Hello all,
As mentioned early, it's been 3 month that I'm working on a new scratchbuilding diorama. All have begin with the last limited edition kit from Foscale : the very inspiring bandit roots.
When the kit was sold, the rate between the Canadian and US dollars was 25 %, and if you add the shipping and custom duty, you have a kit at almost 500 $ CDN. It totally off my budget.
The more I thought about making it myself, the more the project grew with the addition of new ideas. Hence the idea of making a very large diorama in the only available space in my Home . This space is actually a triangle of 5 feet by 5 feet, and in the hypothenus angle, the dio can have up to 2 feet deep ( so in fact we have an irregular pentagon). Here's the location :
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217090852-266051367.jpeg)
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Can we still talk about a diorama for something as big as 5 by 5? should not we talk about a start of a layout? The debate is open.
for the track, I'm very inspired by the left side of the top draw from this one that I've found on the net
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217093614.jpeg)
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The upper track will be a large curve half masked in a tunnel that pass below the Fos Hill.
the 3 diagonal track will shortened and move to the right. The idea is to incorporate my RedHook Dio in this place, and incorporat two other dio ( Hooper's Oyester and Nolan Cannery) around that I spell The Oyster Bay that is located between the Fos Hill and the RedHook Wharf.
Ok I Know it's a lot of stock in a small space...but the project can still evolve and I count on your advice to achieve it. It is this very evolutive character that makes me think that it is good for a diorama and not a layout that should necessarily be better planned from the start. That's all for the concept of this projet.
The second challenge is my new method to build the different building. no measurements are taken, everything is drawn to the scale for making template, that are glue on wood before cutting. For all the draw and signage I use CorelDraw X7
Unfortunately, I've not take any picture during the scratchbuilding process of the first three building.
First Building : Callahan Machine tool.
In my opinion, one of the most beautiful building of the kit, lot of charactere. I've some difficulties to draw it, not being able to determine whether or not the wall next to the gas station is at an angle to the rest of the building rather than being square. Finally, I've opted for the option with angle, the shape of the final result is a little bit strange, but ad a lot of cachet. The signage are made with corel draw. what is interesting about this software is that you can open a picture and modify it quickly and easily ( stretch or reduce proprementally or not etc).
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217090852-266312179.jpeg)
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Second building : Burdick Oyster
An other Foscale kit that I would have liked to own. For this project I've decide to scratchbuild it inverse side from the original. In the dio It will take place on other side of the street in front of callahan machine tool. The base stone work is a plaster mold from a NewEngland Brownstone product. I would especially like to thank one of you who kindly sent me the posters I was missing.
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217090852-266332246.jpeg)
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Continue in a few... Tea time...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217090852-26632884.jpeg)
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Third Building : The Gas Station
Probably the most difficult to draw with his irregular trapeze shape and angle. Very funny to build.
I never be able to make acceptable stucco with durham putty. So I used my own technic:
1. blend a small amount of acrylic mudstone color in a small quantity of Liquitex light modelling past
2. cover the wall with a thin layer of this paste. The more thicker is the layer, the more rough is the stucco, proceed with small area.
3 . Dab a soft brush on the coat of the paste to obtain the final texture of stucco.
The original paste is snow white, very slightly shiny. I've foun that mixing a small quantity of olor in the paste before use it, break the shiny effect and add a lot of deepness of the final color. of the wall.
Once the stucco is dry, I'Ve wash it with AI solution, in some place, I've ad 2 coat of AI solution. Then I've brush the wall with Acrylic color : Eggshell white as base and vintage white for break the uniform aspect of the white.. Then I've paint the blue area and dry brush it with vintage white. Once the paint are totally dry, I stain some area with light AI solution, and finally brush the model with green chalk and rust color. The sign are all hand made with corel draw. I've choose to make a Carter Sign rather than the Curtis original, because the billboard on burdick Oyster Is For Curtiss Baby ruth. two time CUrtiss is one too much. The word carter is cut on an half millimeter thick evergreen styrene sheet.
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217090852-266341228.jpeg)
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Here's an overview of the street
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217091035-26635928.jpeg)
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4th Building : The tailor shop
In my own opinion (and this engages only me and is by no means a blame for Doug),the Livery feed and stable building is the most insignificant and uninteresting building of this kit So i've decide to skip it and replace it by a personal creation. Same size, but with a little bit more interest and fun to build. It,s the « Sam Grath & Sal. Pike tailor shop» Juste the name is funny for a french speaking personn. Imagine a Frenchman who pronounces this name with the biggest French accent of the world, what is heard is something like « Ça me gratte et Ça le pique» that means in English « It scratches me and It stings him» the exact sensations with new woolen fabrics like tweed or so :)
At this step I've build the front of the shop and the cornice.
here'S the step by step process.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217091036-266361604.jpeg)
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217091036-266371719.jpeg)
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(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-311217091036-26638797.jpeg)
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That's all for today.
