall beside the doorway on the right, just inside the entrance.
First, the Gatorboard was cut and the foam scooped out:

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Next, two studs and some basswood slats were installed...

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....followed by a mix of Aluminum Oxide powder and white acrylic paint for the plaster:

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"Jim's Printable Mini" wallpaper was glued on with doll house wallpaper paste
and some of the paper was torn and bent:

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The doors, woodwork and flooring still need to be done, and the walls and ceiling need
more weathering and water streaks and a couple of radiator pipes, but the Arcade is officially back on the bench!

It's back!

Ken,
that Wolfson show last Winter did get you infected, huh? You know those model viruses can linger around for a while until the first symptoms show up. I am very excited about this project. Your DPM-Kitbash was very inspiring to me, so I can't wait to see the progress reports for this one!

"Antique" arcade game consoles provide a unique opportunity to model indoor weathering: cigarette burns, spilled soda pop, etc.

Ahhh the memories of wasted afternoons.......
The smells and all sorts of sensory overload.
I still remember many of those games you have modeled.
Looks like the start of an interesting diorama.
-Marty

Now, THIS is creation, Ken!

Very cool project!

Is it true the place went out of business cuz you didn't feel like making scale coins to operate the machines?  ;D

Another really cool project ... but, speaking of coins, shouldn't there be some little coin slots on the machines?

The graphics and overall "feeling" of the games is amazing!

Cheers,
Dallas

Ken,
Something I always appreciate about you work is the different slant you put on the subject.  Could have just made a collection of old arcade games in room, but the choice to tell the story of the arcade being closed, building in a state of disrepair etc, almost gives the diorama a sense of history...death of the arcade.   You just need to include a figure of a young guy walking past he truck with a Nintendo DS in his hands to complete the story.

It's good a radical degree of coolness...is that appropriate arcade language?

Cheers,
Dan

Thanks, guys:
Dan: I do plan on a figure or two in the scene if I can pull off just the right poses.
Dallas: there will definitely be coin slots (and more) on each of the machines. 
More weathering on each one, too.  I do like to give builds a sense of history,
or at least some sort of human touch.
BKLN: Yeah....that Wolfson show was amazing.  Seeing his stuff in person was a real treat.

Deck the Halls.... Here's the latest progress. 
The tile floor is from Jim's Printable Minis; the front edge and face of the steps
are styrene spritzed with primer and washed with thin white for the marbleized effect.

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Water running down the wall justifies the damaged plaster:

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Here's a close-up of the intercom:

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Remember, the hallway is going to be seen from this angle through the door:

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Not much for a week' work.  At this rate, the Arcade Diorama might take a while.
PS: The wainscoting is made from leftover coffee stirrers......Is there no escaping those horrible things?

That looks great! The intercom, with notes stuck along the edge, is a nice touch.

I think we are going to have a very good time watching this little creative process move along. Looks like you already are having fun with it. -- Russ

Beautiful work so far! What is the Wolfson Show?  ???

Anders ;D

For a while I worked nights as a process server in NYC, that was a funny job, but a bit scary at times.   This dingy vestibule brings back memories, just needs more grime.  Actually a lot more grime  :-X

Anders, Wolfson is a diorama artist who does NYC scenery in about 1/25 scale, beautiful work, very inspirational.   He had a show at a gallery in Lower Manhattan a while back

     http://www.alanwolfson.net/ (http://www.alanwolfson.net/)

Thanks Dave! Yes, some incredible work in that slide show.

Anders ;D

Dave - I saw Alan Wolfson's show in Soho a couple of years ago.  His 1/24 sidewalk scene (commissioned work that sold for $140,000) which included the adult book store, really captured the grimy atmosphere of the "bad part of town".  In my opinion, Ken's work is at the same level as Wolfson's.

Ken - Please keep those pictures coming.  I look forward to watching this build.

Don

Don, I agree this build could be just as beautiful :o

Anders ;D

Quote from: Don Railton on December 05, 2010, 08:13:28 AM
In my opinion, Ken's work is at the same level as Wolfson's.

Thanks, Don....but not a chance.  Wolfson's level is something to aspire to, but his
mastery of miniaturization and the atmosphere he captures is out of this world.
He's in the same solar system as the Planet Doan.

PS: Progress reports will be forthcoming!

You are too modest. I suspect your diorama will be in the same league. -- Russ

Ken

What an exciting diorama this will be.  Another artistic piece by one of the best.
Will this be ready for the CSC2011 show?

Jerry

Hi Ken,
Remember it's just a hobby, no pressure involved ::) :P ;) ;D
When can we expect more pictures? ;D
Rick

Neat stuff Ken!  Love the pin ball machines.  RE machines, "Wide Ruled Photo Studio" presents my crappy photo of a crappy model of a little ride-on gizmo like you see at supermarkets.  I'm sure you can do better, but I think you need to add a few to your arcade, eh?  I just found this thing again a few days ago... it was tucked away in a display case.  I think I used an HO kit, something like Highway Pioneers, that I got for a dollar at a train show, some brass rod and some wood bits.  I've recently seen another version of this kind of gizmo here as part of a larger and far nicer model scene but I can't remember who's work it was (sorry).  Gary

Ok, so I've just been for a perve at the Wolfson website (thanks for the link Dave)...thats just insane, and I 100% appreciate the value of that style of work.  There is so much more to observe in a piece like that than I'll ever find in and 2D painting on a wall for the same price.  Thats just a personal preference of course, but thats an exceptonal display of an artist's observational abilities...off now for another look.

Cheers,
Dan

Really enjoying watching this come together Ken... great concept as always. And don't be so modest. Yes, Wolfson's work is amazing in its complexity and emotive power, but I believe yours is just as good and often better focussed, an excellent example of the less-is-more maxim.

Paul

Pressure?  WHAT pressure???  :o

Thanks for all the nice comments, guys. I've been roughing in the rest of the building
with Gaterboard and have been playing with a couple of "mirror" ideas that will be easier
to show than explain.........
Updates soon.

Here's one of the mirror tricks I was mentioning.  Looking through the third-floor window, the viewer
will (hopefully) get the feel of a long hallway....

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....which is actually this:

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I'm not sure what it'll look like in the final scene, but we'll see.  Just something else to look at.

Meanwhile, the facade was roughed in with Gatorboard....

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...then finished with "Sandstone" texture paint up top & styrene panels on the storefront.

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After the old building's facade was "upgraded" with a 50's storefront, the hallway didn't
look right, so a rebuild was called for.  It seemed to make sense that the entrance hallway
would've been at least somewhat upgraded along with the facade.

Before:
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After:
The buzzer was moved up closer to the apartment entrance, which made more sense, too.
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Here's the new look for the front.  The door will be opened wider when it's glued into place.
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More to come.  Thanks for looking........

I guess we now know what you did during your Christmas break. -- Russ

Looking good, Ken.

Jerry

Here's the first fire escape platform under construction...

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It slips over alignment pins for test-fitting and what-not.  I'm a big believer
in using pins during assembly of any model......

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Pins also hold the platform in place while other stuff (like the lower support
brackets) are cut to fit & attached.  By using pins, the whole unit can be lifted off
in one piece for paint and then realigned for final assembly.....

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So far I'm happy with how this is turning out.  More to come - thanks for looking.

So much depth!  Mirror tricks in the hallway ... ornate details on the outside ... all sorts of goodies already and more to come.  Cool.

Cheers,
Dallas

Thanks.......
Got the roof ladder and platform done tonight. 
The little platform still needs a couple more supports.

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I don't know how long this Building Spurt will last, but it sure is fun.

Those railings are terrific!

Yep, the fire escape adds a lot. -- Russ

Tonight's progress:  The lower platform.

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Still needs bottom supports and rivets, then I'll tackle the stairs.  Don't quite
know how I'm going to do the stairs, but that's it for tonight........

What are those fancy railings made of? Looks like brass.

These railings are wonderful, Ken.

Quote from: Ray Dunakin on December 30, 2010, 11:09:34 PM
What are those fancy railings made of? Looks like brass.

Hmm ... might be able to find those on "somebody's web site" here:
http://www.wildharemodels.com/
;) :D ;D

Ken ... Know that I've used all those smilies, I'm desperately looking for one that's drooling!  Gorgeous work ... think you'll be swarmed by pigeons in the near future.

Cheers,
Dallas

Thanks......
The railings are brass.  They're from an early photo-etching experiment when I was playing
with line width and material thickness before I knew all that much about the process.

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The sheet I drew included some big-scale fire escapes that weren't designed too well,
but the platforms strips and railings were usable.  That's what I used here.

Love that Coffee Shop door Ken, with the metalwork at that snazzy angle, is that Art Deco type or later?

Yeah, I'm totally stealing that door design.

I mean borrowing. Yeah, that's it.

Don, the remodel of the building is meant to look "kinda-sorta Art Deco in a 50's Luncheonette sort of way".

Here's the latest progress. I got the stairs finished and added the last of the rivets,
so the fire escape is pretty much done.

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The two platforms were pinned to the building while I anchored the stairs and secured the "sliding ladder" to
the upper platform, which tied everything together even more firmly than I thought it would. 
The roof platform and ladder-to-the-roof assembly is a separate piece...

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The last act of the night was to shoot the whole thing with a quick coat of primer,
pin the fire escape back onto the building and take one last picture....

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I'm leaning towards green for a final color.
Thanks for looking and for all the nice comments.
Time to call it a night......

