Hello All,
Thank you all for your great suggestions on roofing materials for the Walthers Cornerstone Series Northern Light & Power (933-3021) kitbash.
After checking out and printing samples from Textures.com (what a great resource) I decided on styrene sheets with a Scalloped Edge Tile pattern in a 1:100 scale.
Now on to the glazing.
I don't want the glass to be clear.
As an older building in disrepair I want the windows to appear dirty.
My question is, any suggestions on how to achieve this look?
I am considering a matte spray, e.g. Dullcote, or a sparse coat of light gray, e.g. sandstone.
Thank you for your advice.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I like to use microscope slides for windows and find smudging them up with my dirty fingers does a perfect job to make things look industrial.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
RR_MelI use 500 to 1000 grit sandpaper to frost up my window glass, sanding one side leaves a frosted gloss on the other.
Hmm...I had not considered this option.
It definitely gives more control over the opacity desired.
I can also see how this technique could be use around the edges of the window(s) to replicate the look of winter frosted edges or only cleaned in the center look.
Thank you for your continued advice.
Dullcoat. I have used it to flatten window glazing. You may want to break off a window corner or two. If you have lots of windows replace a couple with wood to simulate a missing window replaced with plywood.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Dullcote works well, but you can get similar effects airbrushing ordinary lacquer thinner on clear styrene windows.
Another option, not appropriate for all structures, is to tint the windows. Brick curtain-wall factories had lots of large windows, but many ended-up being tinted to either cut down on the light or, more likely, the heat from the sun....
I used a Floquil green - not sure of the particular shade, but it's not really important. I thinned it about 90% with lacquer thinner, and then airbrushed it on the inside of the styrene windows. This leaves the exterior of the "glass" shiny, which is a good choice for a well-maintained factory. For one that's been neglected, a better choice might be grey or brown, or greyish brownish to represent dirt and grime, and applied to the exterior - thin it well to make the windows look dirty, rather than painted-over.Sanding works well, too, but is a little more labour intensive. Make sure to use a fairly fine grit, as coarser ones will make distinctive scratches which won't look too realistic, especially on multi-pane windows if they carry-over, uninterrupted, onto adjoining panes.
Wayne
I use ''invisible/transparant'' tape, just stuck to in side of wall. Fast, cheap, gives me the dirty, dusty look. I take a #11 blade, crack a few, or remove a piece.
I have used the plastic windows and just brushed them with styrene glue. Also did lots of the other ideas too.
jjdamnitI don't want the glass to be clear. As an older building in disrepair I want the windows to appear dirty. My question is, any suggestions on how to achieve this look? I am considering a matte spray, e.g. Dullcote, or a sparse coat of light gray, e.g. sandstone.
Even dirty windows still have an element of "shine" to the surface, so a spray of isopropyl alcohol and india ink might serve to dirty the outside surface while retaining at least something of a shine.
True frosted glass lacks that shine - Dullcote should work to kill it, as would mechanical means involving grit (this assumes you use plastic "glass" and not actual glass such as slide covers).
The greenish/blue tinted factory windows that Dr Wayne mentions (and models) in my experience are both tinted and frosted - they reflect light but don't really shine like regular clear glass. Also in my experience: when such windows break it seems they are often replaced by plywood rather than glass.
Dave Nelson
dknelsonEven dirty windows still have an element of "shine" to the surface...
Yes, I agree.
Keeping that in mind I am only considering treating the inside of the windows to maintain that element of exterior "shine".
dknelson...when such windows break it seems they are often replaced by plywood rather than glass.
I am definitely considering blanking out some of the windows with "plywood" to replicate that look.
If you're looking for dirty windows (rather than frosted windows like used in bathroom windows), Testors makes a transparent black spray-can paint that you can spray on the inside of the window glazing to make it dirty but still transparent. Adding multiple layers makes the window less and less transparent.
wjstixTestors makes a transparent black spray-can paint...
Sounds intriguing...
I'll check it out.
Because I am kitbashing two kits I've got extra glazing that I can try several different methods suggested.
Which method works best depends on exactly the effect you're looking for of course. The transparent paint probably works best where you want to be able to see into the building a little bit, but say not enough to tell there isn't a detailed interior. If you want people to not be able to see into the building at all, so the windows are basically opaque, another method (or combination of methods) might work better. As you say, testing the methods out is the best bet.
BTW, since your building is the Walthers NL+P power plant, Walthers does make a very nice and easy to use interior kit for it. I used it in my power plant (along with the overhead crane kit) and I think it turned out well. But then my building will probably end up very near the aisle, if your building is more in the background the extra interior detailing may not be worth the effort...and since you're using it as part of a kitbash, the interior kit might not fit your building I guess.
My pike is a 4'x8' table top sitting on the bed in the spare room. I only have a few inches of access underneath.
All the wires are run through automotive flex tubing that has been "trenched" into the 1-inch blue foam and sceniced over. When I need to run new wires out comes the fish-tape.
wjstix...if your building is more in the background the extra interior detailing may not be worth the effort...
The building will be used to cover the 5A booster that sits on the pike.
I managed to incorporate a siding and a loading dock on one side of this building. I will be using the Overhead Traveling Crane Kit (933-3102) for unloading of flats and gons.
An awning will cover the loading dock and part of the overhead crane.
I have decided to model several of the roll-up doors open and do a "black-box" effect on the open doors.
The booster is dark gray so I won't need to fully black-out the windows but I still want that dirty industrial window look.
I will be using several of the methods suggested on various parts of the kit.