Billboards (1)

"I can see my house from here."

Whilst waiting for things like glue to set and models to dry out I tend to tinker around with bits and pieces and over the last few weeks I've been putting together some billboards for my "city".
They're all more or less made the same way other than this first one.
This particular billboard is the largest of the twelve I've managed to finish, it stands about 6 inches high and the "base" measures about 6 inches  deep by 5 inches wide. (~  15cm x12.5cm x 15cm - hwd).
Because of its height there is a gantry just below the sign (you can see Sid standing on it in the photograph.) - these would  probably have lighting etc on them but would be a pain to make and serve little purpose in a game. There may even be  an access ladder integral to the structure but again I've left this out and couldn't spot one anyway on those I've looked at.

This is also the only billboard I've made that has the "pads" on the supports. The pads are meant to represent concrete foundations for the whole thing and are made from scraps of foamboard gunked up.
The poster sits on a piece of card and the gantry is a piece of plastic canvas that I've shown used for quite a few things previously.
All the supports, crossbeams and so on are made from coffee stirrers.
All the uprights and angled "legs" are a bit more substantial and are four coffee stirrers glued together.
The coffee stirrers I use are a bit on the flimsy side and tend to warp a little when glue is applied to them so I clamp them together whilst the glue dries (PVA) . Bulldog clips and some cheap plastic clamps do the trick nicely.
The four-layer stirrers are a bit to thick to cut, even with a heavy-duty craft knife, so I use a razor saw instead.

The two photographs above  show the obverse and reverse of the same two billboards. Bo are constructed in a similar fashion from stirrers. The "Beer" billboard was one of the first that I
started and I had many problems with it, but these were overcome as my design of these improved.
Both of these models would be equally at home on buildings or on the side of a road, especially the smaller one.

 This is another one of the larger billboards and follows the same design as those above, except for the extra small supporting legs sticking out of the front main uprights.  Without this extra support the models are very prone to falling forward, which I'm sure would be a pain in the proverbial during a game.

The above two are no different to the others save that I've used some matchsticks on the reverse of the boards (which you can barely make out) representing some form of support and for a bit of variety.
All the posters for my billboards came from  the Interweb and as far as I'm aware are actual photographs of billboards.

That's it for this week, next week I'll put the remaining six billboards that I've completed  on my blog, providing I can see well enough to do it as I have an eye operation this week !

It just remains for me to welcome my three latest followers, "CPBelt, Warhamster and Mistersam", so - "Welcome guys", I hope you find something here that interests you.

As always, comments are both welcomed and appreciated.

More Flats

I've been continuing my efforts to pad out my table with buildings in a push to get some gaming done. Here are a couple more of my latest efforts.
First up is this building from Fat Dragon Games.
You can see that I've made a complete pig's breakfast of the roof (which doesn't lift off)
The model itself is really nothing remarkable as it only consists of the front and three identical sides.
The "stairs" included in the model were actually 2D and were thus flush with the front !Following on from my tenements' stairs I scratch built the front stairs for this building almost identically to those.

 As the front door was flush with the sides of the building I indented it using a duplicate sheet.
The rear of the building initially was identical to the sides and would have made for an even more boring building than it already was.
One spare doorway later and I had a back door..
I added stairs again scratch built from foamcard and angled them  for variety (and it also provides for a very nice shooting position too). 

Whilst the building isn't one of my favourites, with more time and effort spent on it I think it would be a very nice model.
Overall dimensions are about 17cm x 17cm x17cm (17cm ~ 6.75") so it's a cube  !

My  next effort was actually the first of my various flats to be completed but it had many complications along the way.
Again, this a Fat Dragon model of their McDoom's burger joint. The sign on the roof is meant to be on a post somewhere in the parking lot, but I haven't finally decided what exactly I'll be calling this place yet.
The roof was quite tricky to build but I put that down to my card-fu skills. Like all the flat-type models I've made, the walls are foamcard, as are the roof surrounds, but because of the anlged slopes on this model's roof I reinforced these with  card, being much easier to work with in this particular case,
This next view shows the entrance on the short side of the building , which I didn't like that much.
I'd originally intended to have some form of interior to this model but the sheets I'd prepared to put on the inside printed out the wrong size  (twice) so once more I was beaten by technology and the interior is blank.
Unlike my other flats this one actually does have a floor inside though, so I can actually detail it at some later stage but I doubt it'll happen.

The final picture shows the rear and the last side of the building and once more nothing remarkable.
In the original model there is provision to have a few variations in colours, windows etc and there is also a side counter for the drive-through aspect  though I haven't made that feature for this model.
The model's dimensions are about 17cm x 14cm x10cm high.

In other news, this is the last of my current batch of "flats" and next week I'll be showing the billboards that I've been producing. I've built eight so far and have painted up four of those to what to me is a satisfactory standard. In addition the board that McDoom's sits on in the photographs above is the latest addition to my terrain boards. It's another standard 60cm x 60cm board with a single straight section of wide road on it (20cm), so nothing really new.