Ken, the fire escape is very nice. Your work is all ways so clean and will done. I'm looking forward to seeing the next steps.

Gordon Birrell

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

Ah, got it Ken, "kinda-sorta Art Deco in a 50's Luncheonette sort of way".
I like to get the thinking behind a project, good flavour,.
To me personally, some of the original Art Deco features are a bit over the top when crammed all together on one building

Its  looking good

"sliding ladder"
not being familiar with such fire escapes, I was a bit puzzled by that bottom ladder bit, got it now, it slides vertically. I had seen the type on the films where the bottom section swings down, & as a driver was aprehensive about a meeting of steel & passing vehicles!!

Just a question, as such ladders were steel, were they sprung or counter balanced in some way, so a little old lady with little strength could use them?

Don, I had wanted a "swing" type of stairway to the street (like this....)

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...but felt it was a bit to clunky and overbearing for the scene I was building. From what I've seen,
there are two typsd of "sliding" ladders:  One with a counterweight and one with a hook to hold up
the ladder until it's needed.  I made the one with the hook:

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One end of a rod is anchored to the frame (top circle) and the other end hooks to a wrung
of the ladder (bottom circle).  When required, the "escapees" unhook the ladder and let it
fall (or, rather, slide in the frame) to street level.  It might be a little rough for a little old
lady to activate, but I'll bet she'd have enough of an adrenaline rush to get the job done
if it were her only way of getting out of a burning building! 

Here's one.  Look closely and you can see the rod holding up the ladder:

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I had been wondering how it was held, Ken. Thanks for the explanation.
And congrats for the fantastic modelling.

Thanks for the info Ken, Wow thats a few tons of steel hanging off that front wall!!

Thanks for the hand shot, puts it into perspective.

Ken

This is coming along just fine.  Nice work.

Jerry

More progress on the storefront beside the Arcade - a closed luncheonette.

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This has turned into sort of a tribute to an old teenage hangout that I frequented
while misspending my youth (for you non-New Englanders, "SPA" is Rhode-Island-ese for
"convenience store" long before there was any official term for convenience stores)

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This is the only picture I have of the REAL Fairlawn Spa  taken on my last day of 6th grade when
I was allowed to take the family Brownie camera to school to record that historic day.  Instead, I
took pictures of Rita the Crossing Guard Lady, who I was in love with, who happened to be standing
in front of the Spa.

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Too bad I was too young at the time to realize how much I would have wanted to
see "Dragstrip Girl" at the Route 44 Drive-In when I got older.....

Ken, amazing idea with the "painted" window and for rent sign. Excellent work.

Anders ;D

That's great, and I love your reference photo!

Yes, great story. That's what it's all about: Storytelling!

Your childhood references date you Mr. Hamilton (OK who didn't have a Brownie?). I was told that I dated myself the other day when I mentioned a shotgun I bought at Montgomery Wards.

Your buildings are distinctive Ken. One look and I know it's yours without reading that it is. I really think your work has gone beyond modeling.

Update: 
To make a big, decorative incandescent bulb, I applied 5-minute epoxy to an LED and twirled it
while the epoxy set up to create a globe.   The fixture is part of a 1/25th-scale hubcap.

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Here's how the hallway looks with a ceiling light......

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Looking down the stairs, with the temporary power hook-up in the picture....

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These are just quick snapshots, but here's the effect using only the LED for illumination....

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The door is just leaning in place, but this is about how far it'll be open on the finished diorama...

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This is the first time I've used LEDs and I REALLY like them....

That is going to be very effective. -- Russ

Considering the exceptionnal mood of this last pic, I would have thought that even a man of few words like you, Russ, could have exclaimed over the work displayed.
I do, in any case!

What Russ and Frederic said .... very effective at setting the mood!  ;)

Cheers,
Dallas

That is brilliant- the twirling epoxy to make a globe lamp. It has a very realistic appearance. Thanks for sharing that one. The whole build is eerily realistic.

Your LED also appears brilliant. It looks like it is on a 9V battery. Do you have a current limiting resistor in the circuit? http://ledcalc.com/ (http://ledcalc.com/)

John

This is coming along nicely Ken... I love the sense of looking in on a narrative, something that we're perhaps not supposed to be witness to... very effective.

Paul

Its looking really good Ken. I think it will be worth waiting for!

I hope you're not getting tired of this one hallway, but I thought you might like one last
look at the COMPLETED entry before it gets enclosed by the other side wall...

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....and can only be seen through the front door:

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With the back & one side glued in place, the project will now begin to move upward to the other floors...

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....where I'll show more redundant photos of each minuscule step.

Quote from: Ken Hamilton on January 17, 2011, 06:12:54 PM
With the back & one side glued in place, the project will now begin to move upward to the other floors...

....where I'll show more redundant photos of each minuscule step.

Please do!  Beautiful work, and it's really nice to follow along with all the little touches as they go in place.

Cheers,
Dallas

Awesome! The security gate is really well done.

Yeah, that security gate caught my attention, too. -- Russ

   Together with the paper between the door knob and the - frame.
 
    Very dangerous scale, you can easily get lost in very small details... ;)

    Jacq

Not a bit tired of it Ken. That gate and all the details are terrific.

Just hurry up a little, Ken!

Seriously, this is another wonderful project to follow along. I agree with Frederick, you are playing with fire in regards of detail.

Love the scissor gate, Ken!  Construction and weathering looks completely real.  Those things are the embodiment of postwar urban malaise. 

I'm just wondering about the grafitti tagger who was respectful enough to scribble only on the menu board, and keep his ink off the wainscotting, tiles and wallpaper.   

Dave

Hey Ken,
Another great model... After seeing all your stuff at CSS2010 it is hard to look at pictures.
This one doesn't look like one of your 2 ton designs...
Keep playing with fire Ken...

Hey Ken
Just your usual unbelievably creative work. How did you do the gate? I live one town south of the most famous Playland in Rye, NY.
Kevin

Ken - Another work of art.

I second that question on the gate.  Are those styrene strips?

Don

Ken

Excellent detail.  Wow the gate is so realistic.

Jerry

Nice padlock on the gate. It looks hefty.

Jaime

Thanks guys.  Here's the backstory on the gate:
When I drew the very first sheet that I sent out to have photo-etched, I really didn't know
how the final line weights, etc., would work out and I ended up drawing most things way to thin.
One of those things were some security gates that were a mere .010" wide, too thin to be used as-is...

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For this current gate, I glued styrene strips to the "too-thin" etched piece to create a more accurate gate.
The thin diagonals in the background on the finished gate are the original .010" brass, which I left
"un-covered" for some visual interest...

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The finishing process was pretty straighforward:
Automotive primer;
A wash of Jo Sonja "Brown Earth" acrylic;
Bragdon "rust" powder, partially removed afterwards by dabbing with a thinner-soaked rag;
A dry-brushed application of "Rub & Buff" silver.

The lock & hasp are from Ozark Miniatures.  Rivets are Tichy.

Dave, our taggers are polite. Although I'm trying to represent an older building, I didn't want it to be
TOO run down. I guess I was also trying to recall a simpler time when vandalism wasn't as destructive.

Kevin:  Yeah, you're near the Mother of All Playlands!  I just really like that name............

Hey, Scotty!
Welcome aboard and thanks for the compliment.

Ken, I find this place fascinating. There's almost nothing (I don't say : no modelling) and yet the mood is perfectly set. And the scissor gate is perfect with this subtle weathering!

I got the second floor hallway just about done tonight.  As noted earlier, the mirror is
an experiment in trying to add depth to the hallway when it's seen through the window:

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Here's a lighted, window-eye-view of the scene:

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....and a look through both the window and completed front hallway:

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I might play around with dimming the lights a tad for more of a mood,
but so far I'm pleased with the overall results.

More to come.  Thanks for looking.

Very cool! I'll have to try that mirror trick on one of my buildings someday.

Spooky.....great atmosphere Ken!

Anders ;D

That's a neat detail!

Way too cool!  Brilliant bit of reality brought into the scene with the flickering TV  light ... chair looks great ... nice bit of carpeting too.  Delightful & inspiring.  -- Dallas

Ah, what a mood, Ken! Once more I regret not to be allowed to tell you how brilliant your work is. If I was, be sure I would...
It's particularly interesting to see how even a relatively bare interior looks quite plausible since the viewer's attention is caught by the position of the character.
Is he leaving just after commiting what he had come for?

Unusually imaginative. -- Russ

Great senic work Ken.
Is it just me or is there really something about those last two pictures that bring to mind the old Jimmy Stewert  movie "Rear Window"? 

Keep at it guy, I love your work.
Rick

Hey Ken

Where did ya get that flickering TV doo-dad?

Probably had it in the glove box of your flying saucer. ;)

-slim

Not too much progress.  I've been busy at work.
The windows on the third floor are done, with scratchbuilt blinds and paper drapes:

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Here's a close-up:

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With the TV & hall lights....

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.....casting shadows.  You can see the TV Rabbit Ears in this one.

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The light in the TV is a random flicker unit from "Ngineering"; an LED is at the end of the (mirrored) hall,
just like on the second floor. I really wish I could capture the TV flicker.  It's a cool effect.

Oh.....here's what the third-floor room looks like in daylight.  
Just simple shapes that cast shadows through the windows when the lights are on.

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Thanks for looking.

