DD Luci's Tattoo

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, Jerry.

I've given up on A&I washes for the most part. I've found it tends to lift acrylic paints off the surface.  I'm using oils thinned with odorless thinner.  First I used a raw umber wash all over the walls (and on the windows and doors which aren't installed yet).  I let it dry, applied a bit more in spots, then a burnt sienna wash coming down off the anchor plates, which had been painted a dark rust, and where the fire escape attachments would be.  Let this dry and did a little more wash in places.  I then experimented on the back wall with grey water wash (with flow enhancer) and grey oil with the thinner.  The oil/thinner worked more like the pin wash I was looking for.  After it dries a bit you can gently rub it off the bricks with a cotton swab.  So I again sealed with Tamiya flat and waited for this to dry. 

I've cut out the "glass" for the windows and some shades (more on that later) and they are presently drying.  I'll get back to this on Wednesday, hopefully.

Jeff

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking good, Jeff.

That wash has really toned down the bright brick colour.  It looks really good now.  I think the grey of the concrete blocks is excellent - at least for where I live.

Cheers, Mark.

[GPdemayo]

Looks great Jeff.....

[PRR Modeler]

Very nice modeling Jeff.

[Zephyrus52246]

Thank you, Greg and Curt. 

Jeff

[ReadingBob]

Nice tip about the oils/mineral spirit wash.  I like using washes but, like you said, I found out that the A&I wash isn't very compatible with acrylics.  The paints I'm using these days are not bullet proof like Floquil (or even Polly Scale) was.

[Zephyrus52246]

Yeah, Bob.  My only problem is figuring out how much to use.  I put a blob of the oil paint on a plate and mix it with "a few" brushfuls of thinner.  Not an exact measuring system.     I tend to make it too light.  but if there's a bit too much you can go back and swab it gently to remove the excess.  

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Next were the windows, or should I say the *%^# windows.  I mentioned earlier that they didn't quite fit.  I didn't want to carve out the hydrocal sills but I thought they at least would fit well enough when I initially tried them.  I was wrong.  The side windows fit fairly well, but the fronts weren't even close.  I ended up trimming more of the tops off, but then the actual openings weren't big enough, so I had to scrape and file them.  The left hole is where the window now fits.  The right hasn't been worked on.  So I ended up opening them both up to make them fit. 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

When I put the walls together, I shouldn't have made the wood corner braces so big, so as you can see they now block the windows.  You can see black paper (with some hydrocal dust post working on the windows), I usually use to block seeing into the building.  I couldn't do this for the fronts as the sticks, even painted black, would look funny.  So i cut presicely fit shades that fit on the backs of the windows.  When I glued the first on one, the canopy glue made it look uneven.  I should have stopped here and just painted the backs, but I thought using a thin even coat of the glue would avoid this look.  I was wrong. 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I was going to recut the windows and then thought, it's going to be two feet from the edge of the layout and pointing to the side.  I placed the windows on the layout and couldn't really tell they looked odd.  So onto the structure they went.   

Of course all the handling of the building and carving of the windows made some chips in the sills and other areas which were carefully touched up and weathered over.  But at least the darned things fit.  The white spots under the windows are holes drilled for lamps.

Jeff

[deemery]

Good recovery/adaptation, Jeff!

dave

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, Dave.

  I made some "scuppers" to collect water from the roof, mainly for the pipes to block the joint between the front and sides.  These wouldn't collect much water, as the roof is sloped, but only my daughter the architect would notice that.

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

The plastic roof was sprayed black, then some of the details were added before it was painted with a black/Elmers glue mixture.  Some sand was applied in an irregular manner, and then after drying the excess removed.  The other details were then added.  I probably should have made a base for the A/C unit.  Oh, well.  Then "tar" applied around the edges and around the details.  Don't want any leaks. 

The chimney and the A/C unit are included.  I made a "hatch" from styrene and the other parts are from the stash. 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Well, this one's finished, and in less than a month, practically light speed for me.     Except for the irritation of the windows (partially my fault for not fitting them BEFORE paining), it went well.  

I found some signs on the internet to use in the front window and to block the broken area to the left of the door.  

It came 3 three lampshades for the front, but I thought the front was busy enough with two.  I'd add the last one to the back door, but it won't be seen on the layout.  Neither will the "boo-boo" fire escape.  If I want to change it's location, I have other Tichy fire escapes in the bin.  

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Here it is in it's spot on the layout.  Now to get back to work on the layout. 

Thanks for watching!

Jeff