JohnReid Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 I am just starting the interior sheathing of the forward cab wall using coffee stir stiks.This is a long procedure of cut and fit,cut and fit,filing around windows etc....These boards will be painted a weathered green . I have continued to dull the brass using a very thin wash of raw umber either brushed on or sprayed using the old toothbrush method. The exterior of the cab will be painted a weathered orange to look like a well faded red color and then worked over with pastels.This diorama represents a long abandoned movie set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Once again your realism and attention to details is impressive, John. :thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 I have temporarily taped the cab together to make sure that it all fits together before doing the finishing.Now I will break it down again and finish each panel individually.What looks like green barnsiding in the next picture is my standard method of aging wood stir stiks that I have discussed many times before when building old hangars.The important thing to remember is not be too neat and tidy as you want to retain the human randomness element in this type of work for it to look natural.On the other hand,remember only man plants trees in rows.Play with it and above all have fun,don't be in a rush to finish .Treat each object you do as a individual model in itself.Every piece that you do deserves the same attention whether it is that board behind the toilet or the cab instruments or cockpit panel.The key here is consistency and pride in your work ! If you make a mistake, so what, 99% of your viewers will overlook any small errors if the story is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LydiaLebron Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Simply wonderful these works ...:thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 I took a brass washer and worked it to the size of the pressure instrument face,blackened it and installed it with glue.I then installed the windows and their frames. For the side windows I may just install windows on the real side only and leave the other prop side open for picture taking purposes.Sergio loved to frame his shots using doors and windows,I like to do the same so a clear open window option is a necessity. As you can see working with extreme closeups has its limitations when using some of the lower quality models of yesteryear.Some of today's hi quality models, like Wing nut Wings for example,have much crisper detail and hold their realism well even in 1/32 scale. Anyway it is what it is and I don't really have any choice right now and at a normal viewing distance it will look OK.If I had more experience building locomotives I would scratch build a lot of these details but for now this will have to do.I have a second General kit that I could use as a reference for scratchbuilding somewhere down the road. Once the window frames are completely dry I will come back with some pastels to finish them.I am not completely happy with these frames right now so I think that I will add a small strip of wood inside for more realism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 The pressure gauge caught my eye when you first posted pics of it. What you said about treating each item as a complete project on its own is so true. It just takes one piece to be a little "off", to spoil the illusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Almost there ! The window frames could use a few rusty nails and maybe a little greenish patina for the brass. The bottom left where the wall meets the plastic floor already has a nice wood grain effect so I will leave it as is and weather the floor with pastels.A small piece of wood trim should complete this area.It is a good idea to complete everything even things that you figure will not be seen in the finished diorama which is mostly the case at normal viewing distance but the camera has a way of picking up everything good and bad.I take a lot of closeups to check for errors or improvements that could be made to improve" the look " of the piece.My favorite look is old and weathered(like me)Stuff that has some history to it. These kits are wonderful things for the modern diorama maker if you look at them as a good place to start your modeling of any subject.A lot of the hard stuff like research has already been done by the manufacturer so why re-invent the wheel? I check a few measurements in the beginning stages of any build just to see if they are within the ballpark to satisfy myself that it is a good subject for modification.Remember that I am not looking for 100% accuracy here but a good representation of a model to be used as a prop for my diorama.I look at all my work as props to help me tell an interesting story, which in turn gives me a lot of artistic freedom to do as I please.Once it is finished I lose complete interest and go on to the next thing,in fact I usually like the pics more than the diorama itself. Well now back to the subject at hand.I will include a pic here of the kit built out of the box by the manufacturer for comparison purposes.There is nothing wrong with new and shiny or building out of the box it really all depends upon what satisfies you, all of us begin there and some just prefer to develop our own personal style of modeling later on down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaC Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 looks real to me. great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otterine Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Marvelous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 This is slow going because when you add wood sheathing to the cab it changes all the measurements slightly which has to be anticipated and planned for otherwise you wouldn't get a nice tight fit when the cab walls are put together. In this kit there are no windows provided for the large openings in the side of the cab which is really ok with me for picture taking purposes.I would like to make some removable ones however,does anyone have any good pics of these windows that I could use for reference ? I would like to do this before installing the seat backs. If anyone sees any obvious mistakes in the cab please let me know before I close it up.Thanks ! if possible I will try to make the cab assembly completely removable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 John, your version of this is vastly superior (IMHO) than the shiny manufacturer's rendition. Even if someone wanted to make a "new" one, it should have some wear and tear on it, surely. It just doesn't look real, otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 John, your rust looks like the results I got on the Chrysnbon kitchen range with burnt siena paint and grated chalk pastels: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnReid Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 Wow ! nice stuff.That rusty stove looks familiar.Great composition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Mini thanks, the stove & cookware are the polystyrene Chrysnbon kits and I painted them to look like my own cookware (at the time) and a stove I'd seen in one of the history museum's Cracker houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniCrazy Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 John this is the first time I have seen this thread. I had to go through the whole thing I just couldn't stop. Your work is Major Wonderful! I hope mine turns out 1/4th that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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