Looks great Ken... love the blinds and the bottle by the chair... evocative touches. I am curious though about the blinds... what's the seam on each of the blind slats... looks like two halves of a photograph that weren't quite lined up correctly...?

Paul

The modelling is wonderful as usual, Ken. As someone said, there's something very 'Rear window-ish' in the way we're allowed to stare into these rooms.

Something puzzled me in the two first pics. On both windows there seems to be a vertical line about 3/5 starting from the left for the right one and the right for the left one, with a slight shift between the left and the right of the line. There's nothing like this in the subsequent pictures. Does anybody else see this strange thing?

I have also got this strange slippage, although most noticeable on the blinds it does appear to effect the whole photograph.

Anyway great work Ken, doing the blinds must have been fun! My only comment is that I think at the moment the blinds are too pristine for the look you are going for, you are probably going to colour them anyway - I think a very slight touch of off white yellow/cream colour for want of a better way of describing it nicotine stained and maybe with one or two of the slats bent down in the middle where the occupant puts his fingers through to stare out  ;)

Quote from: gfadvance on February 25, 2011, 12:52:33 AM
I think a very slight touch of off white yellow/cream colour for want of a better way of describing it nicotine stained and maybe with one or two of the slats bent down in the middle where the occupant puts his fingers through to stare out

That's why I love this place.  You can always count on a creative kick in the pants to keep you on your toes.
The fact is, I finished the blinds....looked at them thinking they should be stained.....decided they were good enough
because I was impatient to get them in place....surpressed my better judgement....hung them in the windows...
and promptly got tagged..... :-[
That will definitely be corrected.  Thanks, Gordy!

As far as that seam, it must be some pixel-related glitch, maybe caused by the time exposure.  
The slats are indeed straight.

EDIT:
Geez......now that the white blinds have been brought to my attention they jump out like a sore thumb......

Regarding the TV flickerer that Ken is using...

I had Tim Anderson from Ngineering do a custom programming of one of his flasher units for me. I was making a modified version of the Foscale Decker's Pine Tar soap kit and wanted to simulate the flicker that you would see from an old B&W TV set. He now sells them on his site (or at a discount from me at www.microlumina.com - but my webstore is not functional yet - you need to email me) along with many other lighting simulators that he sells.

To see the flicker simulator in action go here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oexxa0VZXfs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oexxa0VZXfs)
You can see the flicker working in the opening shot and at the end. The video is a little rough since it was just something I shot on the fly with the model unfinished. The panning/tracking night shots are kind of rough to do in video under low light conditions. However, it gives you an idea of the TV simulator.

Ken and I are using a cool white LED for the TV. Color temp on the LED is too cool for a fluorescent type light but spot on for a B&W TV I think.

Great video in showing the look... it really does evoke B&W tube time.  Ken - being new to this - I wondered if you had an overall light plan with different combos, or do you switch each of the effects on a suits your tastes?  Until seeing Bill's mulit-light video scene, I would have though that the effects would get lost - or conflict, but apparently not true.  I want to see what you come up with for the pinball games :)

Great work - I've really enjoyed watching you add depth (at so many levels) to this scene.
Paul

Before...........
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After..........
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Thanks to Gordon's sharp eye, I redid the windows by weathering the shades (the one on the right is
actually a little darker than it looks in the picture) and the drapes, and noticed that I had hung the
blinds in the right window UPSIDE DOWN.  Look close at the "Before & After" and you'll see the difference.

I also added pull cords:

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Thanks again, Gordon.  Your observation was a big help.

Paul:  I really didn't have a big plan for the lighting - just an idea of having a lighted entry and
second for hallway, and a couple of lights on the third floor.

How on earth did you make those blinds?

Who would have thought a little touch would have such a big impact? -- Russ

Ken,

I feel that I fulfilled my life's destiny now .... time to retire ::).

I think it looks really good now, both the blinds and the extra work you have done on the curtains to tone them down and to reshape them ..... its all added another layer of realism on to a clever bit of modelling.

Fantastic work Ken - very realistic. The You Tube clip by Bill is also great!

Anders :o

Thanks, guys.
Speaking of video clips, Fotki has a relatively new feature where videos can be uploaded.
I played around with it for the first time last night and uploaded a short clip taken with a little
Kodak point-and-shoot camera.It's hardly a professional-looking sequence, but this video
thing has potential.....

http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/playland_penny_arcade/100-0315.html

My mother always told me it was rude to look into folks windows at night but these from you Ken, are worth playing peeping Tom. The up close shots of the fire escapes really show them off too. Any future plans for weathering them or is this a well maintained building?

I'm interested also on the 'how did you make the blinds?' question.
The new pictures are even better than the previous ones, and the shifting pixels mystery (probably an anger reaction at the upside down blinds) has disappeared.

Looks great Ken, truly inspirational work. I'm grateful for the privilege of watching your pieces come together... the nicotine stains on the blinds are very convincing and glad you were able to fix the pixel shift problem in the earlier shots. All that's missing is a cigar smoldering in the ashtray, a copy of the horse Racing News, some crumpled betting slips and a handgun...  ;)

Paul

Well, now that you've got them properly colored and hanging in the direction ... inquiring minds DO want to know about your fabrication tricks!  -- Dallas

Ken,
Top marks for the attention to detail, with the blinds looking great with the new staining.  Such a "iconic" look for a slightly seedy looking abode...twisted, bent and uneven shades, with I'm guessing no Mrs in this appartment to adjust the decor nicely and do a bit of up keep!

The flicker LED circuit for the tv is spot on.  Very realistic with the randomness and varied intensities of light, rather than just on and off.  Its just another one of the little features of this story that would make it all the more better to see in the flesh.  You will have to request the lights be dimmed in the model room when its on display.  That should upset everyone else wanting to take pics of every other model on display ::) ;D

Cheers,
Dan

Quote from: Ray Dunakin on February 25, 2011, 10:36:41 PM
How on earth did you make those blinds?

Thanks......

I didn't take any How-To pictures when making the blinds on the diorama, but I'll whip
up another one to show the process.  It's really easy and doesn't take much time at all.

Today I picked up some yarn to make a rug that will be hanging over the fire escape railing.
That process will be documented as it progresses & pics of that will be posted, too.

Stay tuned............

Well, I've managed to get a little done on the Arcade.  The facade has been permanently attached
and I'm starting to personalize the third floor apartment - the one with the flickering TV.
Here's how the flower box in the "Crackle Paint" thread looks on the window ledge:

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I like doing "up-sweep" shots of buildings.  Makes them look taller. 
The clumps on the bottom of the flower box are roots growing through the drainage holes.

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I just made some wind chimes tonight and I'll probably do some bird houses next.  What I SHOULD
be doing is roughing in the whole diorama instead of focusing on picky little details......

Wonderful!  -- Dallas

PS -- Heck with roughing in the whole diorama ... more picky little details!  ;D
PPS -- Which, in turn, will guide you thru the rest of that roughing-in bidniz ...

Amazing pictures and work Ken! Love the reflection in the window and the ugly rug. Couldn´t be better.

Anders :o

Great details..reminds me of my days in Brooklyn! That could be my landlady's place on President St!

   Like real.  If it wasn't for the refection of the lens in the window in the top photo, it would be difficult to notice the difference.

   Jacq

You are so right, Jacq. I too really like it.

Well done, Ken! :)

Looks great,Ken.  I'll be looking for it at the NNL East. (I presume it will be done for that show)

Beautiful!!!  Love the details.

Jerry

THe details are very important too. Looking good!

Quote from: curb on April 11, 2011, 04:47:22 AM
(I presume it will be done for that show)

I'll be lucky to have it done by the NEXT NNL, Curb.
See you Saturday.

Thanks, guys.  That little round lens reflection kinda kills the illusion, doesn't it.... :-[

Jacq has an eagle's eye!
I think it's already been said, but when I see these pictures, I'm expecting to see James Stewart and his broken leg or Grace Kelly at any moment.

Great stuff Ken. I can only agree with what the others have said.

Marc

Exceptional Ken. Bet the window boxes you do for your wife don't look as bad.

Keep up the great work Ken.

Jaime

This sure isn't the quickest project in the world, but I'm back at it - this time focusing on
the truck that the arcade games will be loaded onto.  The cab is in the early stages of the
hairspray technique.  The white paint over hairspray created some interesting crackle patterns.

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Got the driver's seat done, too.
Before & After:
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But the MOST fun was the Z-Scale Hula Girl for the dash:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages107.fotki.com%2Fv780%2Fphotos%2F5%2F15405%2F9981349%2FP8120002-vi.jpg&hash=2ed7f57d97361838c580db06c64f8860747efdeb)(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages114.fotki.com%2Fv74%2Fphotos%2F5%2F15405%2F9981349%2FP8120015-vi.jpg&hash=83950c20b649a57a8ca2e999e14f367d4ebb81eb)
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I did a little How-To that's in this Fotki album:

http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/model_how-to/z-scale-dashboard-h/

Ken,

Good to see you back at the bench.  Love the Hula Girl a nice touch.  Seat is pretty dam good to.

Jerry

Welcome back. I thought you had gone on a six month, all expenses paid trip to Siberia .... -- Russ

And I thought you trashed this dio. Cool dash board decoration, very "Jersey"

I find this very disturbing!   Oh, wait, maybe I meant distracting .... hold on, I think I see her hips starting to swivel again ... no talking during the show, please. ;D  -- Dallas

That dash decoration is fantastic Ken... So is that degrading polyurethane foam in the seat. I cannot wait to see this in person.

