Gday again
Thanks for the positive feedback from yesterday!
It has spurred me on to build my second...
Well it is nearly as late as last night's effort, but here is (IMO) a more successful building, which essentially is the rival cafe next door to the first!
There is much more to do, and the photo I have used as reference to build off shows both windows as crudely boarded-up, and a signboard on an overhanging verandah awning, which I'm guessing will have a small box gutter and down (drain) pipe, which once added will hopefully add a bit of visual variety... the brickwork is also still to be 'mortared', and all gaps filled...
The door is from a styrene sheet, carefully cut... I used a cork 'veneer' for the stonework this time, as it is much flatter and ties into the brickwork at a more accurate level according to the pic... This shares the same dimensions as the first building as per the reference pic, but the only similarities are the window sills and the doorway and the overall size of the windows...
All comments appreciated
Gnite again
Brad

I absolutely love it

It would be nice to see a picture of the two buildings together.
but maybe it woul be nice as well to see the result at the end. Anyways, it's GREAT.

I actually would love to see a 'step by step' of it. It should help newbies with there diorama (ps the newbie refers to me actually )


Let's us know how it continiues

Thomas

Looks great again :-) :-) :-) :-)

I really like the look of that cafe. Love the brick work.
Keep us posted.

Bradley, I think you are doing a fine job of your scratch builds... The architectural details are coming along well. It should look great when you get the brick mortared in. Are you doing interiors for these shops? I feel still like I owe you for sending me those M-1 carbines... I have some ideas for you if you plan on doing the interiors....

Paul

Again, lookin good there mate, whats the overall plan for the diorama this'll go into?
Cheers

Paul, you sent me some bonzer printables so I'll call it even yeah?
But if you want to go one up... Some interior ideas would be great...
My diorama plan is for a Normandy town, with 2 or 3 (undecided) shopfronts at the rear of a long rectangular base, angled inwards from left to right... So basically the far left shop would have very little interior room, whereas the far right shop being further into the dio would have more room and the fact that it will be on a road junction and then there's that tree and the wall thingy....um...uhh... aww, bugger it. I'll scan and post a small diagram... :-)

A DIOgram would be great... Have you thought far enough ahead to think what kind of shops there will be?

Well here we go... Just realised that my diorama plan was only for ONE shopfront... Was getting confused with the fact I wanted a courtyard and wall attached which would take up an extra shopfront in room...
I want a small tree at the inside wall of the courtyard, and show it's growing root system's effects on the wall and pavement outside...
There is scope for a poster or two for the outside wall of the cafe adjoining the courtyard entrance... A wooden gate would be in place here... I liike the fact that with the wall set back fom the front of the cafe it gives me good room on the pavement corner for 'stuff'... Just not sure what yet... Also the way the road opens up for the intersection gives plenty of room in front of the M4... Turret may have a slight left traverse to cover the adjoining roadway, although it won't be closed up as the forces has already taken back the town during Operation Cobra...
The roadway is packed earth with a definite camber to it, dropping into a cobblestone spoon drain on both sides of the tank and around the Johnny Horner. (3 stones from the curb edge, then a small gap, and then another 3 stones...) This is a flattened 'U' shape to gather water fom either side. There will be a cut stone curb, and square paving stones for the footpath(sidewalk)... I want this to contain interesting things (a la Mr. Gardner ) so maybe a drum or two against the courtyard wall, or possibly a perfect locale for a park bench...(sans park!) A downpipe would be run down the right edge of the cafe, and cut into the curbing channel...Maybe a lamp post could be used on the curved corner? Not sure whether to have a damaged cafe (it will have a second floor) or have a full roof with tiles??

Thanks for having a look, and please, any ideas for ingredients, throw 'em my way!! :-)
Cheers
Brad
P.S. Dave, does this answer your question!? Leaving my Allied options open until the last minute!

