1/35 Paper Structure Vignette

[artizen]

This is way better than I could ever build so I vote yes for the bricks. And the weathering. And the concrete cracks. And the bucket. And the moss.

[Chuck Doan]

This is looking pretty bloody good Marc. I really like your method of controlling the cracking of the plaster. Its something I will try myself. I think the groundcover looks spot on as does the bucket, except the slightly overscale wire handle...before you change it I like the think that some things look right to the eye and its only in a photo that something like pops out (at least that's what I tell myself when I see a photo and my gut looks overscale!)

Like brooms....

[Malachi Constant]

I think the groundcover looks spot on as does the bucket, except the slightly overscale wire handle...before you change it I like the think that some things look right to the eye and its only in a photo that something like this pops out ...

Yes ... but photos are how it will most likely be "displayed" ... and therein lies the rub ...

Alrighty, this is a tough one ... I sure as hell can't do any better ... and would struggle to do as well as what you've done here with the bucket ... BUT ... it did jump out at me.  EVERYTHING ELSE looks better-than-model and approaching/achieving photo-realism ...

The bucket jumped out to me looking like a well-made 1/35 casting done by a "skillful" modeler ... which is at least a couple steps below however I'd describe what you're doing here ...

In addition to the handle, the ribs look funky ... looking at photos, there ARE many different rib patterns to use ... the bottom rib looks good ... often there's a "structural" rib there to support the handle ... the upper rib looks beefy and out of place and also seems to add "heft" to the diameter of the top, which makes the wall-profile look thick and heavy ... like a commercial casting ...

And then it needs a little "something" to anchor it ... seems to sitting in wet leaves ... maybe a wet shadow at the bottom, I dunno ...

If you're on a deadline and the point is moss and such ... then you don't need any of this crap ... not that you would ever need any of this crap ... except you're one of the few who'd want to know the divergent opinions ... so there you have it! 

Now, I sincerely hope that I can do nearly as crappy a job when it's my turn to make a bucket!    -- Dallas

[shropshire lad]

This is looking pretty bloody good Marc. I really like your method of controlling the cracking of the plaster. Its something I will try myself. I think the groundcover looks spot on as does the bucket, except the slightly overscale wire handle...before you change it I like the think that some things look right to the eye and its only in a photo that something like pops out (at least that's what I tell myself when I see a photo and my gut looks overscale!)

Like brooms....

  We weren't going to mention them , but now you've brought it up ... !

[marc_reusser]

Wow. Thanks all for the comments and critiques. Much appreciated.... now let me see if I can answer them

Not for me your realise, but think somebody else will be interested in the source of that "modern" plastic bucket .... Or did you make it yourself

.

No, the bucket was not built by me (thus most of the issues mentioned by Dallas)...time ticking away, I decided to use one from Verlinden (who I generally avoid, because I find most of their stuff middling at best). It came from some "Tank Workshop Set" that also contains the cool metal shelving unit that Dallas used on his garage dio. I chose the best of the 3 castings, and tried to thin the walls at the upper edge as best/much I could,....I ignored the ribs around the outside...because of time and impatience...and as Dallas so correctly noted, they are usually a bit thinner, especially the top one.

The one thing I would suggest is going one gauge smaller on the bucket's wire handle (if possible) - it looks just a little bit clunky

Yes, it does look, and is, a bit thick, but it was the thinnest/closest wire (.0009) that I had on hand. and it was a real PitA to anneal and work with ...the plastic handle part is also not great, but after 12 tries of drilling out a piece of .020 styrene rod with a .0012 drill, I said the hell with it..it was going to have to do. 

I agree that the door is wanting some love - not sure what, as I think the blue finish is solid looking, but the little final jump outs are still waiting.

The door still has strap hinges, hold-back loops, latches, and some misc. sheet metal details coming....unfortunately these take a bit of time to do, and I needed to get the doors done to this point, so I could continue on the other parts of the dio that are affected by their location, and in case I needed to call it quits because of deadline, there would at least not be a black hole where they were supposed to be.

[Malachi Constant]

Yes, it does look, and is, a bit thick, but it was the thinnest/closest wire (.0009) that I had on hand. and it was a real PitA to anneal and work with ...the plastic handle part is also not great, but after 12 tries of drilling out a piece of .020 styrene rod with a .0012 drill, I said the hell with it..it was going to have to do.  

Do yourself a favor and order several sizes of thin-wall tubing from Ngineering:

http://ngineering.com/tubing.htm

The smallest is .018" tubing with .002" wall ... so that will slide right over the handle without drilling!  

Get the other sizes too ... will come in handy when you need tiny telescoping shapes, etc ...

While you're on the site, some of the stamped metal shapes may be useful:
http://ngineering.com/stamped.htm

Shipping is reasonable and I've had good/quick service from them ...

You did a damn fine job on that Verlinden bucket (which explains what I'm seeing) ... do a little something to "anchor" it in the muck and maybe tone down the muck inside toward the top ..

