May 6, 2014

Mixed Media in the Creggan

Time flies, last November I noted my start on Tay Creggan (http://vrlatestupdates.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/tayming-inner-creggan.html), however shortly after I had an self-imposed break from scenic work while we sorted out whether the layout was going to move - no sense building what might be chopped in half! The decision isn't finalised yet, but it looks like it will stay put and building can continue. The time between has been well spent filling out some long wanted tasks in rolling stock but there's only so much rolling stock I can put together before I'm challenged to try something a bit broader.

To the Creggan and "Mixed Media". It's a term I couldn't help but use, particularly as it often seen in close proximity to some assemblage of feathers, a stick and perhaps a used tissue that some modern artist wants to have you believe is his/her acknowledgement of an important emotion or some such. We modellers of course pursuing a far finer art know what mixed media really is, to whit here's the compressed Tay Creggan pre-painting/finalising:


The build comprised:
- Balsa - mounting height block
- Styrene board - base
- Card - walls, porch roof and window roofing
- Paper - flashing
- Tichy Products - sectioned windows and gable detail from cut-down railing
- Etch brass - hatching at peak of gabling
- Scale wood - bargeboards
- White metal - chimneys (perhaps Kerroby?)
- PVA - gap filling
- Resin Cast - Marseilles Tiles courtesy of VMRS excellent rendition
- Styrene - gutters, detailing
- Acrylic paint - base coat
- Marker pen - base tudor lining
- Lead sinkers - weighting to retain upright

A note on the building reiterated from the earlier post, it is sited approx. 3ft away from the nearest viewing point and partially obscured, hence the coarser scale that is observable particularly in some of the detailing, as against those buildings closer to the viewing/front of the layout, and also that it has only been completed above the mid-point, below this is simply not visible. I only have so much time to model, if there is a short cut, I'm interested in it!

And here it is above following a paint/weather and adding further Media :^ )
- Woodland Scenics coarse grass
- Acrylic paint -weathering and dyeing the grass "vines"
- Dirty brown turps - weathering
- Spray paint - Dullcote

Nb. Those chimney pipes were straightened once it was in situ on the layout!

And after emplacement on the layout, per the earlier mail, the building being formed as a foil/cover for the suburban/country passenger stabling yard.

[above] As seen from typical viewing height and distance showing the look I was trying to achieve.

[above] Showing actual locational aspects.

The suburbs between Camberwell and the Yarra are not just full of small cottages/semis and houses, there are some more ritzy residences and this represents that part of the section, on the hill above the suburb of Glenburn.