Great set up that will work beautifully! You have an excellant plan to create great eye movement. I am guessing that the larger corner of the cafe is @ 3'? I realize the drawing maynot be to scale... So your plan will include an interior or at least a partial.... Mmmmm.... Normandy, cafe, sounds a bit familiar to me LOL's.

Well the research I have done, there are a number of ways to tackle the interior for the period style. It is very similar to my cafe layout. I have chosen to detail it to a degree, so I guess it is up to you as to how detailed you want to go. Damaged or not, that is the question you must decide. What I will offer is this wallpaper if you need, or want it. From the photo's you have posted and the layout I would gather it is a larger town? If so it would most likely be a little more upscale of a place. It would need to be detailed as such.

Tell me what you have in mind for furnishings. I will see if I can match you up with an interior design for the place. Looks like fun to me. I can give you some help with furniture design too. PM me with your ideas of what direction you want to go and I will come up with some stuff that may be useful.

Im impressed Brad!
Correct me if i'm wrong but could I suggest that is if it's the Normandy setting and not a rural your after maybe change the dirt road to a cobble considering they have shops and a pavement wouldn't they most likely build a road as well.

Hi Brad,
i think your whole idea has got the making of a great dio.I admire how alot of guys like yourself and Slodder get down to the nitty gritty and plan something thoroughly before the actual build.Personally,it's great to watch the w.i.p see it all fall into place.Unlike myself (5 or 6 things on the go!) ,i usually get an idea that pops into my head and go from there without too much planning.Maybe thats one of my downfalls and the reason why i have a hard time finishing things!Oh well,back to the dio..
The layout is superb,my only comment being maybe that the turret of the tank could be pointed in another direction,maybe facing towards the viewer??I gues it all depends where the figures will be placed.
Your comment on the detail,maybe adding some vines creeping on one of the courtyards walls could be nice,even covering over one of the posters?Some old newspaper littered in the gutter..and if it isn't an action scene and just a patrol going through,adding a dog walking alongside the tank might work?
Best of luck digger,i can't wait to watch the rest of this unfold.
Cheers,Kiwi

Thanks for the replies!
~Paul~ The interior help would be a boon! It is pretty spot on for relative scale... The cafe takes up the whole section from top left, and the return wall... It is a larger town (St. Sever Calvados) Forgot that your dio will feature a cafe!!! Ha!
~James~ I know what you say is logical, but I have photos show that even in bigger towns the actual road can be dirt, and the edges finished with cobblestones, neat as you like...
~Shay~ You reckon you don't finish things?!?! I be da king... Have dived in the deep end on a few whims, and those dios are still sitting somewhere. I used dust to weather these...
The feedback is the exact reason I posted my development... A few thousand heads are better than one...
I like the dog idea. Would anyone object to a cat though? (Sorry Grumps ) A cat observing would indicate the peace of the moment more than any animal I could use me reckons... Some growth/creepers/vines could be used too, although not too much, as once I start with foliage I go carazy! As for the turret, I said I would maybe traverse it left to cover the intersection, as that would be where the patrol would be heading (down the next street) The tank is for positional purposes only...

Brad,
The cat idea sounds gr(rrrr)eat.I think Mary might be able to help you out with the cat,i'm not too sure what scale your dio will be,but it might have to increase it's size a tad to accomadate it.... Shay

Jaaazus! That's some cat... Mothra, Godzilla, Sherman...
Well here is a pic I dug up from a previous practice dio (yep, have plenty!)
It shows the spoon drain I want to create for this dio... Aren't any steeper/deeper than this in real life... Easier than explaining!

Have made a start on the return wall of the cafe, photos to follow... Maybe by the weekend...
Cheers
Brad

Ola Bradley!!

Looks like a fine place to cafe a decent cup of coffee... is this seat taken?? I'll have one latte xxl and a muffin:)

What more can I say than: I like it like it!!:) That cork stuff is great, I gotta to try it in one of my future projects. Too bad the photo is so small and we can't see any details, but overall the whole front looks interesting and should look really well when finished. What are you planning to use as windows? And yes please update as soon as possible:)

Cheers mate,
dsc.