Cheers,
Dallas

[mad gerald]

G'morning all,

Marc's building report encouraged me, to give his technique producing concrete from plaster a try (so I will be eventually able to finish my attempt to make plaster look like concrete). I followed Marc's reference, except that I chose a thickness of 3 mm as I did not have 0.060 styrene for a mold (I used wood strips) and 3mm in 1/16 scale would match the prototype of paving slabs with a thickness of 50 mm and dimensions of 31 x 31 mm (instead of a larger sheet to cut in shape), which would match the prototype measuring 500 x 500 mm as well. Unfortunately my stipple treatment happened a little too late, as the surface was not cool/damp enough anymore ... anyhoo next step will be staining the 2 test pieces with water based colours. As my attempt seems far to humble compared to Marc's and not to spoil this thread, I'll continue with my approach over here ...

 

Cheers

[Mr Potato Head]

Everyone
I think your being hard on the bucket
It works convincingly
I like it, weather it's kit or not.
I hope my brickwork and scenes come out as good
MPH

[Malachi Constant]

Everyone
I think your being hard on the bucket

Nobody criticizes Marc more harshly than he criticizes himself! 

It works convincingly
I like it, weather it's kit or not.
I hope my brickwork and scenes come out as good
MPH

Yeah ... me too!  Well, I mean I hope that my scenes (eventually) come out that good ... and yours too!

Cheers,
Dallas

[danpickard]

Trying to analyse the bucket scene...I like it because it adds some contrast to the diorama, but that may also be the part of it that is making you look at it more closely to see those minor flaws.  Put other more modern items around it, and it would probably blend into the scene easier with less focus on it.  Wondering if an older metal bucket would sit more comfortably in the scene.  Perhaps a metal bucket would be more predictable in this sort of model (but I do like the age comparison of different items in the scene).

Cheers,
Dan

[marc_reusser]

Chuck.....Thanks for getting the joke.  

The bucket and type was a very intentional addition, in order to give the scene a "timeframe"/context....this can help validate/explain the reason why the buiding is in the condition it is (IE instead of a heavily weathered 1920's building in 1930)....it is also one of those items that is very universal...so it can act as a touchstone/reference to a wide variety of viewers...plus it is an extremely common item in junk amd trash piles, as well as around any  number of places. Yes, an older bucket would have blended better..... but as Dan mantioned, it would be trite, expected, and offer nothing to the "story" or "history" of the scene.

Today I had to tackle the concrete roof slab edge.

After the cardboard roof piece was sealed with a layer of Dullcoat, a toothpick was used to apply a thin layer of thick ACC (Superglue) along the edge/face, while still wet, this was pressed into a mix of small pieces of dirt/gravel. Overscale or unsightly pieces were removed with tweezers. When dry this was given a brush application of Dullcoat, to help hold the gravel pieces in place, and to slightly infil around the larger pieces.



Lightweight Spackling compound was mixed with very finely sifted (.00024) dirt, and Badger "Concrete Grey" acrylic paint. The mix was then applied to the face and top and bottom surfaces with a spatula. to straight/square/flatten the front edge/face, it was pressed afainst a flat surface. Before the mix was fully cured an old brush wetted with water was used to "wash"/stipple some of the mix out from some areas between the previously applied gravel.



When dry the edge/face received additional coloring:

Wash made of a mix of Tamiya XF-54 & XF20
Spray of Dullcoat
Wash of LifeColor ‪#‎UA748‬ "Brown Green"
Drybrushing of Badger #16-11 "Concrete Grey"
Thin pin washes of AK #405 "Dark Brown"



The other end of the finished edge.



Showing the asphalt roll roofing apllied. (there will be more detailing, tar sealant at edges and seams, dirt, and leaves)
To use the tire or not to use the tire...that is the question. (hollow resin tire was made for me by Gordon ..and it's quite neat)

[Malachi Constant]

That looks damn good!  And, you know, when the bucket isn't the focus of a super close-up, it works exactly as intended!    -- Dallas

[marc_reusser]

Thanks Dallas, this project is like Alzheimers....every day its the same thing, but something new one has to figure out..

[Gordon Ferguson]

Now I really like the concrete edge and the roofing felt ........ The combination of texture and materials is one I have never seen modelled before and it makes a huge difference to the totality of the picture you are making.

But! ...... Is there not always one ..............

The tyre, while I would love to be responsible for the one major defining piece in this diorama   not sure about it?

I am guessing/hoping  you will sort of be burying it in debris, leaf litter, etc,etc  are you using is as a visual stop for the rear corner? ...... Think it's the relationship between the the current placement of the tyre (appreciate you have just placed it almost as an aside at the moment) and the round drain cover in the cement that is jarring with me?

Maybe have the tyre on a tilt, resting on and in the detritus on the roof, ...... Don't really know

Will stop waffling now.

[artizen]

Personally, I would never think to have a tyre on a roof. I have never seen a tyre on a roof except when used to hold down really old galvanised iron sheets on country buildings. I would never expect to see a tyre on a concrete roof at all as it is not doing a job and few people would bother to throw one up there.