whoa - you guys are coming in strong with the comments! thanks very much!

Mike - glad the awnings and screen caught your eye! the plan is to make as much "there" as possible in this case, ideally to add shadows and relief, but, I get the sense you are well aware of that, as you over-achieved by including the photos and the link! thanks very much - I still have two buildings to go, so the ideas won't be lost!

Hi Patrick - thanks for dropping in!

Mike and Jerry - you two are essentially on the same page - the idea is to get as much building "hovering" over the street as possible - and yet, look at least reasonably plausible. So, variety in height, walls, and so on sounds like it's getting close to "right" thanks!

Hi Peter - yes - to make a sort of sci fi building that demonstrates convincing realism....right? how's that for word choice? the lunch time coffee is flowing now! Glad you're buying off on the idea! as to the figures, yes, I've been collecting them for this build for a while - and a couple may be from IM - there's room for all sorts on this one!

Mark - great! let's hope it doesn't wash out from here!

Hi Glenn - haha! you're right no building code in play here, and lots of trips to the scraps pile! you've raised lots of points - once this building is done I'll get going on a few figs for this side of the road - as I mentioned to Peter - you'll eventually see quite a collection of figures on this. Yes - I'm going to have two cafe's; one street front, right on the sidewalk (like the first one in the movie) and the second - also open, but bigger -

As for wiring and lighting....uhhh....uhhhh....TBD!! I HATE wiring!

Ok - a quick update today - I painted the building - I like it pre weather, but too bad - let the grime and rust begin - so, a few mediocre, late night pre weather pics - have a look:









and that's more or less where it sits now - on to layers of wear and tear!

thanks for having a look -

cheers
Nick

Hi Nick ,

i like the texture of that building it's simply mesmerizing !

Well done , again.....and again....and again...

Kurt

Im at a loss for words, all I can say is just Fan-effin-tastic!

Unless you're an electrician by trade, I think you must hate wiring.... Lookin fan-freaking-tastic!!!!

All I can say is it's awesome man. It is awesome!
J

Here's a thought:

Shoot color slides of interesting neon. Under expose so the backgrounds go black and all you see is the brightly colored tubes. Dismount the slide from the cardboard frame, trim the film and mount it in a small, shallow lightbox using grain if wheat bulbs. Wall mount the light boxes or hang in store windows.

It is limited in size but still will add light, color and the signature neon look to your environment.

p.s. Two slides mounted in a long thin lightbox is also doable. Mount vertically showing four foreign language characters.

AWESOME!

as for neons you might want to check out 'el wire' (google it).

maybe the thinnest diameter would work for 1/35 scale.

Mark

Nick , sorry about mentioning lights ..............................

Amazing concept and scratching!

This build is just getting better and better! And the bar was high already from the beginning. Good work on the wiring, as a lighting technician by profession, I must say it looks very realistic (even though it's a fictional build).

Hello fellow model builders,
I’ve been making good progress on building one, in fact, I’m about to call it done. This building won’t have bright colors, and instead, will just be a rundown old warehouse. That said, you all have once again come in strong with several really great ideas – you all might force me into learning to do some wiring after all!

Maarten! Haha! Well, we’ll find out if I can keep that title!

Ivan, right on! That’s the sort of comment I like to read!

Hi Matt – no – electronics are not my friend I am just not that good at it – but, read on, read on….

Jerry – thanks very much – I appreciate it bubba

Wow Mike – I hope you’ll follow along more often – I really like your ideas – I don’t have access to color slides, but, I don’t know why I couldn’t use color print on a transparent surface? Like an overhead slide? You’ll see some green tint in a few images below, if you look through some windows – same idea (?), I used green acetate. I don’t know why the same wouldn’t work with color prints? We’ll see. Thanks for the great ideas!

Mark – wow – if you and Mike worked on a project together on a project, it could be awesome! I did look up “el” wire – very interesting material. There’s a very good, “old school” electronics shop near me that I’ve already asked about LEDs – next will be el wire!

Haha Glenn! Thanks a lot – haha – the gears are turning….

Hi Bill – thanks for taking the time to comment, I appreciate it –

OK Kosakk – the pressure is growing…. I’m glad the fake wiring passes the eye test of a pro! Next, to actually get a light or two to come on…let’s hope so anyway…

OK – on to the build. I finished up the building and made five figures. Three are from Paracel Miniatures, and two from D Day Miniature Studios (the new LRDG figures). Both are very high quality, and I’ll bet if in the hands of somebody like Jerry R, they would look great – I’m settling for looking not bad – haha.

I didn’t make any changes to the Paracel figures they include: a standing guy in a parka, one sitting with a Mohawk haircut, and another sitting on a box.

