Thursday, February 19, 2009

Gordon Building Update - Entry


I finished the main entry to the Gordon today.  I built the doors first so the whole thing would grow out from that.  The doors are built from .020 x .040" and .100" strip styrene and they stand at seven scale feet tall.  The side windows are made from the same stock as the doors and then some .020" square strip for the mullions.
I then used the same trick for the blocks as I did for the top, used some scrap siding that I used up on the windows and then built the lintel over the door.  I used the same trick for painting as before and it matched perfect, I am glad I have this all typed here incase I need to do all of this again.  Next I made two little sconces from .010 x .020" and .040" strip and then used a silver prisma color marker to color it, I used the same thing on the door.  Then last I used some Woodland Scenics dry transfer lettering for the address.
Tomorrow I hope to have the other side at least started, I am planning a Delicatessen, but I may change that, I also want to do a small radio station but I may wait on that, we'll see.  


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

If I'm understanding the wash technique on this... You're basically doing:

1.) A straight India ink/alohol wash
2.) Letting that dry
3.) Doing an acrylic paint/water (??) wash
4.) Using the wash in #3 to remove the wash in #1 off the major faces of the structure...leaving just the deep recesses with the original wash

Am I following that right?

Christopher said...

Let me clarify my rambling.

1) Paint surface with desired base coat of Poly Scale paint, let dry.
2) add india ink/alcohol wash liberally, let dry to touch.
3) quickly add heavy coat of strait up Poly Scale DUST, then with a 1/4" flat brush scrub surface from top down, for desired effect.
4) do a happy dance if it works:)

The Poly Scale DUST strips the india ink wash, leaving it behind in seams, cracks, corners and detail. I also suggest using Poly Scale as a base coat cause I don't know yet how the DUST will react with another brand or base of paint.

I hope this makes sense, and so far I have loved the results.

Anonymous said...

Hey Chris:

You seem to accomplish more in a couple of days than I do in a decade! Anyway, the Gordon is looking great. Is this based on a real building or is it freelanced (just curious)? I like how your weathering is in scale with the building. The smaller the scale, the lighter the touch, and I think you've got it down. Also with color. The more muted the better.

Not sure if you are aware of the works of Hugh Ferris, but I think you will love his architectural renderings. Might make some great models or at least background/backdrop structures. Google him and you will see. Cheers.

Christopher said...

Jeff,
I am glad you are liking it so far, I hope I don't do something stupid & screw it up some how.

The Gordon is influenced from a building in Europe that I got the pilasters from and a no name one in New York that served as the basic layout, then some of the other parts are influenced from other scattered buildings. I might post photos of the two soon , but for the most part it is a hodgepodge of miscellaneous buildings.

I am a huge fan of Hugh Ferris's work, I have a few books on his renderings and sketches, I have always thought it would be fun to do a layout on based his visionary world, with GG1's and J3a Hudson's traveling through buildings on high stone arches, oh wouldn't that be amazing. Last week I found out that Columbia University has a large collection of his works and you can view them at a very large resolution, but the software to download them isn't Mac compatible as far as I know, here is the link http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/avery/da/ferriss.html

Also Jeff your input has been great, and I look forward to talking with you more.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

I think we must have the same brainwave. I had thought of some sort of retro-futurist layout based on Ferris, Sant-Elia and Fritz Lang's "Metropolis' as inspiration (to say nothing of "Blade Runner"). I'm thinking some Ferris-esque massing models on a backdrop, representing the other side of the river, with the grungy, foreboding Brooklyn waterfont and its industrial tracks and el trains center stage.

The creative juices are flowing!

By the way, I live in Greenwich Village with a great view straight downtown. I have the old Bell Telephone building and Western Union building for a view and used to have the WTC too :-(

Christopher said...

I love the Greenwich area, last time I was out there was in end of Aug 2001, so I was fortunate to go up the WTC a few weeks before the 11th.

When I was out there I stayed with a friend who lived in Brooklyn, and he took me to a Jazz club in Greenwich called Smalls, one of the most amazing nights I have ever had, I will never forget it.

I desperately want to head back out that way soon all I want to do this time is walk around and load up on reference photos.

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work Chris! Looking awesome.

Bob