LOL!, I know, but I kept the first ones, not to put on my layout but to make a small Godzillia type destruction video starring my Jack Russell Terrorist…LOL!
Even my wife commented that my work is looking better, I knew my first peices were bad BUT I posted them anyway…if anything it makes other more seasoned builders appreciate their skill level and gives new bees like myself a very low bar to step over…LOL!
Sorry, it’s early in the morning and I may not be fully awake…what does that tell me…that I’m officially hooked on Trains.com
Oh well, got to get ready to save some lives today I guess, or unless no calls come in, then I’m getting ready to go to the station and watch a lot of TV…LOL!
Perhaps it’s just the glare from the camera flash, but usually structures look more realistic if they are finished in matte paint rather than gloss. For structures, instead of plastic model paints, I use acrylic craft paint. It’s essentially overpriced house paint in teeny tiny containers.
I was wondering if this paint was ok for modelling, as I saw it at my local craft store the other day. It wasn’t too bad on the pricing - I guess compared to paint from the hobby shop.
Do you use it full strength, or thin it out with something?
I used what I had on the trim which was a gloss paint but I will be giving it a coat of matt clear at a later date but thanks for the tip on the other kind of paint!!!
What did you use for a window? It looks like a big dollhouse window turned on its side. The siding looks a little big, too. Clapboard siding usually tops out at 8", but is more typically 4 to 6" wide.
It might be worth it to cut the window in half to make two smaller square windows.
Looks like a good first shot, but I would suggest you do a google search of locomotive engine house and see what kind of images you come up with.
Either way. It’s great on wood, and will stick quite well to plastic. I haven’t had much experience with it on metal though. You cut it with water, as much as is necessary to get it to flow properly. I also use it as a wash for weathering, thinned very heavily. The trick there is that any undercoat has to be completely dry (we are are talking days in between applications) or the wash will start to raise the base coat.
In this photo the engine house is a wooden model and the coaling station is plastic. Both were finished in acrylic paint.
Red Horse, scratch building is something I used to do quite often. If I couldn’t find it in the LHS I built it. Back in 82 or 83 I needed an ore chute for a mine I was building and came up with this. It’s mostly paper with some stripwood for timbering. I modeled it after one I saw in a picture from Campbell models.
I use mostly Delta ceramcoat acrylic paint. A little over $1 for a 2 oz bottle which goes a long way. Usually, no problem with adhering to plastic, although occasionally for large smooth surfaces some roughing with fine sand paper or an emery board may be necessary. It also dries fairly quickly.
