TOPIC:

Amazing effect and creation 

Had a short window where I felt like doing a bit of modelmaking over a few days ... always easier to start something new than continue something else - and especially finish anything

I started on the backdrop for the Willy nativity with a quick drawing of what I needed in terms of size/dimensions, and practicalities of where the roof was & a back wall to stop the pigs escaping - Christmas cards, traditional Advent calendars & clipart all seem pretty consistent on what the downtown Bethlehem skyline looked like in 6 BCE, so I repurposed some of the later & started t
thinking about layers …




Printing that out & taping the pages together might have been practical, but I do have a ballpoint pen attachment for my plotter so did it on that on roll paper instead. I changed my mind a few times during the build so it got quite untidy towards the end, but was still very useful in that I didn't have the confidence to build straight out of my head.



Each section is 1.5mm styrene sheet on the front, 1mm on the back, joined with square form (6.3, 4.8 or 3.2mm IIRC, starting chunkier towards the front view), typically with extra detail pieces - bits of (mostly) parallel scrap bit of styrene with the corners rounded for the wall, or whole extra architechtural details on some sections. This is the wall & first two other sections - "windows" are closed on the back but I did make 4mm holes above each on the back so I could illuminate them if I feel like it later. painting interior scenes within the windows is beyond me, but some black silhouettes are a distinct possibility.



Another section before being bonded on:

As it stands at the moment - I'm undecided on keeping the angel stand and star for the time being. There won't be any further progress on this for a while - even priming the plastic may have to wait until spring

I love that! That's amazing Jonny. And keep the angel and the star. Another JR work ! 

Weather has been garbage for any painting at all, so it's taken ages to get anywhere with this...

Red oxide primer followed by indifferently applied by Ford Sierra Beige.

Lots of dry brushing, stippling, washes etc to come

 

Dry brushed in six different colours, always going to be too much ...





... especially when I added the Hull Red "mortar":





But it was always my intent to selectively wash in light grey:





... and shadows added, maybe a bit too dark. I need to go back and add some lightness to some leading edges as it can still look very flat under some lighting.



...

 

In the meantime, loom for 7x 5mm "flickering" LEDs, some in white, some yellow & some orange. I did want them to be subtle, but I suspect they'll end up being invisible with the bright white from the stable and star.







Straw/sand etc on the baseboard &  the hanging rail for the velvet cloth won't get sorted until mid november, or more likely December