If you have any question or comments, feel free
all your feedback are always welcome.
To be continued
Eric Quebec city
Eric,
I'm very excited to be following along with you on this.
Great explanation on what you are and have been doing. This will be a fantastic little, er, large diorama.
The structures look really great and I love the colors you've chosen.
The last structure looks to be a winner as well.
Tom ;D
Eric....
Pretty cool...... sir
Thanx
Bob
Great stuff, Eric!
Looks like an interesting project. My own philosophy with Tellynott has been 'if I feel like things are getting too cramped - add more'. It usually works!
Cheers, Mark.
Quote from: ACL1504 on December 31, 2017, 10:59:47 AM
Eric,
I'm very excited to be following along with you on this.
Great explanation on what you are and have been doing. This will be a fantastic little, er, large diorama.
The structures look really great and I love the colors you've chosen.
The last structure looks to be a winner as well.
Tom ;D
Thank you very much for your interest and comment Tom.
Eric
Quote from: bparrish on December 31, 2017, 11:29:17 AM
Eric....
Pretty cool...... sir
Thanx
Bob
Thank you for your comment Bob, I much appreciate it
Eric
Quote from: mark dalrymple on December 31, 2017, 02:18:42 PM
Great stuff, Eric!
Looks like an interesting project. My own philosophy with Tellynott has been 'if I feel like things are getting too cramped - add more'. It usually works!
Cheers, Mark.
Thank you Mark.
I really like your philosophy :)
Eric
Eric
This is a fantastic project. As was said above, the buildings so far look great. I will be following along with great interest.
Quote from: S&S RR on December 31, 2017, 04:48:08 PM
Eric
This is a fantastic project. As was said above, the buildings so far look great. I will be following along with great interest.
Thank you John for your interest.
there's somewhat in this project that said that I will need your help ...
Eric
Wonderful work Eric...
Jealous!
What ever the project ends up being, the start is fantastic. Please keep up the great work and the pictures.
Happy New Year!!
Great work, Eric. I really like the gas station, and your stucco technique.
Jeff
Quote from: BandOGuy on December 31, 2017, 06:36:30 PM
Jealous!
What ever the project ends up being, the start is fantastic. Please keep up the great work and the pictures.
Happy New Year!!
Thank you BandOGuy for your comment and your interest for this project
Eric
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on January 01, 2018, 07:44:02 AM
Great work, Eric. I really like the gas station, and your stucco technique.
Jeff
Thank you Jeff for your compliments.
Eric
Nice plan and great start Eric.....I'll be looking in. :)
Quote from: GPdemayo on January 01, 2018, 09:15:23 AM
Nice plan and great start Eric.....I'll be looking in. :)
Thank you Gregory for your comment.
Eric
Eric: Will this be standard gauge?
Quote from: Blazeman on January 02, 2018, 01:37:31 PM
Eric: Will this be standard gauge?
Hey Blazeman, yes it's HO scale.
Eric
Hello all, after almost a month, time to update this story.
A large part of my effort was dedicated to complete the Sam Grath & Sal Pyke tailor shop.
For the more visible side wall of this building I wanted a large ad on the wall. My choice was for an ad for Gold Medal Flour. I've found a good picture on google, and rework it withCorel Draw to fit my wall. Essentially the work was to ad green color on top and move the slogan «Why not now ?» The I've print and cut the ad.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102046-283121654.jpeg)
Then I've applied the ad on the clapboard siding after have sanded the paper. To glue it in place, I've make a mux of 50% wet water ( for remember, the wet water is a mix of water and alcool... thanks Mr. Frary) and 50 % white glue. once the ad well applied in place, I've cut the window opening. and heavily dry brush it with vintage white to fade the color.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102046-283861210.jpeg).
The I've build the two other wall needed for this building. A part a the side wall is just a piece a 1/16 basswood sheet. The part will be glue against the Callahan building later.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102046-28387481.jpeg)
And finally glue all the wall together.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102046-283881873.jpeg)
FInally I've do the roof that was cover with my Home made roled roofing. I use a technic learn on the DOug Foscale Blogspot.
and add a small access hatch.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102046-28389707.jpeg)
The next step was to build the little structure called « bandit Roost bar» the wall is made board on board , will heavily weathered strip wood. The sign is made with my first attempt to make dry transfer with wax paper. I will explain this technic later ( read in several week or month) when I will perfectly master this technic. For a first try it's not so bad, but it's not so good too.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102202-283902187.jpeg)
Finally here's an overview of this side of the street at this moment.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102202-283911888.jpeg).
