IAs I wait for money to buy enough kits for my skyscraper scene, I ran across Model trainware to draw my own buildings and then paste then to foam core buildings. It looks too good to be true. Any one have any experience??
Not familiar with Trainware (TrainWarz?), but photo-editing images of prototype buildings (or creating your own), printing out the images to the correct scale, and attaching them to a core (card, plastic, wood, foamcore, etc) is becoming quite common nowadays, especially for back-ground buildings. Results range from OK to excellent, depending on the amount of work done (e.g., laying the window sills and doorframes, attaching details like exterior lighting and cornices etc.
I make my own buildings by kitbashing textures, windows, doors, ect
Feel free to use these.
Thanks to Tom’s efforts I have been able to make enough images to make about 12 buildings for our club exhibition layout here in Australia by simply using Paint. You can see some of the results on http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=9679&forum_id=14&page=2 and check about halfway down the page…
I will have some other pix later or perhaps the JPG’s to download if that is thought to be worthwhile, if I could work out photobucket,
PM me if you want a couple and send an email!
Cheers
Trevor
One I did years ago, using a photocopy of plans from RMC, watercolor marker, Walthers brick paper and a few chunks of cardboard and odds and ends to add depth.
I have been using Evan Design “Model Builder” program to make background buildings. I print on photo paper, spray with flat acrylic clearcoat and paste to the backdrop using a glue stick.
http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/modeling-software.html
You can see some of them behind the row of buildings to the right rear
and a closer picture, behind G&L Hardware
A couple of months ago, there was an article in MR about making buildings using photos or software like Model Builder. One of the interesting things they did was laminate the building front to matboard. For the top layer, they used the building photo with the windows cut out. This was glued to a piece of matboard with window openings cut out. Finaly, a second picture of the building was glued to the back with the windows showing through the holes. It gives the building some sense of depth that just a photo does not.
Tom has done an excellent job of industrial background buildings but are there many freeware house pictures/plans or preferably drawings that can be used with the foam core which might be available. I found some on http://thortrains.com/ but surely there are others?
BTW excellent job there Mr Paine!
Regards from Oz
Trevor www.xdford.digitalzones.com for your interest