Clervaux Module 4

[Claude Joachim]

Hi everyone,‎

Let me give you an update of my last progress with "Diorama Clervaux".‎
As the level of competence regarding structure building is way higher on this forum as ‎anywhere else, i am really somewhat anxious to hear your reaction.‎

First let me put you this part of my build in context. ‎
It's going to be the 4th part of the dio. A few buildings are already finished, except ‎weathering and a few things i need to fix and redo. I did those building 5 years ago as ‎training for the castle build. This is 1/35 scale.‎
Here they are, positioned as first planned, on the whole dio (detailed pictures of the rest ‎of the dio can be seen on my website)‎
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I got a new reference picture ‎
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and decided to change my layout and insert this former textile and cloth shop into the ‎existent row of houses.‎
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Windows are made with Styrene strips. Lettering made with selfmade decals.‎
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I tried for the first time the salt technique to make it look a bit rusty.‎
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And fixed it in place
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Adapting and fixing the side  the walls
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I made so much roof tiling already on all the houses of the dio, that I am trying to change ‎the tiling style often to keep it diversified and interesting.‎
I choose this style this time, called "Bogenschnittdeckung". I leave you guys the task to ‎look up a suitable English word.‎
The start is always a bit difficult
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I managed to get this part done last weekend.‎
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This is it for now.‎
Comments or questions are of course more then welcome. Having talked and written so ‎much about this dio during the last years I simply assume a lot of things where new ‎people may need a few more explications.‎
Thanks
Claude

I have started a BLOG on my website http://www.diorama-clervaux.com and of course there are all the links where you can still buy my book :-)

[marc_reusser]

I think the grate with the salt technique came out very nice. Did you build this from styrene or is this a PE part you had made? Only thing I can suggest on it...just to pop the detail a bit....., is that the lock and hasp would probably not be green....maybe an old black or...or maybe old dark bronze?

Great work on the Bogenschnitten Deckung (probably best translates as "curved cut covering/roof")...I can see it's a LOT of work. What did you use for the tiles...Plasticard?......I like the verigation...is this the final color?

I like the scale and shape of the new building between the others...how does this affect the Hotel at the lower end of the scene?

The only critical comment I could make, is that comparing the plaster edge detail around the shop opening in the photo to the one on the model, I wish the edge on the model was a bit sharper/crisper...and the surface wasnt so "undulating". (but that is just the anal architect coming out in me  )


Thanks for continuing to post here...realluy enjoy seeng the progress on this...especially the structures.


Marc

[Claude Joachim]

Hi Marc,

Thanks!
Agree, the lock wil get another color, no problem .
Oh, just saw that one picture is not showing! Took care of that now and this is answering your question about the steel gate. It is this one made of plasticcard and copper.

For the roof tiling , i am using 0.25 mm Plasticcard, glues with carpenter's glue. No, this is not the final color. This is only one light coat of primer. With that, i don't need to prime later on the roof and working with the grey color is alot easier for the eyes then the vrilliant white.

The Hotelis unaffected, it only moves to the border of the dio. I first intendd to lay the road around the hotel, so now we hve more structures and less road cobbles.
I agree completely with you regarding the surface of the facade. I admit that i have some problems getting nice flat plaster surfaces on the houses. After fitting in the windows and filling the gaps i do not know really how do get flat surfaces with plaster. Getting it nice and edgie around all these openings... well, i accept all tips and tricks here.  The way i do it is in other words the easy solution to avoid that.

Claude

[jacq01]

   Claude,

   making plaster facades is not too difficult.

   Prepare a flat waterproof surface with the facade texture you want. Make from material with smooth edges the inserts for windows, doors, porches, etc and fix in place with one or two small screws.  Try to make the gap between the inserts, outer edges and the flat facade surface as small as possible. The outer edges should have the required thickness of the wall.  The plastered stone imitiation, so often found around windows and doors in this type of buildings can also be prepared as inserts.
   
  This way you make a negative mould with removable inserts and edges.
  Use dental, keramic or casting plaster as directed. The porosity of these materials is different and can be used to advance when coloring.

  I'll prepare a drawing.