Looking good.........................except for the masking tape on the seat.........
having seen/sat on many worn out seats I think duct tape is more appropriate.
The hula girl reminds me of a joke about a lei............
-Mj

The hula girl is wonderful!

Glad to see you building again.

Marc

Buawahahahaha!!!... hula girl... ouch, my sides... what next, a bowling trophy  ;D

Oh - and ditto on the duct tape comments... a little aluminium and grey mix, perhaps?  Excellent touches, sir.

...we definitely have a consensus on the Duct Tape.  Consider it done.

Too cool!

I bet he's got some unpaid parking tickets in the glove box.

Great progress Ken! Now maybe some candy and snack wrappers thrown around ???.  Can be found here. http://www.accurate-armour.com/

Anders  ;D

  Hi Ken,
       Great to see you back at this one!!    Nice work on the cab paint job :) :)

                            Randy

Actually if he's like the C cab drivers I knew, there would be some crushed beer cans about.

....Better?

Before (masking tape)
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After (Duct tape)
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Doing some initial oil-paint-wash weathering on the cab, too:

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Chester, beer cans are coming..........

My heavens. This looks as though it may turn out to be rather satisfactory .... -- Russ

You can't beat oil piant for giving subtle effects  a wash. It's really coming together nicely Ken.

KOOL!
Seat looks muchbetter!
Could you give me a little info on the seat modifications and color(s) used for the duct tape?
Also did you do anything special to get the crackle on the white or is it a happy accident?
-Marty

Shouldn't be taking this long to empty those little beer cans....

Great duct tape... and that seat makes me think of rides in similar vehicles abroad - that towel and the decrepit foam make me want to shower  ;D

Lunch break:

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Waxed paper fro a sandwich...I haven't seen that since school. You have a great eye Ken.

If my kids get their lunches made by their mother, it is still waxed paper. Good stuff - keeps the contents fresher longer. Would love to know where the sandwich actually came from (ie what is it made from).

Obviously this model is from a time before fast food!

Thanks, guys.
The seat was done by thinning the plastic from below until it was paper-thin, then picking
away at the top with a blade until it looked like a torn seat cover. The cushion is a worm
section of a fingernail-sanding-pad:

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The tape is real masking tape brush-painted with Metallizer "Magneisum" and touched up
with chalks; the sandwich is sanded and painted sheet styrene.  All you really need to do is
add a thin wash of light brown for the "bread" color, and darken the edge for the crust.
Then add cardstock lunch meat and paper bag lettuce........

Product Warning: Do not eat painted styrene sandwiches. They contain dangerous chemicals and may cause cancer. They also have caused test animals to burp. -- ssuR

With so many big, basic components of the diorama unfinished or not even started,
let's focus on the little details............(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fmovingeyes%2F1.gif&hash=b9195803f0ceaa2643c847303822239f5ad25dfe)

Here's tonight's progress.  A shot-out back window....

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....a dirty rug...

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...and some dash & windshield details:

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Hi Ken, I am still catching up as time permits. I just went through the whole thread, enjoyed looking at the progress, the security gate is a gem, and the inside of the truck is very interesting. I think that the hula girl is great but a little too clean, unless of course it was just put there.

Wonderful work overall.

Michael

Don't just tantalize us with those details; please explain how you created them! -- Russ

Ken

Some excellent details.  Just how did you do the bullet holes???

Jerry

Your work is a mess!  Oops, I meant:  the truck is a mess.  ;D  -- Dallas

Hi Ken,
Just great attention to detail, with a nice pine fresh smell to the whole thing ;D
This truck is only going to waste more of the viewers time when they see this completed diorama  ;).  Such a cool little story going on in the cab of a truck, before then moving on to check out the rest of the scene with the various doorways and windows to read into.  Clever...I really like.  Glad to see the imagination back at work on this one, as its shaping up superbly.

Cheers,
Dan

Great stuff. I love the air freshener! I too would like to know how you did the bullet holes.

I just posted a little How-To on the carpet on Fotki:

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Here's the link:

http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/model_how-to/old-worn-dirty-carpet/

(I'll do one on bullet holes next.....)

Clever, creative, convincing. -- Russ

excellent! one for the archives.

Michael

Wow, thanks!  Simple, clever, easy-to-follow and extremely effective ... another great resource ...

PS -- Didn't know you had a green thumb.  ;D 

-- Dallas

I was actually thinking more Incredible Hulk...

Dan

Thanks for the tutorial on the carpet. What a great use for emory cloth. I like that you paint bottle tells you that you have PG17 or pigment green 17 as the colorant....which really is chrome oxide green...nice to see ASTM doing their job...it used to be that paint manufsacturers could put watever they liked on the label.

Thanks, fellas.
Here are links to the How-To for the bullet holes in the back window.
For the record, broken slide-glass windows is an old Gary Nash technique. 
He may have done bullet holes too, but I don't remember.....

Bullet Holes in Real Glass:
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http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/model_how-to/real-glass--bullet-/

Ken

Thanks for the how to on the windows.  Just excellent work your usual of course.

Jerry

I think that No Riders sign is redundant. The grody carpet and bullet holes assure that! Excellent "flavor" Ken!

Thanks Ken. You make it seem so straightforward. I guess its easier than making a 1/24 scale rifle to shoot out the window!

That's awesome. I've been looking for a way to do safety glass for a while now. (And I'm kicking myself for how obvious that technique is, now that I see it.)

I lack words to describe how I feel and think in front of your models, Ken. That such a narrowly focused scene can lead to such great feelings is the sign of some extraordinary modelling.

Thanks for all the positive comments, guys:
The cab interior is done.  Getting all that crap in just the right places takes more
time than it probably should.  I stare at it longer than it takes to install.

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Hope everybody had a great holiday weekend.

Really nice work Ken!

What kind of paper and printer are you using for the maps, etc?

Great and inspiring, as always.

Thanks.....
EZ - the maps is cut from an office supply catalog.  Most of the small forms and
scraps of paper are from catalogs, too.  There's a ton of useable printed
material in office & tool catalogs!

Ken

Just excellent.

I see the recent inspection sticker says it is road worthy.  I guess they lowered the standards in NJ on what is okay to drive. ;)

Jerry

Of course - why didn't I think of that?!
High-quality printing, usually thin paper, and small images.
Makes perfect sense!

That almost makes getting out of bed this morning worthwhile!

Ken that cabin is a diorama all of its own...all that staring as you build pays off, it looks and feels exactly right.

Ken,

Really great - as Vespa said - terrific mini-dio... I always love the scenes within the scene.  I had to laugh on your catalog comments - I used to use the Squadron catalog/monthlies for the same reasons for military stuff... obviously their focus being on military, there was tons of stuff to cut and use in tank turrets and truck cabs.  It seems the hardest part is finding light enough paper - I often resorted to making the stuff I had look like Field Manuals or periodicals due to paper thickness.  I've had very limited success trying to print on to ZigZag cigarette paper, sticking individual sheets across a standard sheet of copy paper - with about a 1 in 10 useable rate.  It can also run havoc on your printer if they get loose from the base stock sheet.

But enough about me - great work across multiple processes.

PW - If you haven't tried this already, sand the back of thick sheets to thin them out.

Here's some progress on the truck.  I painted and started weathering the bed.
The cab is just mocked-up on the frame.  Nothing's glued in place yet and the
truck still needs mirrors, bed wood, sides, etc......

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KILLER BED DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very interesting.
I am "assuming" your own design of a prototype?
As always, impressive and inspiring.
-Marty

Thanks, Marty.
A "Lift Gate" search turned up photos of this design. 
It had kind of a delicate, spindly look that I liked.

Very nice, I like the lift gate!

Not bad. Not bad at all. -- Russ

Ken

That is really cool!!!!  Just some remarkable work as usual.

Jerry

That´s a great truck Ken! Every detail is spot on :o! Now we expect pictures of the finished diorama when you take it to the show in Peabody!

Anders  ;D

Ken the detail in the cab is great, I thinks that the maps are spot on, The beer or pop cans look like paper and not printed metal, I think that given the incredible quality of the rest of the interior I wonder if there is a way to bring the cans up a notch? I only ask this because I think that the cans take away a little of the finesse of the rest.

Michael

Point taken, Michael.  Maybe a gloss coat with some weathering
(hand prints, smudges, etc) might do the trick.
I'll try it...........

Ken, as a thought on this same topic, I used a Dove chocolate wrapper to make this squashed can, and it looks enough like a can, and we fill in the blanks when we look at it, but it is ponly approximate....do you think you could put bare metal foil or a similar product through a laser printer? Then your beer cans would look like printed metal.

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That's perfect, N.  Thanks for the tip.

(How can you eat Dove bars and still stay so thin..?)

Ken, I looked around at printable foil and it may well be an option. I've seen a bunch of silver foil labels made for sending through a laser printer, and if you used a colour laser printer it could work nicely.

The dove chocolate is one those individual foil wrapped pieces that comes in a bag...oh and don't think I don't have some Bibendum bulges under the tweed...

