Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 17 September 2018

Jim's Landing

Earlier this year, or possibly late last year, I showed the photograph on the right as a 'tease' of a work in progress.
Obviously a building of sorts, using foamboard and coffee stirrers (of course).The reason behind the building was to have a backdrop for my photographs of expeditions leaving Jim's Landing into the wilds of Jimland.
I started the model sometime in October 2017, worked on it up until late November and then if memory serves, it was shelved as yet another unfinished project (and still is).

As I haven't managed to do a single thing  hobby-wise for over two months, I've dug this little project out to pad out my blog!for something to post.
The building on the left is a simple foamcard  model, representing an adobe style 'v' roofed building (note the roof 'joint' in the top right corner of the building), though it appears to have a lean-to roof!
The reasoning behind this building design is that it was meant to represent an earlier structure, to which  a later, larger structure was added as Jim's Landing grew in fame.
The additional structure would be entirely of wood, giving a noticeable contrast between the two parts of the building.
The front of the building half is seen in the photograph on the right.
The walls are card, with coffee-stirrer cladding for planking and notice that there is no back wall, as this will be formed from the wall of the piece above.

The two halves joined together
The rear of the building (intended as living quarters)
Boring side if the building, but note the appearance of a 'v' roof on the rear bit
Slightly more interesting side of the building.
Building front
Top down view,, the front is intended as a Bar (left) and a general store (right)
Close up of bar and store
Close up of store (on the left) and living quarters (on the right)
The roof   (yes, I did one, and yes, it was a pain in the proverbial)
Boring pic of underside of roof, showing central supports.
Photo showing roof in place  (it was the second roof I'd made)
Slightly boding side view
Front view (bit obvious)
 So it's about 95% finished and I can hear the murmurs of "why wasn't it finished ?'  etc.
The simple answer wasn't that I was bored with it at the time, nor did I run out of enthusiasm, but I was frustrated that I couldn't fond a way to pain it to my satisfaction. I'd tried various techniques on a spare piece of paling fencing made in a similar style, materials and so on, but to no avail. Painting wood to represent wood shouldn't really be that difficult, but it beat me at the time. Finishing the roof on the other hand, I have had plans for for some time and know how I'll be finishing it (if I ever return to this project). It won't be planking, shingles, tiles, turf, grass or thatch either!

So that's the post for this week then, like many others that dig out their old stuff I too have fallen back on this measure and it wasn't even the post I had intended to write about, but as this model sits on a shelf staring at me daily I thought I'd give it a new lease of life. I also bought the shader stuff at the last show specifically to see if I could use it on the wood of this model!

That's it then for another week, thanks for taking the time to visit and as always, your comments are both welcomed and appreciated.

19 comments:

  1. Well hopefully you will get your mojo back on stream and be able to finish this build as it has a lot of potential. I always find wood hard to paint satisfactorily and usually resort to dry brushing lighter shades of grey which is ok but could be done much better and always seems a cop out.

    Curious about how you will clad the roof, especially as it is a nice design with the cut away in the top.

    This may seem like deja vu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deja vu indeed. I'm sure I've read something similar recently.
      I've got plenty of pieces of paling fence to practise on and all suggestions are welcomed.
      I willget back to this model (how soon I don;t know) and I'll be having a practise on another building's roof too.

      Delete
  2. That looks excellent. Once painted it deserves to be shown again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Clint, I will of course post about it if it ever hets finished.

      Delete
  3. First off Joe I think its a wonderful the new building added to the old one & you've brought the two of them together very well :)



    As I'm building a Western town at the moment I'm be able to help you a bit on painting the wood part if your not to fussy that is.

    I found that you can buy little test pots of the stuff you use for painting garden fencing in lots of different colour's.



    I found this works well as it doesn't fill up the joints between the planking & if you apply it a bit rough & ready it gives you a bit of a weathered effect, I hope that might be of help Joe & that you get around to finishing the building off :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Frank, as I've previously said, all help is welcome re wood painting.
      I have quite a collection of water-based tester pots and use the profusely for both building and figures!

      Delete
  4. I think it looks great, I'd try staining it and then dry brush it(the wood) on an offcut while you finish the roof and the Adobe building,all mine took years to complete!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Iain, I have tried staining a sample piece but it was a complete fail, I'll be trying again with a lighter stain though.
      I think we all have porjects hidden away in the depths of cupboards. This isn;tmy oldest non-finished building though I think the oldest is some twenty years or so old - a tower for my son's Fantasy games.

      Delete
  5. Well I think it’s excellent, your design is superb. The woodwork looks great, I always find painting the wood the hardest and am toying with just a varnish/stain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks dGG, I keep looking at myunpainted shed (pine), is has gone a deeper colour on one side (mire yellowy) and almost black on another!
      I may well end up doing the same, if the test pieces turn out better.

      Delete
  6. APOLOGY
    To anyone that tried posting and was unable to do so:
    I've had an unwelcome commentator (read hacker type) which I had to remove and of course been the non-techy type I'd somehow altered the settings.
    All seems to be good now,

    ReplyDelete
  7. Quite the build your working on Zabadak! Looks great thus far. Like most folks I tend to use a burnt umber craft paint (as it comes in such big bottles) followed by another Craft paint drybrush aptly named Barn Wood. I am sure watered down paint used as a 'Stain' would work as well. Are you going to be doing some spackle on the foam core walls?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Terry, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre, tend to be my go-to colours in all things brown. I'll be using various watered down brows as 'stain' in my practise efforts.
      Fort eh walls, they willbe covered in either wall filler (mixed with a little sand) or have a light sprinkling of sand glued to the outside for texture.

      Delete
  8. You are far enuff along on building the structure that you should be able to stay dry during the Jimland rainy season.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhqpw, Jay, but it's the lighting strikes, hailstones, extreme heat (and cold) as well as the populace and local fauna I'd be more worried about!

      Delete
  9. Glad to be able to comment again... :)

    This is a great building. I can see it being useful in many scenarios and across different genres. Looks great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks N667, sorry abiut the techy problems.
      I didn't intend the building to be more than a backdrop, but I couldalso see it being used in quite a few genres, my pirate games springing readily to mind..

      Delete
  10. This indeed a great building.I love the details and all the woodwork.It has been a lot of work to get here but in the end it is all worth it.The details are spot on. Great!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ptr, if I ever manage to finish it, I think it'll have been worth the effort.

      Delete