Scratch building for Christmas

[RFeeney]

I have started a bit of a new tradition of making a building with my wife for a Christmas village. They are in OO scale (around 1:76).
Started last year with a simple two story house. Every thing apart from the people are scratch built.

The roof don't sit quite right because its removable for access to the lights which just don't show up in photos.


And a toothpick tip for a nose!
This year Its a village church under construction.

[RFeeney]

Drawn up on cheap paper then templates cut out and stuck to foamcore and cut out again. From there it will be coated in PVA(Wood Glue) and air drying clay, sculpted to represent the stone work.

Its based loosely on a church in the New Cemetery Bohermore, Galway, Ireland

I had to trim the whole structure down a little, it seemed a bit over scale.
Most of the building is stuck together now and most of the windows are ready, sculpted from balsa wood and a mold from silicone and cornflour to duplicate them in milliput

Testing out an idea for the stained glass. Start with a piece of clear plastic, in my case a bit from packaging on some nail files.
Score the pattern on to the plastic with the back of a blade.
Rub in black oil paint to the resulting groves and wipe off the excess.
Then use oils to paint the individual panes of glass very lightly. Lightly enough to let the light show through.
Wait for the oils to dry....this can take some time. Then glue together carefully.

[Twokidsnosleep]

That will make an awesome custom Christmas display
Well done

[RFeeney]

You start with a layer of wood glue
Then roll out the clay to the required thickness
Smooth it on to the area
And press in the shape of your blocks.
If you cant spent the time to do the whole model at once cover the clay areas with wet kitchen paper and stick it in a plastic bag, that will prevent it drying and hardening until you can continue.


The bell was cut from a bottle cap, it was an eyedropper type of bottle so it had a bit of its profile in the right shape. I`ll be removing it again for painting nearer the finish.

[RFeeney]

That will make an awesome custom Christmas display
Well done

Cheers mate

[RFeeney]

Photobucket is acting kinda weird, with images disappearing and reappearing. I will wait for it to settle down before continuing with these.

[RFeeney]

More clay and scribing block-work. Once the clay is fully dry it will need a bit of clean up with files, knives and sandpaper.


Also got the round window carved from balsa wood. I might just use the wood version or replicate it in Milliput


And painted the bell. I had some powered rust which I added to the bell while the paint was still wet. it adds a nice bit of texture to the surface. A quick rub over the edges with a pencil adds a bit of metallic sheen.


It was around about this stage that that the impatience takes hold and I just want it done already. But next up was roof tiles a somewhat mindless task

[RFeeney]

Nearly to the painting stage window frames fitted, no glass yet hopefully it wont be too much of a problem adding it later. I want to paint first and not get it on the glass.


Stacks of roof tiles cut from cereal boxes to make the roof. there is a ridge tile yet to be done. We`ll make it from das clay because I want to put a circular profile along the top.
Sprayed a little black paint on to test for small gaps around the windows. We are planning on putting some lights inside so we don't want it leaking around the edges.

[RFeeney]

Things a proceeding at a quicker pace

Finished up the roof by adding the ridge tiles. Then sprayed everything in black acrylic primer.


Then sprayed a light coat of gray at an angle to bring out the detail.


Followed by picking out the individual tiles in various shades of slate, touches of purple, gray, black and sand combined in varying amounts.


And mixed up a terracotta shade for the ridge tiles. Once its fully dry we will bring it all together with a mix of washes and dry brushing.
Also the flashing on the joins needs a touch of a lead colour.

[RFeeney]

Just painting all the blockwork in the many shades of gray

Right now it looks a bit too patchwork .

But with a little dry brushing you get a bit of unification of the colors.

[RFeeney]

Work on the base for the church has started. Its made from basic Styrofoam covered in wood glue and bonding (some type of plaster) smeared on top.


A quick test for light leakage. not too bad a couple of small spots around the base will need patching to cover some gaps


The building has been dry brushed all over with a slightly off white, bringing all the different shades closer together.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Great work

[Lee]

Awesome!

[khimbar]

This is just brilliant. Just brilliant.

I'm inspired to copy it, so may I ask a few questions?

Is the church from plans or just from your own hands?

Any more details on the lighting?

[RFeeney]

Thanks for the comments Guys

This is just brilliant. Just brilliant.

I'm inspired to copy it, so may I ask a few questions?

Is the church from plans or just from your own hands?

Any more details on the lighting?