Keep in mind that laser printers, and even photo inkjet printers, are unable to output truly continuous tone artwork. That means a look through the magnifying glass or macro lens will show a lot of dots rather than clean artwork and lettering. It will seem worse in the smaller scales but may still be objectionable in scale as large as 1:24. -- Russ

Stochastic printing is the name for contone tonal values when printed on paper -
http://www.mcclaffertyprinting.com/stochastic-printing.html
http://lorrainepress.blogspot.com/2011/01/stochastic-vs-conventional-screening.html

Good results if you have the equipment. All inkjet and lasers print using some form of stochastic screening but the only output control you usually get with the cheaper units is to print at very high dpi on high gloss photographic paper.

g
I think it should be possible if only one decal created in the form of abrasion.
The rubbing can then be transferred onto metal foil.
The graphic should however be re-created as vector graphics that I have in my box models also made ​​Sun.

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Is almost a thread in the thread so for Ken, your work is just perfect.

Finished the bed and the side panels, which are corrugated metal
sprayed to look galvanized.  Still needs a little more weathering and
bolt heads on the side slats....

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The bolt-head impressions (not "holes") in the bed were made by
sharpening the tip of a 7mm mechanical pencil....

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...and pressing circles into the wood. 

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The circles were then painted the bolt-head color, in this case a rusty gray.
I don't have a close-up of the bed bolts, but here's a test piece:

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I think it looks better than just a nail (or bolt) hole, especially in 1/25th scale.

I really like that truck!
Neat detail using the pencil.
why didnt you just use NBW's?  ;D
Would have only taken about 56,000...........
-Mj

Nice trick, I'll have to get a mechanical pencil and give that a try.

Show off. -- ssuR

Do you people stay up at night thinking of ways to make details???

Excellent detail.

Jerry

Quote from: TRAINS1941 on September 26, 2011, 08:00:14 AM
Do you people stay up at night thinking of ways to make details???

Excellent detail.

Jerry

@Jerry - I stay up at night THINKING about those thinking of ways to make details :/

Okay, that just sounds creepy.

Quote from: Bexley on September 27, 2011, 10:15:50 PM
Okay, that just sounds creepy.

But it does work!!  Sometimes...

Jerry

Before leaving for vacation last week I poured two Hydrocal slabs and
took them along so I could carve brick walls during the down-time:

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When we got home yesterday I couldn't wait to paint the wall and do a ghost ad:

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The wall's just propped in place at this point.

You actually scribed every brick on that wall? That must have taken hours! -- Russ

Nice vacation!
I dont think that would work for me..........
-Marty

Hi Ken,

I used to engrave the stones as well as you.
Meanwhile, I've had practice, drawing on the computer to the stones and engraving with CNC.
Now what really goes fast, I can not say exactly.
But your score even more convinced that bemahlung of advertising.

Here's a closer look at the ghost wall:

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Ken

When did you vacation if you were doing that???

Beautiful work.

Jerry

That's a lot of carving. The whole thing is looking good!

Thanks.....
Each wall took about 3 hours.  It was a good kitchen table
project in the evenings after long days of sight-seeing and
generally doing nothing.

That really captures the look of a faded ad on a brick wall. Your brick carving gives a great effect...after I carve a lot of bricks, I feel like I need a vacation!

You realize just how twisted it is that you prep for vacation with pre-poured slabs ;D.  The final product looks great.

I was just visiting friends in Seattle - the Five Point restaurant has a ghosted wall outside the dining room window that they dummied up in 1:1 scale.  After staring and staring during breakfast I had to ask someone if it was new or not...

Had time over the holiday weekend to get back to the Arcade.  The base is
made out of pink rigid insulation (my new favorite base material) and measures
in at around 22"x 38".  The sidewalk is Hydrocal cast in a big sheet and scored
at the expansion joints, broken and glued onto the foam with silicone caulk. 

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I did something a little different with the sand mixed with the plaster:  I sprinkled
it on the bottom of the mold instead of adding it to the plaster mix.  See the whole process here:  http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/model_how-to/how-to-make-deterio/ (http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/model_how-to/how-to-make-deterio/)
No written description yet, but the photos will give you an idea.
Next up are the curb pieces, which are in now but weren't when I took the above photo.

The asphalt street will have a brick gutter, which I'm making by casting plaster bricks in
a mold made by a friend and gluing them to a long strip of black construction paper that
will be glued to the street before the asphalt is poured:

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More to come.  Thanks for looking............

Nice. I see another building in the works, and possibly a spot for a third building. How big many is this diorama, and how many buildings will it have?

If you have no publication plans for this project I hereby offer you something to think about. It's really shaping up. -- Russ

Ken

Looks like the clinic you gave on details, details.  Got you back to bench and details it is.

Excellent!!!!

Jerry

Wow!  Great looking sidewalks and everything else ... happy to follow along at any pace.  ;)  -- Dallas

Thanks.....

Ray, the base measures just about 22"x 38".  Here's a quick, roughed-in composition shot:

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The empty lot on the left will contain debris from a former building at that location; the Arcade
in the middle will be in the process of being dismantled, with perhaps a wood scaffold on the
facade, while the games are loaded onto the truck.  The apartment house on the right is, except
for the closed storefront, managing to hold its own in the neighborhood, at least for now.

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Ken it is a real joy to watch all the different areas of detail and great workmanship, the overall model will be a study in observation.

Michael

Very cool! Thanks for the info.

Ken, You really have a great composition there with the truck pushed out to the left and the action taking place off centre. It keeps your eye moving in all the right directions. And I have no doubt it will be full of all the fun Hamilton details too. The sidewalk is firsdte rate with the cracks in all the rights places....nothing looks more like a crack than a crack (and I'm not talking plumbers' either!).

Very cool, I didn't realize a whole block was coming.

Ken
I looked at your SBS for the concrete, and adding the sand is like a "salt" or "hairspray" technique, genius! Pure genius!!! I can't wait to try it, great work, thanks for the inspiration!  :o :o
MPH

I believe Ken also came up with the idea of using RR ballast in plaster which worked so well for me.

You have the title of "Wizard" ! Rightfully so! ::)
Maybe Ken deserves the title of "Einstein"  :o
Wow! Very creative stuff
MPH

Thats a pretty cool little story in that scene Ken.  Like some of the others, I didn't realise the whole block was getting in the picture.  I like the idea of the different stages of the demise of the area.  I imagine if we come back in a few years time, the apartment may be gone as well.  Also, seeing as you are doing the whole block for this one, its reassuring that we will be entertained with this thread for quite some time yet.

Cheers,
Dan

The brick gutter continues:
After the plaster bricks were glued to the strip of black construction paper,
the bricks were painted with a not-too-neatly-applied coat of Burnt Umber:

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Next, the bricks were lightly dabbed with Norwegian Orange applied with a
make-up sponge. Lots of Umber was allowed to show thorough:

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This was followed by dabbing on other brickish colors like Cadmium Scarlet & Vermilion,
along with a few more dabbles of Umber & Orange.  When that was dry, it was washed
with a coat of A&I to give it some depth:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages56.fotki.com%2Fv1298%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPC010013-vi.jpg&hash=5269057c2d227fcb4865a04383b852a9546e396b)

Here are some of the sections of the 36" strip:

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(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages59.fotki.com%2Fv111%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPC010022-vi.jpg&hash=3ef87ff07cac998157209b3c5823e3b1176f6675)

I'm going to leave it like this for now. Once the brick gutter is incorporated into
the street and sidewalk I can tie it all together with fine dirt in the cracks and some
washes and pastels.

PS:  Yes, I should have colored the plaster so pure white wouldn't show if the
bricks got chipped or broken.  I was too impatient............

I am really annoyed by the realism you have achieved in a quarter of the time I have. Using plaster and painting the bricks is obviously much better/quicker/realistic than the current method I am using with plaster and cement oxides.

Oh wait, the reason I don't paint my bricks is because I can never get that level of dirty realism that you have. Damn.  ;)

I'm really annoyed with your realism, too. The modeling is satisfactory nonetheless. -- Russ

This will be a great diorama with an unusal concept and story. The color of the bricks is excellent.

Anders  ;D

What the hell happened to the Yellow Brick road?  Are all our dreams lost?  First the arcade shuts down, and now this ... damn, damn, damn.

(Looks awfully good for what it is, though.)   ;)

Ken those bricks look great. One thing I do when the bricks chip and the white plaster shows through is to apply diluted red paint to the chipped area so that you have a bright looking chip, just like a real brick.

and that would be the one reason I would leave the the plaster 'a naturel' the extra red would make it.  Thanks for the tip nk! 

Ken
A/I ???
Allan Iverson?
Artificial Intelligence ?
MPH

My guess would be Alcohol/Ink.

That, or alabaster igloo.

Quote from: Mr Potato Head on December 03, 2011, 03:52:38 PM
A/I ???

Sorry, Spud.  I should've spelled it out.
Bexley's got it - it's alcohol & India ink.  Makes a great all-purpose wash.

Street's done:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages12.fotki.com%2Fv335%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPC240007-vi.jpg&hash=a5281d76a5d39c6473f4e01576d1785ef5746ce4)

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages54.fotki.com%2Fv77%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPC240011-vi.jpg&hash=a0b475e0d9c68abef74fcd6162f93c2aafae68d0)

Adequate. -- Russ

That's not how you spell arcade -- other than that ... wowzer.  -- Dallas

Very nice indeed, Ken.

Jerry

Seeing the truck sure brought back a flood of memories - learned to drive trucks in 1960s Hahn fire engine built on a Ford chassis with that same cab.  Had a two-speed rear axle that had to be shifted along with the transmission (2L to 2H to 3L to 3H, etc.)  Really tricky to smoothly shift both at the same time.