As always, comments are both welcomed and appreciated.

Flats

The title to this week's blog is really a play on words as the term "flats" refers not only to the British use of the word referring to apartments, but also to the theatrical use of scenery.
To pad out my board with scenery, I've made a few shells of buildings. That is to say that they're nothing more than four walls and a roof.
 The photograph to the right shows my first attempt.
The original building comes from the Microtactix set "Twilight Street Set 2 - Apartment". I've done a few things to the original to better suit my needs, hence there are no windows on the sides of the building , nor are there any basement windows, both of which featured in the original.
The original model is more suited to smaller figures rather than 28mm figures so I also enlarged the orginal by about 50%.
The original model measured about 8cm wide by 15cm deep and 19cm high whilsy my enlarged version is approximately 12cm x 22.5cm x 28cm.

I've also put two models together to make a larger model still although internally there is no dividing wall.
The model is made from printed sheets stuck to foamcard, but the front steps were entirely scratch built from foamcard.
It was much easier to build he steps from foamcard as my attempt at paper folding steps was bad, very bad.
I also noted that the top step went directly to the door, rather than having a small landing, which I thought wrong and I've allowed for just such a one in my model. 
Of course, two  apartment blocks don't make a neighbourhood, so a built another model of the same block.

I fully intend to make at least two more of these models , they were quick to make and fairly easy for me as I really didn't have any measuring to do.
 The edging is a bit rough and ready in parts and the roofs really do need some roof furniture to set them off, even if its just roof exits, but they're usable enough for me as background scenery as they are.
Other than the printing time,  I spent about a couple of hours on each build about an hour making the steps and probably a further hour edging  and finishing off the roof.
These were the first of several shell-type buildings I've been working on amongst other on-going projects.

That's all for this week, I only have to welcome my latest follower "The Happy Whisk" and to say as always, comments are both welcomed and appreciated.

Supermarket Sweep

To round off the previous two blogs I thought I'd share some of the "behind the scenes" things and a couple of things that didn't get a mention.

I realsied that all my pictures last week were viewed from the exit end of the supermarket, so this first photograph shows the view from the Entrance end, not much I know but it's included for the sake of completeness.

Next up is an item that wasn't in last week's photographs as I was undecided as to whether or not to actually include it in the finished model, even though it was finished.
 It's obvious (hopefully) as to what it is meant to be and it would have been situated opposite the tills (top left of the photo above).
 It may still be added to the supermarket at some future date or held for use in some future build.
The newspapers are reduced photocopies of newspapers made about the time of Obama's November election, hence the headlines.

It was impossible to show the back of the deli counter once it was in situ, put here's a photograph showing it before it was glued in place.
All the products are off-cuts of cork, cut or filed. The trays the cheeses stand on are card. The counter itself sits on two layers of 5mm foamboard, which you can just make out.

The back store shelving was made from the stuff I call "plastic canvas" available from places that sell embroidery stuff.
The supports are all matchsticks.

The final photograph, shows some of the things that I'd made, but for one reason or another, they were never included in the final model.

All the box-type packages are layers of foamboard, scored or cut with a razor saw after they'd been glued together. I more or less stuck to a rule of no more than three colours per item.
The ball with the slice cut out, is upside down and was meant as another cheese (there's another tray in the background too that wasn't used)
The newspaper was going to be left somewhere (probably for Sid to clean up), but it was left out to be used elsewhere .
The circular things are my attempts at pizzas and they'll certainly feature in the future, as will the few tins.

That's all for this week.

Comments, as always are both welcomed and appreciated.

Clean-up on Aisle Four

As promised here's the inside of my SuperDuperMart.
From top-left going clockwise:
In the top left corner is a toilet, then an office followed by the main storage area, all at the back of the building. Though not obvious on this view, the right wall of the storage area has the shuttered door.
Following on  to the guts of the building is the sales floor, with my fruit and veg stall from a previous post. The front door can also be seen here.
The two adjacent shelving units contain various products before we come to the tills and the exit.

After the tills there is a small frozen food section and finally the cheese and meat deli -type counter.
To the left of the deli area is the employees entrance.

"Aisle four" would be the far one.

Here are some more closer views  of the various shelves in the body of the store.

"Drinks Shelves"

"Frozen Foods"

I think most of the photographs are self explanatory

"Deli Counter"

The various signs and posters to be seen around the store were mostly gleaned from the interweb.
 The left-hand poster is entitled "Cheeses of the World" though it is really difficult to make out when it's been reduced to such a small size.

Checkout

Toilet

The tills were printed card models, but I can't recall where from whilst the counter and most everything else in the store was scratch built.

Office

 

 

Both the toilet and the office have had posters added and the toilet has rubbish in one corner (a newspaper).

 The rear of the storeroom , showing the roof access ladder and the storage door.

View from office to storage door.

That's it for this week, I hope the wait to see the inside of the store was worth it for you.

Finally let me welcome my latest follower to my blog "Grigork" and as always, comments are both welcomed and appreciated.

