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Being a modeller for quite a few years now, I decided to explore the endless possibilities that the world (through internet) offers, and come up with a series of ways of building, modelling and painting fast (but not hastily), to create the worlds I was seeing in history books since I was little. . .If you care to join me. . . This is the place to be! And, I promise you to find the way (or ways)!!

Monday 27 December 2010

Stonework revisited!

Good day and Merry Christmas to everyone! :-)

First of all, your wishes made me very happy!!Thank you very much for them. I hope that 2011 will make us smile more often!

Last weekend I made another Normandy building, and this time, I tried to use some Slater's Plasticard (#0419)- Stone Courses Grey, for the front walls (glued to the foamcore wall component), while on the side walls, I used some Vallejo's Oxid Paste , which are less textured (and more scale realistic) than using PVA Glue and coarse sand.

For the front walls, I used firstly some Army Painters - Skeleton Bone Spray (nice product by the way), and then some drybrushing with Greys (Medium - Light / in that sequence). For adding a finer touch, I paint some individual stones with Brownish colours, to give some character!

The downpipe, was made by cotton buds and some Green stuff! Imagine that! :-)










I hope you like it!

T.

Friday 24 December 2010

Merry Xmas !!!!!!!

Merry Christmas to all (to those who get the meaning, and to those that can't be bothered)!!!



''Its not how hard u can hit, but how hard you can get hit and move forward''.
Rocky Balboa

Wise words, by a man who started thinking this way, after a bucket's load of punches!
See the comparison???

Keep on smiling mates!!!

T.

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen may I present you. . .

Good day everyone!

Have you ever wondered how a house in real life, would look in 20mm (1/72) scale??

Well, let me show you!

Let's all hope that the real owner of the house won't drag me to the courts, for copyright issues!!! :-)

Bearing that in mind, this model has some alterations from the original one, just in case!!!











I hope you like it!

T.

Monday 13 December 2010

Normandy House W.I.P

Good day and good week everyone!!

Following the method I mentioned in my last post (Google earth) for finding inspiration for my project, I managed to make some progress on my building.

I have cut and made its main components (walls, window and door slits) and I also glued some brickwork (made from Wills sheets) on the walls.

Still a lot to do, but the house begins to take form. . .

Hope you like it!

T.



Wednesday 8 December 2010

A helping hand from the real world!


Προβολή μεγαλύτερου χάρτη

Good day everyone!

While searching the web for new ideas, I came up with the idea of using Google maps. I started 'walking' through various French cities to find places, town corners, town houses, anything actually that I could create in scale for my 'toys'!

Since my 'vita quotidiana' is full of things to do, my time for my hobby is limited to very few hours per week. That means that my hobby production rate is 1 house per week tops!

Thus, I decided to create a new section in my blog, the so-called W.I.P (Work in Progress), so as to share with you my ideas, and their tangible development and keep you informed about what happens through the windmills of my mind (nice song by the way)!

I hope you like my choice for this house.

T.

Monday 6 December 2010

Normandy House Building Tutorial #2

Good day and good week everyone!

Yesterday I managed to find some time to complete the tutorial I started last week.

It contains a lot of pics, so hold your breath and take the dive into it! :-)

10th Step: Painting the house inside

For the inner part of the house I decided to use some spray paint to finish it quickly. Being afraid of not ruining the foam parts while doing this, I first gave the ''naked'' foam parts a simple coat of acrylic paint.
The outcome was not very successful, but since I will be using it for wargames purposes, I wouldn't bother so much about it! :-)





11th Step: Making the chimney

For the chimney I used a small piece of plastic tile (they can be cut very easily) and 3 small parts of a cotton bud (yes, yes, yes cotton bud) to represent the chimney components.




12th Step: Painting the building (Outer walls)

In this step, I painted the buildings' outer walls with Crafter's Acrylic 'Country Maple'. This colour would be the base colour.






13th Step: Making the second floor

Using some 2mm width Balsa wood, I made the second floor. As you probably already know, balsa can be cut and engraved very easily, so in order to represent some woodwork, I took my pen and engraved some wood planks on it.




14th Step: Outer walls drybrush

In this step I used some Crafter's Acrylics 'Sandstone' to drybrush the building's outer walls with a flat brush. The brush had enough paint on it while drybrushing.






15th Step: Painting the doors and windows casings

Using some White colour (any acrylic colour would do), I painted the doors and windows casings.




16th Step: Making the windows shutters

With 3mm paper card and some strips of plastic rods I made these window shutters, in order to enhance the building a bit more. They were made very easily, I only had to be careful while cutting the components.



17th Step: Painting the doors and windows

In this step I used some Flames of War 'War Paint Spray' Russian Tanks green. It gives a nice even effect when applying.






18th Step: Gluing the windows

In this step I used some 'Super' glue to glue the windows in the window casings, in the inner part of the walls.




19th Step: Painting the second floor

With some dark brown acrylic paint, I painted the second (wooden floor).



20th Step: ''Washing the doors and shutters''

Using some Vallejo's Black wash, I gave a 'rich' wash on the doors and window shutters, and I let them dry for an hour.




21st Step: Making the roof

In order to make the roof, I used some Wills' Plastic sheets (Slates) and a square plastic rod, for some stability and also for making the roof removable (vital for the wargames).







22nd Step: Enhancing the doors and window shutters

After the wash had dried I used some Vallejo's 886 Green Grey, and with a simple drybrush I gave the doors and window shutters some 'age' (The photos 'speak' better English than me, so you will understand!!). After that, I glued them on the building. :-)





23rd Step: Gluing the second floor.

While trying to glue (with some PVA glue) the second floor, I had a small accident and I broke the balsa wood floor. This part was very fragile. Be careful when you reach at this step!



24th Step: Painting the chimney

For painting the chimney 'spikes' I used some GW's Foundation Paint Mechrite Red. It may look very 'bright' but when it will be washed, it will be perfect!!!




25th Step: Gluing the building's components

After the steps I followed for this tutorial, the time has come to glue the buildings' components. The base is a piece of plastic tile as I said in the first Tutorial (post).




26th Step: Drainpipe!

Using Wills' SS46 - Chimneys & Drainpipes, I glued a piece of a drainpipe on the outer wall, in the place where the wall and roof will meet.





27th Step: Painting the roof

After priming the roof with an Army Painters' Black Primer Spray (any black primer would do really), I gave the roof two successive coats of grey (Medium and Light) with the drybrushing method.




28th Step: It's raining wash - Badab Black Wash!!!

In this step I used GW's Badab Black Wash, in order to 'weather' the roof and the chimney a bit.




29th Step: That's it really.... :-)

In this photo sequence you see the finished model. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to finish the base. But as you fellow modellers would know, some sand, brown paint, static grass and PVA glue would suit the task sufficiently!






Well. . .

after testing your sanity levels, I am proud to announce that this tutorial has come to an end. I hope you liked it, and that you've found it helpful. With some practice and patience (the most important tool) you will be able to make your buildings.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

T.