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cscvfc.org%2Fimages%2Fold192b_thumb.jpg&hash=b4f34bf23bd818840d6313a771701dc2d6285f5a)

Mark

Great work Ken'......

The street is going to provide a fantastic backdrop, and I think it's understated qualities will definitely work with you as you populate it with architecture and furniture. The temptation to [over] dress it now must be unbearable.

This is an area that I can often stall on; As I work out what needs to be done and in what order, the necessary assemblages and constructions, the logistics and time scale ................... well! Sometimes I just get overwhelmed and a deep procrastination sets in [ie - a stall].   ;)

Brilliant as ever, it continues to engage and inspire me

Really nice work on that street.

Happy New Year...!!!!
My New Year's resolution is to finish the Arcade Diorama.
With that in mind, I spent some time on the Arcade building this weekend.
The bricks on the building were applied individually.  They're made from the
chads from our binding machine at work.

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages57.fotki.com%2Fv1354%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1020002A7-vi.jpg&hash=b546ced3222872b80b88bd036c1a519c98a20dc2)

The bricked window was done using a piece 1/2"-scale brick sheet.  The outside
of the second story will be framed with 2x4's onto which the Art Deco panels
were attached before demolition of the building began:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages16.fotki.com%2Fv363%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1020002A6-vi.jpg&hash=1254731e556eac0323854bf798474f209bedb4ab)

The hole is where workers are starting to bust out the bricks.  The brick sheet was
made thicker by gluing on some plaster bricks left over from the gutter project.

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages112.fotki.com%2Fv106%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1020002A1-vi.jpg&hash=b614dd9b8b359d5246035e56a830324444e80e69)

Nice work on the busted bricks ... really like the deco details going into the doorway.  -- Dallas

Ken superb out of the box solution to the brick hole, what is the material in the curved sections at the street level?

Michael

Thanks.......
Michael, the curved sections were formed with a 1/4-section of an empty paper towel roll:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages58.fotki.com%2Fv85%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPB280003-vi.jpg&hash=46aa1b2dfd6e91af63365ee015de0c83e6c4affc)

The tops and bottoms are sheet styrene applied with contact cement;
the vertical pieces in the center are round, plastic coffee stirrers that
end up looking like 1/2-round ribs when glued side-by-side.

Should have known that the coffee stirrers weren't for stirring coffee.  Good  resource Ken.
Nice job on the brick work to.

Jerry

Ken that looks fantastic. Nice going on the tarmac sealant and the patches. I have not thought about a chad since the 2000 election, so its good to see thay have a purpose other than feeding a 24 hour news cycle.

Ken thanks for the info nice work.

Michael

The side wall of the Arcade building was originally going to be stucco,
but you know how that goes......
Here's the basic brick wall - 1/2" scale dollhouse brick sheet with sand/paint mortar:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages16.fotki.com%2Fv363%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP10800011-vi.jpg&hash=3cc4bfd0d7137b32e70aef6590a7df35da2bbaf7)

And here's the first floor ghost wall:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages60.fotki.com%2Fv661%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP108000114-vi.jpg&hash=1a30c9bab0a18570db5c3c3fc2310389968fce97)

This is basically what it will look like attached to the Arcade. 
Still lots more work to do:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages51.fotki.com%2Fv1562%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP108000117-vi.jpg&hash=0ad14501ee85e489d5adfc7a58939e489bc9b474)

Here's a close-up.  I used crackle paint for some visual interest:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages44.fotki.com%2Fv220%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP108000119-vi.jpg&hash=c90da09c5f6dda74488aa2412199291588e1cf19)

Excellent work Ken.

Jerry

Nice effect!

I'm getting tired of looking here and going "ooh" and "ah" ... why don't you just do something boring for a change?  ;D

Meanwhile, "digging" the modern archeology on this one ... layers & layers of old artifacts ... cool stuff. -- Dallas

Good eye for the details Ken!

That wall is just like a color-field painting. Beautiful work Ken. I like the ghost of the tread as it protrudes from the riser. Keep it coming.

Looks great!
May be some old lag bolts and or holes where the stair tread was attached?
-marty

Namesake?

Scroll down a bit...

http://www.openthinkinc.com/tatra/

Not sure the car would fit in, or maybe it would!

best,

Paul

Work continues on the facade of the Arcade building:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages55.fotki.com%2Fv585%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1280026-vi.jpg&hash=4299c5d22b909d66f26488d92d4058f7d0447850)

The glass block windows were an experiment.  I made strip styrene grids and
filled the squares with "Liquid Nails":

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages12.fotki.com%2Fv20%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1210003-vi.jpg&hash=173c0c6f36175fa89dbb28ea42f4e1be9a4ad945)

Not precise, but I think they get the point across.

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages51.fotki.com%2Fv278%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1280016-vi.jpg&hash=cd627236a786202970f084c607226a6611ccd4b7)

Clever idea. I like it. -- Russ

Great work Ken, and the colour choice is spot on !

That is a really useful tip on the glass blocks , filed away for the
future that one.

Slipping into rivet counting mode here, sorry, would suggest that where the tiles on the facade have slipped/fallen off that you increase the old cement blobs from 4 to 5 .... adding one in the centre of each tile position would reflect more accurately how they are usually applied.(Maybe a lighter grey/almost white   colour to?)

Love the side wall and all the old/ghosted detail... very clever

Ken

Great idea on the glass blocks.  The building is really coming together.  Nice color scheme.

Jerry

Quote from: gfadvance on January 29, 2012, 01:15:31 AM
Slipping into rivet counting mode here, sorry, would suggest that where the tiles on the facade have slipped/fallen off that you increase the old cement blobs from 4 to 5 .... adding one in the centre of each tile position would reflect more accurately how they are usually applied.(Maybe a lighter grey/almost white   colour to?)

....that's doable.....
Thanks for the suggestion.

Quote from: Ken Hamilton on January 28, 2012, 07:08:12 PM
The glass block windows were an experiment.  I made strip styrene grids and
filled the squares with "Liquid Nails":

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages12.fotki.com%2Fv20%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1210003-vi.jpg&hash=173c0c6f36175fa89dbb28ea42f4e1be9a4ad945)

Okay, what's underneath that window assembly?  Silicone mat?  It's gotta be some kinda no-stick surface ...

Really enjoying the build-up of zillions of layers of modern archaeology on this one ...

Cheers,
Dallas

I used heat-lamination sheets, which are transluscent before they're sent through a laminating machine.  I glued the
stryene strips onto the sheet with ACC, then filled in the sqaures with Liquid Nails.  It took quite a while to dry all the
way through.  After about 2 days I trimmed the sheets around the frame and installed the windows. I did peel the sheet
of one window with a razor blade to see what would happen, but determined that to be an unnecessary (and time comsuming) step.

(Gratuitous picture thrown in to break up text):

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages60.fotki.com%2Fv778%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1280023-vi.jpg&hash=21c20f80bfdf9020fb7214150c793614884e4724)

I'm likin' the archeological aspect here, too.  It's working out much better than imagined and I'm glad it appears to be coming
through:  The old building with an added Art Deco facade that's now being torn off prior to demolishing the whole building,
plus the indication of yet another building as seen in the ghost wall (....which, BTW, was an after thought...). 

(Gratuitous Picture #2):

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages55.fotki.com%2Fv586%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1280017-vi.jpg&hash=daee0bfe682cd541a106eef3cb876c5ef3871b75)

It's fun when a project develops a life of its own as it's being built!

It's fun to watch it come together too. Very cool.

This is looking so good Ken. I really like the glass brick tip. In my alley dio I had wanted to have this kind of glass brick, but could not work out how to do it, so I settled for the ones with parallel lines...now I know. The levels of updating of the style is wonderful, without updating the underlying structure...like new icing on an old cake.

Brief update:  Built the chain link fence for in fromt of the empty lot...

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages55.fotki.com%2Fv585%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2040013-vi.jpg&hash=6afaa66fa2f54e0834ec017217e6ebcca1bbf4e0)

...and added some details to the apartment building's alley wall:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages51.fotki.com%2Fv282%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2110001-vi.jpg&hash=be0d2eeea5806b28ffe642ec2b8cb4b8b5a30dd8)

(Yeah, I know.....the bricks aren't the right size, but I'm too far along to re-scribe another wall)

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages59.fotki.com%2Fv791%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2110004-vi.jpg&hash=6d6162f52575e89286ff23da412cf8ba4353dd48)

This wall won't really be front-and-center, so I'm hoping size won't matter too much.......

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages56.fotki.com%2Fv362%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FAlleyWall2-vi.jpg&hash=d5e556c03c8498414d3245f5927129f92a753193)

A few notes on construction details, please. We can guess, of course, but it would be more satisfying to know exactly what materials you use. -- Russ

What kind of screen did you use for the fence?

Russ, I didn't take any in-progress pictures 'cause I really didn't know how the meters would turn out.
I'm definitely a "short-cut" modeler, as you can see how rough the meters are in this close-up.
They won't be exposed to really close inspection so I just kinda hinted at them.

Certainly NOT a Chuckdonian effort.