  Jacq

  Jacq

[Claude Joachim]

Thanks Jacq,

I think i already made one. The Hotel is made like this

I had this method in mind as more difficult to make as my newest , and , because of the plaster more breakable.
If you see my base for the actual shop

you understand that a flat surface was not an option.

This one was made of wood, while also with sprinkled sand as facade, a bit sharper then the actual shop

( i will remake the  big window)

I am probably to much used on the styro thing since years and really need to switch back to alternative methods.

Thanks for giving me the kick in the A..   

Claude


PS.: Marc, i now noticed anotherthing while checking the pics (this thread is defintely already benefitial for me :-) )
The edges are smoother on the pics as in reality , that's one thing, but, i wanted to sand the facade a bit to get the grain a bit finer and indeed forgot that! With that done, the edges will be more detailed to... i hope.
(my ultimate excuse will be that this  house will only be seen at a half meter distance now, at least, even more later)

[Chuck Doan]

Viewing distance can be a big consideration for texture and detail as well as coloring.

[finescalerr]

To my eye, the construction looks good but minor improvements in weathering will make the difference between "very good" and "excellent". The two photos above, for example, show streaks of pastel chalk, some in logical places, others in apparently random places. But, in neither case, do they seem blended into the structure. Maybe you could use an airbrush very carefully to correct that. Or perhaps some kind of wash. (The structures may not be completely finished yet but I am commenting on what I see right now.)

And then there will be the other touches that Marc, Jacq, Chuck, and others can help with. For example, discoloration at the base of the buildings where water splashes up from the street or sidewalk. Fading, stains, and streaks on the roof and trim (even on the trim where you did a very nice job with peeling paint). Without spending hours on every building, there are probably some fairly quick touch-ups you could add to enhance the overall effect.

Such tricks are the reason you posted photos here and they will help to put your diorama "over the top".

Okay, guys, please offer some specific techniques.

Russ

[Claude Joachim]

Thanks Russ,

All comments are welcome and i will do my best to transpose them to my buildings. In fact,the lack of real constructive comments on other forums brought me here. I am on my own since years, so this can really be the occasion to progress.

Regarding your comments, i agree with the "Hunnegschmatts", the grey building, some blending of the streaks is necessary.
The Hotel is not yet weathered at all, i did not yet touch it. It was build 5 years ago and put it aside until today. I already took off the big white doors because the plastic bended to much and will redo them.

The base discoloration will be done when the road and boardwalk is build because i will probably pollute the base a bit.

What i would like to stress is that this is not a destroyed german city i am building, but a properly working little rural town, with "normal" weathering of the facades.
Here is a very good reference picture of the Hotel i build, taken just two months before the action in the dio


I will probably slowly mount this one weathering up with slight washes. Because of the yellow stripes, there is no second chance here (overpainting), the first weathering efforts must be the right ones, so i am indeed thankful for every tip.

Let us not burn the stages, i am not yet there.

Claude

[RoughboyModelworks]

Claude:

Regardless of the weathering issue, this is a most impressive piece of work. It's gratifying to see someone working to achieve such a high level of historical and documentary accuracy.

Paul

[Ray Dunakin]

Very nice. I especially love the steel gate over the windows, that looks terrific!

[marc_reusser]

Claude,

Thanks for all the info. I agree about working with the white styrene...it can be a bit too blinding.

This is not a critique ...just a matter of curiosity for me.... and I am not familiar with the slate used for the roofs in this region.  Is the slate actually as monochromatic as shown on your other roofs?....the reason I ask is, because as you are already going through the labor intensive process of doing individual slates,....have you considered laying out all the cut and primed pieces on a surface (preferably one that has some adhesion) and then randomly spraying slightly varied shades of grey across all the pieces (does the regional slate have any greenish or burgundy tones in it?)....this way when you glue down the slate pieces you will have a slight amount of tonal variation on the roof, which could lend a bit more interest and depth, as well as maybe appear that the slate pieces are reflecting light differently.

I see you have run quite the gamut of different approaches to doing your walls. The hotel BTW is beautifully done...I agree with not doing too much weathering on it...it would have been well maintained by the owners...and at most probably  only show the wear from a few years of neglect during the war...which would not amount to much.