For continue I've begin the small corrugated metal cover building that fit between the two part of Burdick oyster that will take place on the other side of the street.
It's a trapezoidal building. I used paper corrugated metal to cover the wall. I foud that this material is more easy to work than real sheet of scale corrugated metal. No shiny flash, easy to glue etc.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102203-283922352.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102203-28393166.jpeg)
No real difficulty was encounter during the assembly of this building. The roof will be cover with gravel once the second building will be build.
Here's an overview with the first part of Burdick Oyster building.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102203-283942291.jpeg)
That's all for the news on this project.
At this moment I still working on the draw of the second part of Burdick Oyster.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-280118102230.jpeg)
That's all for today,
As usual, feel free to comment, asking or so.
To be continued
Eric
Eric, you are a tremendously talented modeler. Your work is fantastic. I am thoroughly enjoying following along as you build.
I don't know if you're keeping track, but it would be interesting to know at the end of the project how much the total cost was compared to buying a kit. It won't change my behavior (buying kits), but it would still be interesting to know.
Cheers,
Vince
Eric, Your skills are remarkable. Great textures. The sequence of buildings looks very natural.
Vince, Most people scratch build not to save money. In the end it usually takes much more time. So if time is money to you, scratch building is more costly.
ed
Quote from: vinceg on January 28, 2018, 02:55:01 PM
Eric, you are a tremendously talented modeler. Your work is fantastic. I am thoroughly enjoying following along as you build.
I don't know if you're keeping track, but it would be interesting to know at the end of the project how much the total cost was compared to buying a kit. It won't change my behavior (buying kits), but it would still be interesting to know.
Cheers,
Vince
Hi Vince, I never evaluate the cost of a project. The only thongs I know is it'S less than the original price. ABd the price is not all. as said by Ed, Scratchbuilding is a large part of my fun in this Hobby. I like to buy kit, and build them due to learn experience with them. Each kit conceptor have is own way and method to assemble their product. There nothing comparable between an FSM kit and a Fos Kit or a sierra west scale kit, they're all unique and provide a very good experience. ANd on the other side, scractchbuilding is a personal challenge. and I like this kind of challenge.
Eric
Quote from: engine909 on January 28, 2018, 03:01:56 PM
Eric, Your skills are remarkable. Great textures. The sequence of buildings looks very natural.
Vince, Most people scratch build not to save money. In the end it usually takes much more time. So if time is money to you, scratch building is more costly.
ed
Your right Ed.
Thank you for your comment and interest.
Eric
Fantastic modeling.
Looking fantastic, Eric!
I always enjoy watching your projects come to life.
Cheers, Mark.
Hey Eric:
Looks just great so far. Am following along.
Karl
Absolutely fantastic build! Your use of the array of mediums available and material recreated is inspiring and at first I thought this was the actual FOS kit! nice work and I look forward to following!
Eric,
I can't say more than has already has been said. You are one of the masters of scratch building. I continue to be impressed and will continue to follow this thread.
Jim
Thank you LynnB, Mark, Karl, Todd and Jim for your positive comment about this project.
i much appreciate it.
Eric Quebec city
Hello All,
Here's some progress about this project.
I've spent all february and March to work on the second part of Burdick Oyster company. That was not very difficult, but needed a lot of work, especially on thepart of the roof that was cover with slate shingle. I've search many time on the web to find something like those offer by South River modelworks. I've found many interesting product, but infortunatelly, too expensive for my poor Canadian dollars. So, I've decide to buy a grey sheet of paper (Canson Brand)and doing my own slate shingle. The pattern was very simply do with Corel draw ans directly printed on canson paper. Then the most boring job ever take hase begin : cutting the shingles. there's two cut between all shingles. that was very very long to do . I could have stopped after cutting a half sheet, but by a kind of masochism, I cut two sheet more following a decision made on a stroke of madness in prevision of the next project.
Here'S the final pictures of this building
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075723-327282031.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075723-32727838.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075723-327261412.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075722-327161861.jpeg)
Once this building was finish, I've spend some time to finish the draw of the next building of this project. It'S an other Doug'S Masterpiece : the main building of Dead Horse Bay.
I've make some little change on it, like ... cover all the roof with slate shingle ( what a madness :) ), change the name of Terrien for Whateley, and Horvath for Tillinghart (all name inspired from H.P.Lovecraft literacy). I'Ve shorten the Horvath building, for take place for a commercial facade. For information, the chimney are scratchbuild too with Evergreen styrene Tubing and Mosnster modelworks laser bick work on basswood sheet.