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages44.fotki.com%2Fv220%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2110007A-vi.jpg&hash=b644ccddf5ff8fcd6d65ad6f2d276c6a0f9c6653)

The meters are styrene boxes with short pieces of hollow rod glued to them.  The rods were then
sanded down to look like flanges.  Thin wafers of .020" rod were glued inside the "face ring" to simulate
the little dials.  A rounded sliver of aluminum was glued across the middle to represent the big spinning dial.
Finally, clear 5-minute epoxy was dripped into the ring for the glass.  It's cloudy enough (complete with air
bubbles!) to hide the ersatz details, but I'm hoping your mind tells you it's a meter

Ray, the screen is plain, ordinary hardware store aluminum window screen (not the nylon stuff)

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages54.fotki.com%2Fv104%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2040009-vi.jpg&hash=db16bd1cf748958270e8d91051c2423d9690c43d)

Yeah, that'll do. Thanks! -- Russ

Ken

They look real good to me.

Jerry

Nice details Ken, I do like those meters ............... will be pinching the idea of epoxy for the glass covers for something else.

Bricks, they look good to me and I think the variety of types and "sizes" just adds to the real look of what you are producing

Thanks, guys.
I had originally thought of putting a tall wooden gate at the end of the alley, but
decided to go with an iron gate and fence so the alley details will be more visible:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages59.fotki.com%2Fv791%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2170004-vi.jpg&hash=b203a1efa82ad72884a4ae93f023382bc837a9e3)

It was pretty straightforward to build.  Brass shim stock, styrene rod & angle,
a few NBWs and a couple of photo etched doo-dads...

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages16.fotki.com%2Fv369%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP2180009-vi.jpg&hash=cd80a998593584f384fa4945c26f8eb586c8a624)

Excellent piece of "Something out of nothing"! - although I do envy your access to photo-etch doo-dads!!! Perhaps I'm a curmudgeon? - but that sort of stuff seems so much more difficult to obtain over here in the UK.

Or perhaps I'm just too idle to search it out?

Wow! That's some mighty fine work there.

Excellent!  The little pointy, open bits are a fantastic touch and add yet another level of "see-thru" detail on the see-thru gate ... ditto with the detailed lock.  The gate will add a lot of depth and define the end of the alley, but allow the "nosey" viewers to have a peek that way!  ;)  -- Dallas

Those meters came out nice. Neat gate too.

Great work Ken,

was going to say that your bricks, while an odd size 'face on' replicate perspective brilliantly on a side wall- I love it when perspective techniques usually seen in paintings are used for models. Very inspiring

to answer Andi's question re UK photo etch architectural details, this is the place...

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Etched_Brass_Frets___Photo_decoupe.html (http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Etched_Brass_Frets___Photo_decoupe.html)

hope that helps.

James

Thanks, James.  I only wish I had done that on purpose.....

Here's a quick little SBS on how I just did a plaster lath wall that will be seen from the back.
Building a the wall in scale is done the same way as the old craftsmen used to do it. 
First, I framed a wall with scale 2'x 4" lumber.  I squared the wall over graph paper:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages55.fotki.com%2Fv659%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall-vi.jpg&hash=8fe2e5e658d17f4874fae5f9cf4f7bbafefd3e96)

The lath was done with thin, pre-stained strip stock:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages16.fotki.com%2Fv368%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall2-vi.jpg&hash=f5ac3121b78be5963086335aaa13da479d50c53b)

From the back, the wall looked like this with the lath strips in place:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages16.fotki.com%2Fv378%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall3-vi.jpg&hash=d1fcd78dd7e2434fb9ee9264813953dbce933465)

Next, I applied spackle to the front of the wall with a styrene trowel, squeezing a little
bit through the spaces between the lath:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages16.fotki.com%2Fv388%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall4-vi.jpg&hash=1172140655964b2c513ca34fed551bdf7e1685d5)

From the front, the finished wall looks like this.  Since this side of the wall won't be
seen, I'll leave it like this. If it were going to show, I'd sand this side and apply a finish
coat of spackle:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages55.fotki.com%2Fv659%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall7-vi.jpg&hash=7220949891a05dd00f07b657f15ee97fe704fe66)

The INTERESTING side of the wall is the back:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages55.fotki.com%2Fv659%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall8-vi.jpg&hash=6e30599f21b024467c83556d18f2273eab8586e3)

In some spots, too much spackle oozed through, but that's easily chipped off
with a toothpick after everything dries:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages60.fotki.com%2Fv662%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall9-vi.jpg&hash=2f7a69086f105964e522fe6edf61dc13b2e72508)

This wall will be placed in front of a window in the Arcade building that was sealed
off during an earlier renovation.  Not a detail that will jump out, but it adds a little
more interest to the scene:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages61.fotki.com%2Fv384%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FPlasterWall13-vi.jpg&hash=fae759a2cc653d44b1f2b185f24e6388a5f52702)

Nice work on that lath and plaster!

Ken

That is so neat looking.  It sure does look the real thing it was a craft in days gone by.

Jerry

Ken the plaster detail is great, and the painted ghost is a super touch I saw a lot of those in London as a kid.

Michael

I'm glad I'm not the only one to use spackle on models. But I've never used it so effectively. -- Russ

Ken it´s  always a pleasure to look at your excellent work. Thank you for showing!

Great idea! Very realistic.
Bet most dont even know why the plaster is squeezing out.
Marty

You can pretty much count on that lathe and plaster thing showing up in a diorama of mine in the future... so simple and so effective.  It looks spot on to stuff I've demo'd in 1:1 - and with your aged wood, is yet another mini-work of inspiration within this very cool project.

Quote from: lab-dad on February 26, 2012, 05:13:18 AM
Great idea! Very realistic.
Bet most dont even know why the plaster is squeezing out.
Marty

Because the grass is always greener on the other side ... or something like that!  My grandma's house had plaster walls ... all the pictures on the wall were hung from wires suspended from nails in the crown molding ...

Great job on the lath Ken! Another good idea to copy!

Great detail work on everything here. What will the footprint be of this superb diorama?

Anders

Thanks, guys.  Anders, the base is 20" x 40".

The hole in the bricked-up second floor window was going to be simply a hole,
but I thought maybe it could serve as a basis for an inconspicuous detail...

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages51.fotki.com%2Fv628%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FP1280007-vi.jpg&hash=3ab283a545115c914cefc498fe77bd35b6aa5f59)

....so I made this quickie box with some general details for inside the "hole":

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages60.fotki.com%2Fv370%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FBrickHole1-vi.jpg&hash=ab0430f6c0211c9662c6d6091f8a27e04e306e60)

An LED behind the plastic curtain over the door creates this effect:

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages60.fotki.com%2Fv662%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FBrickHole2-vi.jpg&hash=8467258291152b26693138c26eee171413aee824)

Here's the box placed inside the Arcade building behind the hole in the brick wall. 
The LED at the top center of the door is on, but you can't really tell in this picture

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages61.fotki.com%2Fv384%2Fphotos%2F1%2F15405%2F3467729%2FBrickHole13-vi.jpg&hash=cd98bae4190bac679d33abe157ad443c962457e1)

Here's what all this is trying to achieve.  When the viewer notices the light and peeks in
the "hole", a small and somewhat difficult to see interior room will present itself. 
Not something you might notice the first time around, but something to keep you
interested during the second or third look......

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What a marvelous feature! The plastic curtain over the doorway, with the light shining through it, is the perfect touch!

Damned clever, those Easterners. -- Russ

I love the second and the third look.... It's like a view throgh a keyhole.
The smaller the hole, the bigger the space for the imagination!
Please let us gain insight into many holes.

Nice Ken!

I had to stop by and check in on the fantastic modeling that goes on here.

I always open up my lighting clinic with the concept that proper lighting can really draw us into a model. You show how a simple, well placed light can do just that.

Bill

That is so neat!

Ken ...Brilliant in more ways than one.

Michael

What they said...

I really like the shadow box draw of this... as you said, something to discover on your next looks.  Love the compressor and the story continuation.

Nice touch Ken, just enough detail to let us imagine what is in there. The lathe is also superb. Don't forget to add dust along the tops of all that plaster that has glooped through the slats.

Most Awsome, unusual and superb!!

Oh yah, and excellent modelling as well....

Stairway to the roof - the basic Gatorboard form:

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Etched aluminum over model airplane plywood door; wood frame, painted sandpaper siding:

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In place on the roof:

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In the real world, the sloped stairway roof would extend all the way to the building's flat roof.
Since this is a "cut-away model", the back of the stairway is cut at the plane where the roof is
cut; however, I don't think this really works - the stairway just appears to be a shed on the
roof. I should have made the stairway enclosure longer, with more of the slope showing.

I think you're right about the cut-off bit ... immediate impression from the photo was that the stairs would go out the side/back of the building in question ... however, that door looks great!  -- Dallas

I think you should scrap the entire model and start completely from scratch .... -- ssuR

Too Cool!

Started detailing the alley before the building-next-door went in,
but I ran out of daylight.....

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I think the trouble with threads like this is you just run out of superlatives so quickly .............. I mean, if I'd of answered every post I'd have long used up my entire vocabulary regards groovy and fantastic things to say.
So, just because I haven't littered your thread with gushing praise doesn't mean I haven't noticed or that I'm not appreciative.
Far from it - in fact pretty much the opposite. I'm really quite numb from the lateral thinking, the innovative design and remarkable problem solving.

So it all boils down really to a quite simple .......................... Bloody well done sir!

Quote from: Ken Hamilton on March 08, 2012, 05:34:41 AM
Started detailing the alley before the building-next-door went in,
but I ran out of daylight.....