FWIW...and not that you will need this, but if you ever do a half-timbered more rural famhouse...here is another approach 





The building was done by Ben Jacobsen using styrene for the wood, and epoxy putty for the filler. (I believe this was a 'master' for Verlinden).


Marc

[Claude Joachim]

‎

‎
Claude,‎

This is not a critique ...just a matter of curiosity for me.... and I am not familiar with the ‎slate used for the roofs in this region.  Is the slate actually as monochromatic as shown ‎on your other roofs?....the reason I ask is, because as you are already going through the ‎labor intensive process of doing individual slates,....have you considered laying out all ‎the cut and primed pieces on a surface (preferably one that has some adhesion) and ‎then randomly spraying slightly varied shades of grey across all the pieces (does the ‎regional slate have any greenish or burgundy tones in it?)....this way when you glue down ‎the slate pieces you will have a slight amount of tonal variation on the roof, which could ‎lend a bit more interest and depth, as well as maybe appear that the slate pieces are ‎reflecting light differently.‎

Marc
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Good morning,‎
Thank you Paul and Ray,‎

@Marc, Basically, the slate in our region is so called multicolored slate. This morning i ‎found no better picture then this one on the Net. The majority is blue-greyish.‎
‎http://www.jnd.qc.ca/travaux_eleves/Heros_tic_13_2008/13_heros13/porte-en-bois-‎clervaux.jpg‎
I tried to achieve that coloring on the castle's wall. ‎
Regarding the roofs, they are monochromatic grey. The slates are probably  preselected ‎accordingly. I try to achieve (photos to not render that good enough) variations of grey ‎with randomly applying different grey hues on the roof.‎
The method you suggested would not work anyway, considering that we are talking ‎already about 350 slates for the small part I showed here. The total roof of the actual ‎build will probably have around 2500 slates! I will not do the upper part with the rounded ‎slates, that's to much work ! Normal layout will do it and this mix of styles is  is also ‎correct. I want to finish the dio in my lifetime. 


Thanks for the link to the barn.

Have a nice weekend
Claude

[Krusty]

Claude

The an Hunnigschmatts sign looks odd to me. It appears to be a standard print typeface (Akzidenz Grotesk Extended?), rather than a signwriter's letterform, which seems unlikely in this period, which is way before vinyl sign cutters &c. Do you have a photo of the real life sign?

[Claude Joachim]

H Krusty,

No, i don't have a picture of the sign, that would have been easy then :-)

I have the picture of the Café in the seventies with the caption that formerly his name was "Hunnegschmatts".

As i need to do 1-2 more signs later on, do you have some reference or whatever for me, so  i better can understand "signwriter's letterform"

What modern police comes nearest?

Thank you

Claude

(realising more and more that this is the forum to be :-)  )

[Krusty]

Claude

Your best bet is to study photographs of the signage on other buildings from the same general area during the 1930s/40s. The thing to realise is that, although superficially similar, typeface design and traditional signwriting were really two different activities. The traditions, the people and the technology were different, and as a result the shapes of the letters were different. Typefaces were very carefully drawn up and the designs refined over quite a long period, before an élite group of tradesmen worked with punches, scrapers, engravers &c to cut dies for casting the letters, or matrices of letters, in lead. Signwriters were a rather less exalted group of tradesmen, generally working quickly with brushes on much less carefully worked out designs, often reproducing their letters from memory. Letterforms that were designed to work well in print were often very difficult to paint with a brush (I have far too many bad memories of 1980s signwriters trying, badly, to produce signage requiring then still trendy corporate typefaces like Univers &c), so even if a signwriter used print typefaces as inspiration, he would change the shapes subtly (or not so subtly)

If you're familiar with computer applications like Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw, or know someone who is, the easiest approach is often to typeset a sign in the closest typeface to what you want, then convert the letters to outlines and adjust them to suit. I've attached a couple of black & white signs that were prepared this way to copy some very poorly signwritten originals. Even with cheapo free founts you'd have trouble finding typefaces this bad, but that's the reality being reproduced. To avoid embarrassing myself too much I've also included a 1920s colour poster to show that I can draw properly sometimes....