[Madkitten]

Hiya,

Today i have managed to finish the paintwork on the bulk of two buildings. They still need to have all the super detailing added ( door handles etc ). First i finished the roofs on both buildings, using firstly two black washes then drybrushing in Games workshop Fortress grey. The ridge tiles were painted in terracotta, washed in black and drybrushed in grey.

The corrugated roof is painted with a rust brown then drybrushed heavily in grey. I then washed it in black and let it dry. Then i drybrushed it with various silvers, bronzes, browns and greens. When it had all dryed i drybrushed it again with the base brown and gave it a soft black wash.

I then turned my attention to the walls of the buildings that needed finishing and whilst they were drying i painted and finished the doors and windows ready to be glued in. the large wooden topped building has green doors which i really dirtyed up with various washes. I used white windows to off set the darkness of the scene. I find that using a much darker wall colour adds a lot of uncared for feeling to the model but you have to make sure that the buildings do have small areas of light colour that stand out.

The front of the smaller half releif building has proved to be the most difficult to finish. I have spent a long time with black and brown washes and light brown and grey drybrushes to finish it. I am pretty happy with the finish. Again the doors are in red but darkened down and the windows in white to lighten the model.

I also have nearly finished the next three bits if rolling stock.

Here are some pictures of the layout so far for you all to see.

I have also taken a couple of black & white to see if they look even slightly realistic......

Hope you all like ..................................

Nikki

 

[neil_s_wood]

Very nice Nikki. You're doing a great job.

 

[Thunderbird]

I have to say wow.

I only joined up about a week ago, but during my "lurking" days i've been watching your progress for a while. Your painting techniques are exceptional. I shall certainly be using some of your tips in the future, but I doubt that i'll ever get near the quality you have shown.

Many thanks for sharing your work.

john who got a F in art at school (but I did win a prize in a design a bookcover comp once)

(never to proud to "borrow" an idea or "nick" a tip)

 

[Madkitten]

Hiya,

Today finally finished the basic paintwork in the corners, popped in the windows and did some more landscaping. First i painted the little water tank and the glued this and the seat into place. I then laid scenics around them and tryed to make them look like they have been there for a long while.
First some pictures of the tank, it was made from plastic bits from my bits box, some lime wood and some carved plaster for the bases. It was painted first in dark green then blackwashed and finally drybrushed first in brown then in rust and then drybrushed with white and grey.

This was placed next to the seat and i built grasses and flowers around it using noch long grass and bits of multi coloured foam.

I then painted the little platform with flat white from vallejo.

This was then washed with a wash made from a spot of black enamel in a mix of plastic weld and thinners. These two chemicals eat into the paint and wood when dried quickly with a hairdryer.

When this wash was still tacky i started to brush over various browns and greys so that parts were covered with colour and parts were not this gives a faded and worn wood effect.

When this was dry i built the rest of the colours up with black washes and brown and grey drybrushes.
Finaly it was glued into place and the scenics built around and over it to embed it in place and make it part of the scenery.

I then decided to change the height of the fence section that sits on the end of the platform. I wasnt happy with this when i made it as i thought it was to high and looked out of place. So i made it about 1.5 cms shorter. I feel it now looks far better. It was first sprayed with grey primer then painted with Games workshop bleached bone before being blackwashed and drybrushed in grey and brown. i picked the detail parts out in bronze and drybrushed them in black.

It was then glued into position

The street lamp was completed using a small end of a glue lid with a plastic top with bits out the bit box glued on it.

I then finished the roof for the third building again using a blue wash over light grey, then a black wash then finally a drybrush of light grey. Barge boards were painted black and drybrushed in white and grey.

I then fitted the doors and windows and the lamp made for this building.

I then finished the little areas that still needed the scenic touch.

Nikki

 

[john woodall]

Its looking really good Nikki

John

 

[neil_s_wood]

Yes it sure is.

That is great work Nikki.

 

[Chinahand]

Excellent work again Nikki.

You really should do a tutorial on your weathering techniques showing how you mix and apply the washes and do the dry brushing. I always find dry-brushing very much a hit and miss afair. First not enough paint on the brush and then too much. You have obviosly got it down to a fine art.

 

[Madkitten]

Hiya,

My trick is use a piece of white cheap toilet paper to brush out the brush on before you start each drybrush. This allows most of the colour to be transfered to the toilet paper before you start. Plus you can see just how much paint will transfer. I also use cold tea when i mix washes. I find it sticks a lot better to all other paints............. thats teabag and sugar ( no milk - tends to go a little mouldy then ). Also its a good idea to drybrush with acrylics, if you find its to thick just add a little cold tea........... Its great i assure you....................

Nikki

 

[Chinahand]

Cold tea eh! Now that's a new one. Any particular brew ??

Thanks for the tip Nikki.

 

[Alan D]

Fantastic work, but where did you get the concept from, I don't believe I've ever seen anything like it. And are you exhibiting it on the west of Scotland.

Cheers Alan

 

[Madkitten]

Hiya,

The concept came from me trying to compact a small old style harbour into a very small space. I did a lot of sketchs first a slowley made it smaller and smaller. I also like the idea of overhanging buildings and general wear and tear. Also i never build the model as a railway layout the scenics are the most important to me and the railway always takes second place. I also try and imagine why it was built and what would have happened there. I will be writing an entire section on how it all came together in the near future. As far as displayingin the north of scotland, not sure as yet - possibly next year!!

PS thanks for the nice comments.

Nikki

 

[Madkitten]

Hiya,

Not much done today just the carving for the fourth building!

The original plan has changed slightly, i am now putting a large shed door in the front of the building as well as i want to put in a fully kitted out workshop and have the doors open so it can all be seen.

So i started out by drawing out the sections to be carved and glueing them to the board.

Then i added a surround of balsa wood 5mm thick

Then after casting with javis plaster I left it to semi dry for an hour then sat for three hours and carved all the stone work. Then when completly dry i broke the balsa away and carefully lifted the sections. I then glued these onto there black foamcard backings.

Nikki,