Darn shame!  Loads of storyboard possibilities for the dark alley and the "somewhat" inviting open doorway ... cue Mr. Hitchcock ...

Looks like a dangerous place to hang out after dark!

Very evocative Ken... just waiting for Philip Marlowe to come down the stairs and out the door...

Paul

Finished up the alley and decided what I was going to do with the Arcade entrance,
so the Arcade building is ready to be permanently attached to the base.

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Once the Arcade building is in place I'll finish up the part of the first
floor (just inside the door) that's visible.

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Made a TV antennae for the apartment building roof, too......

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It just looks always great!
I'm looking forward to your next steps.

It would have been loud and proud with the bold art deco colourings in its prime, but now just beautifully sucked into the scene with a health dose of city grime.  This is growing very quickly into on of those dioramas that will stick in modellers minds for some time.  Its just a common city sight with a dying building, but captured just brilliantly here. Amazing work Ken.

Cheers,
Dan

Fantastic so far and instantly recoginzable as a diorama with the typical "Hamilton Touch".

Anders

Ken,
Really interesting (and entertaining) to watch you progress through this project.
While not a subject I would ever model I am still very much enjoying the posts.
If it were not for the background (or lack of) it would appear real.
When finished I think you need to take it to the city for a proper background.
Shot with a narrow focus plane (background slightly out of focus) it would be a very real scene.
Thanks for shows us and all the SBS along the way!
-Marty

Ken I did a double take on that first picture! then realized that it is a superb example of model work. Simply amazing!!

Michael

I will continue to sit quietly and watch this beauty unfold!

Ken I am with Michael that first picture is amazing .......... the grime and sense of urban decay has really been captured, and like an artist think it is those little details that you have added that really make it ............. in this case its got to be the graffiti, just  enough to make an subtle impact

Thanks, guys.
I was really torn about adding graffiti because (1) I didn't want to neighborhood to look TOO bad and (2) I'm
not much of a graffiti fan in the real world, but after the fact I think it does add something to the story.

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Unfortunatly you have to have some grafitti in that enviroment. in this case it is encouraged.

The graffiti plays its part in setting the timeline for the display...age of the buildings and the era we are now looking at based on the style of the graffiti.

Dan

Excellent work Ken.

That new photo ... well, what can one say? -- Russ

Really great stuff Ken. Any crackheads viewing would feel right at home.

Lost for words!!!!  Just a great scene.

Jerry   

Ken, I share your feelings about graffiti! I despise it in real life and dislike using it on models, but sometimes it's necessary to accurately portray the scene. I think you've put in just enough to do the job, and the whole scene is stunning.

This weekend I tightened up the roof a little.  The stairway enclosure looked more
like a shed and the clothesline was too plain.

Before:
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After:
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I think the cut-away section sloping down to the roof makes the unit look more like
a stairway and the clothesline looks more personable.  I did have to change the one
wire "clothesline" to reflect the weight of the rug.

The rest of the laundry, which dried faster than the rug, waits patiently in the cart
(...made from Wildhare Models shopping cart parts..)

And the bottom of the door scrapes the asphalt roof. Satisfactory -- Russ

Details, details, details.  A perfect roof scene.

Jerry

Camera Play-Time.....

Even in a lighted room the alley was pretty dark with the two buildings in place
so I added a mini-LED in a small hood.  It illuminates the alley a little in daylight,
but playing with the camera with the lights off is just too much fun..........

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Wow! Those night shots look great!

Very nice Ken. The camera play looks great. It makes all of your hard work well worth it to get such great shots. Great composition of the stuff in the alley. It's very realistic looking. 

Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

Man...this build just doesn't quit...it just plain overwhalming. What can one say that hasn't been said by everyone all along. Just incredible.

M

That last photo looks so realistic its scary. Fabulous work.

One question. How did you apply the graffiti on the buildings?

Class Ken, I love this game with the light.
The light in the Duckelheit only real life is a model.

Adequate. -- Russ

Quote from: finescalerr on March 20, 2012, 12:51:14 AM
Adequate. -- Russ

.................................................What he said!






Actually it's absolutely bliddy brilliant!

Thanks, guys.
Wesley, the graffiti was done with Sharpie markers.  The fat silver Sharpie works great.

Absolutely brilliant work and great pictures...... :o BUT how about some close ups as well like on the laundry cart, alley etc. as these pictures are not even close to actual size.

Great night shot there too!

Anders

Great composition.  It just makes the scene so real.

Jerry

Those night shots are terrific, what a great build. The raking light shows just how important texture is in making a model come to life.

...finished the insert for inside the door of the Arcade.  There's a small ticket window to
the right and a distressed wallpaper mural on the back wall.

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It's not really obvious in the final scene, but that's the idea.  Just something for the background.

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Ken, this is just amazing to follow. This diorama is truly a story book. You never know what's behind the next door. Each corner has it's own little story!

However, I have to point out one logic error: While your metal cart is absolutely stunning in regards of craftsmanship, I have to say that it is completely out of place on the roof top. Dragging a cart like that thru a narrow staircase like that would be not only silly but almost physically impossible. Maybe you can find a home for it somewhere on the street level?

Quote from: BKLN on March 26, 2012, 10:38:11 AM
I have to say that it is completely out of place on the roof top. Dragging a cart like that thru a narrow staircase like that would be not only silly but almost physically impossible. Maybe you can find a home for it somewhere on the street level?

I consulted with the tenant, who advised me that pulling the cart up the stairs (like a hand truck) was easier than
trying a lug a heavy (and larger diameter) laundry basket ........ ::)

Point well-taken, though.  It might look better down at the entrance or maybe in the hallway.
Thanks!

There was a recent sad story of kids dropping a cart on someone at least two stories below.

That entrance is spot on. The mural is perfect. Total urban renewal canidate!

The lower photo fooled me for a moment; I thought it might have been a 1:1 scale inspiration for the model! -- Russ

Wow, there is nothing in that lower photo that would suggest it's a model.

That entry photo is a mind-blower!  Superb.  -- Dallas

....just couldn't resist throwing this in:
Clothes pins for the roof-top clothes line ( I made about a dozen last night)

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PS: Christian, I did make a laundry basket to replace the cart.  Looks better - photos will follow. Thanks...)

That's just sick!  ;D  Of course, since the arcade is closed and since the kids need something to do ... you'll have to make some of these now:

Quote from: Ken Hamilton on March 30, 2012, 07:56:09 AM
PS: Christian, I did make a laundry basket to replace the cart.  Looks better - photos will follow. Thanks...)

I hope you didn't take apart the cart for that. The cart is really nice. I think it would be a perfect candidate for that clutter in between the buildings. I see those carts all the time here in the city. It's the poor mans delivery truck.

Quote from: BKLN on March 30, 2012, 08:37:44 AM
I hope you didn't take apart the cart for that.

Nope.  It's going in the Detail Drawer for later use.

That is so insane!!!!!

Hope to see this in October!!!!!

Jerry

Christian:  Here's the revised roof.  The basket definitely works better.

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So cool ... stuff that you usually DON'T see on a building dio ... executed beautifully ... droopy clothes lines with actual wood pins ... great job on making the basket look well-used ... floor mat has a nice texture.  Sweet!  -- Dallas

Nice one, Ken!

I was wondering the whole time if you would go for a plastic basket or some other material. But this is right on!

How did you do the clotheslines? I read back through the thread, and didn't see it mentioned.

Awesome!

One small thing bothering me though... the stairway structure looks like it's just sitting on top of the roofing material. I'm no expert but shouldn't there be some kind of flashing or something?

Quote from: Ray Dunakin on March 31, 2012, 08:25:06 PM
Awesome!

One small thing bothering me though... the stairway structure looks like it's just sitting on top of the roofing material. I'm no expert but shouldn't there be some kind of flashing or something?

The same thing struck me Ray - honestly, right at the get go [cool Americanism -huh]?  That really is how it looked but not being familiar with American building practices I hesitated to say anything - plus I didn't want to sound mean spirited.

I mean in England the dang thing would of floated off within the week .......................... AND - why can't I get "No batteries required" out of my head? - You'll have to get Michael to knock up one of those doody little flying saucers.

Ken, I am just watching, listening & learning,!!!!
getting lots of ideas from you,
every time I think you have finished, up pops something new

Just nit picking now, but when I bring the washing in & leave a peg on the line, gravity swings the longer length down, so I guess your clothes line is ( because of scale limitations) too strong to twist with the weight(?) of the pegs

Flashing? on stair top?
Maybe, well just maybe, roof access was originally just through a roof Hatch, which would have had an upstand around the lip to protect from water ingress, & the stairwell roof was then an addition over & outside that, so still waterproof
Just thinking

I just love watching Dr. Hamilton operate. Well done Ken.

The premise here is that layers of roofing paper have been applied by shoddy workmen, who
haven't been overly concerned about proper sealing methods; however, if it's not reading
too well I'll take another look.
As far as the clothes pins, I actually did try putting them on the line at different angles, but some
things that occur in the real world just don't translate convincingly in scale (for me, anyway..)
Thanks for the input

Bexley, the clothesline is painted floral wire, carefully bent and kinked. 
I say "carefully" because It's solid wire that's not too "springy".

Thanks for all the other comments, too.

Ken, the entrance of the theatre is amazing!! The tension on the line with the mat works perfectly I must agree I like the round basket better on the roof, perhaps the wheeled one in the corner of the entrance laid on its side a great debris trap.

Michael