I did make a few changes to the D Day figures. First, the guy sitting down, was a shoeless, POW. I added some Live Resin boots to him, and carved off some (nice) details – first, making his hat look like a baseball cap, then removing markings. Next, I added a Hornet head to the standing guy – the kit head is very good, but I wanted a different look. You’ll note these two because of their glossy shine – who knows why??? I’ve since re-hit them with Dulcote – and, they look right again.

As for the build, I like to take outdoor pictures – it can really pull out the colors – today though, the sun was a bit too bright, and some colors washed out a bit. As always, I tried various locations, with the model set on benches and even a trashcan! The results are interesting – have a look:































And, there you have it - next, it's almost like a new project for me - on to building two, and for right now - back to the real job.

Have a better one -

cheers
Nick

Great work, Nick! I'm sure the figure vendors would be proud of the fine painting you did.

The figures just seem to compliment and match the worn structure very well. Kudos!

The architecture design of the structure looks excellent. I can imagine it being a whole building also...great angles and very nice detailing.

Nick, in the sunlight it looks even MORE real!

Your signature daylight pics have not stopped amazing me. And I NEVER use the word amazing since it seems to be the only word that Hollywoods and Millenials can use descriptively.
NICE!!! And your figs improve every time bubba,
J

Hi Peter, Mike and Jerry -

Well, I'm glad its passing the visual test so far. I really like taking photos outdoors - sometimes good, and other times less so - like CLEARLY seeing the shine on a few of the figures. As a whole though, this seems to be coming along. I wasn't sure how all of the building layers might play out, but so far so good -Peter, you're on the right trail, the intent was to give the illusion of more and more buildings - rather than just a lone, corner shop.

Jerry, I'll take that from you as high praise! thanks - yes, "amazing" and "literally" two words that are intermingled in every sentence uttered in my office and throughout downtown San Francisco where I work unbelievable! the "amazing" expression is frequently tied to someone expressing their own accomplishment!! come one! really?....

OK - off the subject - I've started building two - more on that another time - now, "literally, back to my amazing job"!!!!

cheers, and thanks for checking it out

Nick

The figures lend much to the atmosphere. With the addition of the neon lighting you are planning the scene will really come alive.

What are your thoughts as to building two? I checked your original drawings again. Cannot help but wonder.

Two minor points for suggestion: curb drains and manhole covers.

Oh, and bicycles!

Make sure your water and sewer lines are parallel and at least 10' apart.

Hey, small sewer pipes can cut right through storm drains when both must be close to the surface. Happens all the time. Oh yes they can! Just say'n.

Also, both sewer and storm pipes have manholes though they are usually marked differently.


And yes, I have spent a wee bit of time looking at the underside of life. (GPS mapping storm sewer systems. - At least I got the cleaner half of the job overall!))

Holy catfish! Do you guys ever sleep? I am lucky if I can get one or two things done in a day!

Five figures and outdoor shots as well... I am so impressed! Great work!

Not saying they can't, just common practice is that they are 10' apart. Survey Tech myself, mostly office so many inverts to measure.

Hi Armorsmith - glad you like the figures - it took me quite a while to collect all of them - for the last couple of years I've been picking them up - one by one, just those that I was guessing would have the right "feel" - so far, so good!

Hi Mike - well, the bikes....I know there are many in the movie - I'm opting for sort of strange cars and trucks, and sporty cars instead - we'll see how it works out! As for building two, it will have a ground floor, street front cafe (under construction now) - like the one Decker is demanding four, not two dumplings in! The rest of the ground floor will be warehouse. Upper floors apartments and offices, and like the first, will include various add-ons - maybe a few of those big fans along the third floor. I'm not sure how to build those just yet - maybe several in a row, with more floors above. Ground floor traditional - then something different above?? I don't know just yet....the sketches are really just for character - each one gets designed when it gets built - a sloppy design build I suppose!

Mike and Ryan - both of you seem to know your way around infrastructure! Wow - there's a lot of knowledge out there!! Funny point to make here, I work in downtown San Francisco - did you know the City has shared waste and stormwater pipes?!??!! Very un-fragrant on hot days!!! Maybe I'll try and carve some drop inlets into the curb?...might be too late though...I skipped them just because there will be so much going on they could be lost visually - who knows though? I still have a long way to go - manhole covers though...maybe I can make them out of really thin styrene? Then add a ring so they don't look like they're just floating there? I don't know that yet either....?

Hi Patrick - sleep?!?? I don't need no stinking sleep!! Haha! My model building is directly proportional to work stress! We're right at the halfway point of our fiscal year, we have a tough client driving us crazy - and a good guy quit today....perfect - but, good reasons for building models like crazy! By the way, your rust and corrosion looks great!

Ok - back to the build,

Cheers
Nick

I cant tell if its the lighting, the painting or any other aspect of your modelling but this just looks/feels real. What's even better (for me anyway) is that you explain it so well that I feel inspired and not just intimidated by the final product. Simply brilliant.

I'm gonna go hide in the corner since my build time have been NADA lately... Again the bar goes up....