I`m glad you like it so far.
Its from my own plans. Its a church near where I used to live so I took a stack of photos a few years ago and chopped the up to make this.

It was originally to be a texture map for a 3D model on the computer but it came in handy for getting the proportions roughly right.
I put it up on the screen zoomed in and out with a 1:76th scale figure held up next to it until it looked about right. Then traced the individual parts on to paper, trying to straighted any bits that were off from the perspective in the photos. I mover a few things around and removed some to make it a bit easier in my version
This was the computer model before it had to be abandoned for other projects


The lights are just one of those strings of LEDs with a battery pack that seem to show up everywhere around Christmas
I hope to stick them to the inside of the roof as one of the last steps.

Any other question feel free to ask or if you want the original photo of the real church I can upload them somewhere

[RFeeney]

The Doors

Basla wood with the opening traced on to it


Shape cut and rounded off with a sanding stick. Then halved.


Boards impressed with a fine pointed pencil. Also tiny bits of plastic cut out for hinges. The plastic came from a model kit of H.M.S. Victory, the bits left over when the sails were cut out. Its for reasons like this that I have trouble throwing away "junk"


Little bits of wire cut off for the barrels of the hinges. Also the doors painted a slightly blotchy red.


Hinges mounted with a little wood glue


The bolts on the hinges were added by lightly touching with a fine brush dipped in wood glue. Repeated in a couple of spots to increase their height.
Hinges painted with gunmetal.


Starting on the handles, tiny beads and brass wire


A drop of wood glue to stick them together.


And another drop on top to bulk them up a bit.
They are being called done at that.


Loosely propped on place. And then I managed to break one of the handles off. despite being handles they are not meant for handling .

[khimbar]

Thanks for the answers.



I've been thinking about building some kind of foamboard building and I'm definitely having a go over the Christmas holiday now.

The missing pictures, have they gone or is it a hosting error?

[RFeeney]

Its a hosting snafu that I need to sort out. I moved some pics by accident.
They can all be seen here though or on my blog which is a near exact replica of whats posted here
http://s998.photobucket.com/user/RFeene ... ch%20build
http://rfeeney.blogspot.ie/

[RFeeney]

I've been thinking about building some kind of foamboard building and I'm definitely having a go over the Christmas holiday now.

One thing that I learned is that wood glue and keeping the modelling clay moist for too long can result in near disaster. The whole thing started to come apart at one stage and i had to reinforce it with hot glue on the inside.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with

[RFeeney]

I have seen this technique used on plastic models, mainly tanks.
After coating the model in a clear coat of gloss varnish (this needs to be acrylic based) to protect previous layers of paint you place random dots of many colours of oil paint all over the surface.

Then with a brush moistened with white spirits you blend them into the surface, in the process removing most of the oil paint. It should leave a very subtle discolouration which adds some depth to the surface.
Obviously it dose not show well in my photos. You'll have to trust me in that I think it adds to the finish.

The whole church with this effect added. I concentrate a little extra green around the base stones and used some white to lighten the rows of curved tiles.

[RFeeney]

I went back and covered the base in das modelling clay . I was not to happy with the surface texture left by the plaster. Then sprayed on some greens and browns

Then white glue and some fine sand to represent gravel around the building


Then more glue and some static grass sprinkled over top.

I think I had the shakes when I took that one tis a touch blurry

Then stuck on larger stones as a border between grass and gravel.
a few bits of moss as bushes. And somewhen in there the bell was glued in.


That is as far as I am as of right now. just need to finish up the stained glass, glue in the lights and doors and add snow to taste

[TommyKillander]

That is awesome !


Tommy

[RFeeney]

That is awesome !


Tommy

Cheers mate

[Twokidsnosleep]

a suitable "Holy Cow" for your amazing work here

[RFeeney]

a suitable "Holy Cow" for your amazing work here

Thanks, that one made me laugh

[RFeeney]

What every church need for christmas - a crib. Matchsticks tiny twigs and moss all stuck with wood glue.

Who knew that pocket cribs were a thing. Something the size of a ring box with tiny nativity figures inside. I had to have it and take it apart.

A quick dab of paint on the figures and done.

All the stained glass is in and doors and lights glued in place.
All thats left now is to turn it into a white christmas

[RFeeney]

I was persuaded not to add any snow after all. When I get a few more buildings done and start adding them to a large base board I`ll aply the snow all at once.
I hope you all had a great Christmas.