ALLDIE

This particular build, I suppose, started way back in October 2012 with my fruit and veg stall (here) but the main work really started on it in November.
I thought I would have it completely finished in about a month or so, but as my eyesight worsened and the usable daylight hours got shorter progress was very slow.
 Now however I am at a stage where I can at least say that the model is usable, even though there are many more things I'd have liked to have either added to or changed on the model. 

This photograph shows the front of the building (duh) with Sid shown for scale.
The width of the building is about 16" (400mm) and the depth is 14" (350mm).
Height to the roof is about 4" (100mm), then there is a 20mm parapet on three sides. with the front facade being 40mm. Originally the building was going tp be 16" square but the realisation that this would mean the back of the building would sit on the edge of one of my terrain boards made me decide to shorten it by 2", thus allowing figures to get around the back.

The signage was all garnered from the interweb and things like the supermarket sign were photo-shopped.
I know that they're not  all really relevant in the context, but when they're only about 15-20mm x 25mm who's going to know?

 This photograph shows a general shot of the roof of the building and does look a bit bare.
I had wanted to put some features on the roof, electrical casings or HVAC units or some such, but by the time I got this far I was really bored with this model.
On the roof then are merely a hatch (on the right), general detritus (achieved by using cork filings) and a newspaper  can just be made out on the left of the building.
The truck cab that can be seen was recently purchased at a table-top sale for the princely sum of 10p but alas no trailer was to be found.

Moving around the building the door to the store's storeroom can be made out.
The close-up shows the door in its open position.
All door on the model are openable. (After all, we all know what flak we'd get from certain quarters if they weren't)

The back of the building is nothing remarkable by any means.
The four windows being the only features present. If I had more of am artistic leaning then I would probably have added some graffiti. Posters of course would also work but who puts posters on the rear of a building ? When the building is in a game situation I'll be able to put dumpsters, rubbish piles and so on there to liven it up a bit.

The final side of the building has two doors in it.
The employees entrance (left) and the store exit (right); unfortunately I didn't take a photograph of the entire wall.
The major part of the fabric of this model was made from 5mm foamcore, but card, matchsticks, paper, perspex, barbeque skewers and a couple of coffee stirrers (of course) were all had a part too,
Finally, if you think you can make out things inside the store, then you're absolutely right. There are indeed many things to behold in the fully outfitted interior. All will be revealed next week, if anyone is interested, so look out for "Clean up on Aisle Four !"

Thanks for taking a look and as always your comments are both welcomed and appreciated

A Distraction

I've been more or less incommunicado this last week as myself, my wife our eldest son and her eldest brother attended my wife's investiture at Buckingham Palace on Friday (1st Feb)

My wife was awarded an M.B.E. in last year and in the autumn she received her certificate, but it wasn't until this year that she actually received the gong itself (presented to her by HRH Charles) and then the reality of it all set in.

Her award was for her work in the community where we live, at the local community centre (a charity), in childcare, and a whole host of other things.

There have been many times that I've felt very proud of the milestones in my life, my wedding day, the births or our children, the marriages of our children etc. and this has to be right there at the top of the list. Maybe, just maybe, the births of my grandchildren this year will top even this, but that remains to be seen.

There were very few photo opportunities that may be of interest to many of us hobby-wise (I'm certain I didn't see any cockneys fighting zombies), but this guardsman was on duty outside the palace when we arrived at about 10 am in the rain.

When we exited the palace in the afternoon the guardsman I saw on  duty then was in a bearskin but still wore his greatcoat.

In attendance at inside the palace were  members of the household cavalry, both the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals were on guard duty, but as photography was strictly forbidden inside the palace and you tend not to argue the point with big guys with swords drawn, I've borrowed the photograph.

At the ceremony itself  other than the military recipients of various awards HRH Charles was attended by two Ghurkas in their dress uniforms and chests full of medals (very impressive), which is a throwback to the reign of Queen Victoria. There were many other flunkies of course attending to the needs of the Prince, but there also five Yeomen of the Guard, presumably a tradition that's been around since Henry VIII's time. These chaps were kind enough to stay around after the investiture to enable photographs to be taken.

 

They are all wearing royal livery, the sergeant in the centre carries a cane with which he gave commands with a single tap on the floor. The four "rank and file" Yeomen carried very lethal-looking partisans whilst in the palace but had stored them by the time we exited, probably for safety reasons as they're more than likely razor sharp and still very useable.
The Yeomen departed in style from the inner courtyard of the palace in a carriage that we had actually followed into the palace in the morning although the back cover was down (due to the inclement weather probably), so we didn't know if they were inside then or not.

So, our five day marathon of travel (about 400 miles there and back) has now finally ended and it seems likes a lifetime ago.  We were in London less than 24 hours and now I'm now going to attempt to catch up on all the blogs I try to follow and have missed.

Next week it'll be back to normal and I hope to have finished something I've been working on for a good while to showcase.

In the meantime it just remains for me to say, "Many thanks for looking", "Welcome to my latest follower Louis Britton" and as always comments are both welcomed and appreciated.