Here's the final picutre of this building that was an intense scratchbuilding pleasure. I my own opinion, Ithink it's one of the better I've do at this time... (I am rarely so satisfied and proud of what I did)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075724-32729861.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075842-32730136.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075843-32734768.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075925.jpeg)
here's a few more.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075843-32733476.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075843-3273191.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/149-210718075843-32732591.jpeg)
That's all for today.
Feel free to comment, as usual.
To be continued...
Eric Quebec city
Brilliant, as usual. Eric, you continue to inspire. Well done, sir.
Matt
Hey Matt,
Thank you for your comment :)
Eric Quebec city
Eric,
What a cool build thread! Such great modeling and realism with weathering etc. So many words come to mind so I recorded all the best ones for posterity. Thanx Thom...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWYFxekoAsM
Fantastic, Eric!
Your work is outstanding. The home made tiles came up very well, and I love the little mansard roof - a lot of work in that, no doubt! Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy your posts.
By the way - I'm pretty sure the tiles/ shingles would have been from Northeastern scale lumber co. They aren't particularly cheap, and you don't get the same satisfaction as you do from a bit of 'make my own' insanity! Its probably why so many kit manufacturers use so much tar paper for their roofs - from my observations they certainly seem to be over represented in the modelling world. Here in New Zealand wrinkly tin rules (corrugated iron roofs), particularly in the era I model. I often swap out kit roofs of tar paper or cedar shingles for wrinkly tin - for which I use Campbell's corrugated iron sheeting.
Cheers, Mark.
Hey Eric, great job. Your weathering look great and I like the way your signs turned out. Fantastic job.
Quote from: tct855 on July 21, 2018, 09:50:02 AM
Eric,
What a cool build thread! Such great modeling and realism with weathering etc. So many words come to mind so I recorded all the best ones for posterity. Thanx Thom...
Thank for your good comment Thom :)
Eric
Quote from: mark dalrymple on July 21, 2018, 04:31:02 PM
Fantastic, Eric!
Your work is outstanding. The home made tiles came up very well, and I love the little mansard roof - a lot of work in that, no doubt! Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy your posts.
By the way - I'm pretty sure the tiles/ shingles would have been from Northeastern scale lumber co. They aren't particularly cheap, and you don't get the same satisfaction as you do from a bit of 'make my own' insanity! Its probably why so many kit manufacturers use so much tar paper for their roofs - from my observations they certainly seem to be over represented in the modelling world. Here in New Zealand wrinkly tin rules (corrugated iron roofs), particularly in the era I model. I often swap out kit roofs of tar paper or cedar shingles for wrinkly tin - for which I use Campbell's corrugated iron sheeting.
Cheers, Mark.
Hi Mark,
Thank you very much for your comment. The mansard roof was very funny to do. It have take a long time to make the template with Corel Draw, after what the assembly was very simple for a great result. At this time, the roof isn't glue on the top of tower, that 'S explain the fact that it isn'T perfectly centred on the top of tower.
I'm totally agree with you about the over representation of tar paper in kit. In this project I try to vary the roof a little bit with adjunction of batterne on roof for example, just to break the uniformity of the tar paper.
Eric.
Quote from: sdrees on July 21, 2018, 10:20:31 PM
Hey Eric, great job. Your weathering look great and I like the way your signs turned out. Fantastic job.
Hey Steve,
Thank you for stopping and comment .
For the sign, I add a little bit of earth color, particulary on the white letter. It help to make the illusion that the sign is paint on the wall.
Eric
Excellent work Eric..... 8)
Thank you very much Greg
Eric
Eric,
You are an excellent scratchbuilder! I have read throughout your build.
I saw your comments regarding the use of Corel Draw to make your signage.
Do you know if there is any Corel draw software that is free for use with Windows 10? I have only found the program used for a trial version, and not a full version for free. If anyone else sees this, can you offer a solution? Thanks
Rich
I Don't think that is legally free version of this software ... you can probably found on the web pirate version, but where ? I don't know and and don't encourage it.
I've paid under 100$ CDN Dollars for my licence of Corel Draw X7 home and student version there 2 or 3 years ago. I Never regret my purchase.
The possibility of this software for the hobby is incredible.
FOr me it's a really good investment, making draw, scale template, signage, rework some pictures etc.
Eric
Thank you , Eric, I will probably buy a full version from them soon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Rich
Quote from: Pennman on July 22, 2018, 10:39:24 AM
Eric,
You are an excellent scratchbuilder! I have read throughout your build.
I saw your comments regarding the use of Corel Draw to make your signage.
Do you know if there is any Corel draw software that is free for use with Windows 10? I have only found the program used for a trial version, and not a full version for free. If anyone else sees this, can you offer a solution? Thanks
Rich
I don't think that there is a free version of Corel Draw but there used to be a freeware program called inkscape that I used to use for making signs.