Incredible work using digital photos in creating realistic structures

[steamage]

I've been making photo flats for years, mainly as a instant industry for my layout until I'd get one built one up from styrene to replace it. But found that they worked so well, just left them on the layout.

[JoninKrakow]

The first place I saw paper/cardstock models that impressed me with the possibilities was a CD that came with the Continental Modeler a few years ago. It was a video of a guy who makes and sells buildings. The video was a short tutorial to give you an idea of how it works. I was quite surprised, after reading this thread, to find that video on YouTube. So, without further ado, here is the video: LINK to YouTube
-Jon

[CNJ831]

Autobus Prime

CNJ831

SBCA - I can tell you with confindence that what often appears dramatic in 2-D photos is usually much less impressive when seen in person in 3-D.  

CNJ:

I've seen layouts that used the British style of printed-card kits, which mix 3d detailing and transparent windows (at least on those I saw) with printed textures, and they look really good in person, particularly the brick.    You can also get paper with colored brick patterns, which are hard to get otherwise. 

I do think that it's important to carefully avoid hokiness when using printed detail.  I definitely prefer to use transparent windows, set back, and 3d applied trim, unless the structure is simply a placeholder.

Autobus - I completely concur that if one adds sufficient three dimensional detail to a flat photo, or basic cardstock structure (windows, doors, decorative entrances, cornices, etc.), then the model can often be taken for any other well done type of model kit. In fact, look at that below, done by a modeler (unfortunately, I was unable to insert a direct link here to the page) who frequents another site I participate in.

It's truly amazing and fully a rival to a FSM or similar wooden kit model. However...I feel such models quickly become a case of diminishing returns. So much effort is involved in adding the numerous 3-D features that the time spent is only justified as a matter of enjoying building these types of structures and not as an easy or cheap substitute for a commercial kit or, for that matter simply scratchbuilding with regular scribed/strip wood, or plastic sheet.

Let's look carefully at Lance's Miami Produce Center building, for example. In reality, it is 3/4 conventionally scratchbuilt to start with, only the front wall being a photo repro. Lance then adds additional detail to the photo features to the point where you end up largely with just the coloration of the base photo's walls and some hints of texture showing. Even then, the photo's shadows are in obvious conflict with those of the 3-D elements.

As a stand-in, or a middle/background building, the method is fine. But if done employing more photo elements (other walls, platform, roof, etc.) and as a stand-alone structure, it's going to have some decided short comings. To me, at least, this concept is more of a step back, rather than a step ahead, for any accomplished model railroader.

CNJ831

  

[JoninKrakow]

Midnight Railroader

One thing that concerns me about this technique is that standard inkjet ink tends to fade over time, unlike the dyes used in photo printing.

Seems to me that a few years down the road, the structures made on inkjets are going to start loking pretty bad.

Laser may be different in that respect,

This is definitely a possibility with older inkjets, and with some brands (Lexmark), and probably most bottom-end printers, but both Canon and Epson have been working on inks that have a much better archival quality--100 years even. So, if you are careful with your pick of printers and inks (don't use aftermarket replacements), you can produce long-lasting output.

And another thought, re: the 2D quality. I have seen some model buildings made out of paper that were amazing. the key is to not simply make a 2D model, but to build them up. Some things (such as the wires hanging from Lance's building), you may get away with, but simply gluing thread in these locations adds depth, and adding things like window frames, downspouts, rain gutters, etc. all add depth, and hide the 2D nature of the printout. So, it's not so simple do do, but you can create rather impressive results.

-Jon

[Autobus Prime]

CNJ831

SBCA - I can tell you with confindence that what often appears dramatic in 2-D photos is usually much less impressive when seen in person in 3-D.  

CNJ:

I've seen layouts that used the British style of printed-card kits, which mix 3d detailing and transparent windows (at least on those I saw) with printed textures, and they look really good in person, particularly the brick.  Most 3d brick material I've seen has mortar lines that look good, but are actually a bit overscale for real, well-maintained brick, although perfect for weathered brick.  Good printed brick can also easily give you the color variation of the brick, which is a great part of the appearance of a real brick wall, even more than the mortar lines, but pretty tricky to paint.  You can also get paper with colored brick patterns, which are hard to get otherwise. 

I do think that it's important to carefully avoid hokiness when using printed detail.  I definitely prefer to use transparent windows, set back, and 3d applied trim, unless the structure is simply a placeholder.

You might want to try downloading one of Scale Scenes'  free trial structures.  They have a small wooden "goods warehouse" in weathered wood that makes a pretty fair section house if you leave it off its piers.  They've also got a brick one that is a little harder to use in a US railroad setting, but would look good as a small pump house.  I prefer to burn Scale Scenes PDFs to a CD and have them laser printed for 50c a sheet at Office Max - the color is very rich that way, and I don't burn through cartridges like Johnny Inkslinger.

My biggest problem with purely printed paper cutout structures (i.e. no clear windows etc.) is actually not in looking at them, because if all the shadows and such are reproduced, even a printed-on window looks good.   The problem is that I built them, and I know they don't have real windows and real boards, and that knowledge makes them "feel" fake, even though they look just fine.   It's weird.

 

[Phoebe Vet]

This is how you make printed structures look 3D:

 

Archival quality ink jet ink is now available for many printers provided you use photo quality paper.

 

I used ink jet prints in one of my subway stations for the walls and floors.  I have tried it for other things and have not been satisfied and tore it back out.

[Midnight Railroader]

One thing that concerns me about this technique is that standard inkjet ink tends to fade over time, unlike the dyes used in photo printing.

Seems to me that a few years down the road, the structures made on inkjets are going to start loking pretty bad.

Laser may be different in that respect,

[CNJ831]

cbq9911a

I've painted brick sheet and scanned the painted sheet.  I use the image as a basis for my buildings.  If you print it on matte photo paper it's indistinguishable from brick sheet at a 3 foot viewing distance in HO scale.  The image works better for buildings with low relief.

I've also used a digital photo for a backdrop model of Old St. Patrick's Church on my layout.  I had to edit the photo to eliminate trees in front of the building.  I also cropped the front steps to keep from shattering the illusion that the building is a background flat.

CBQ's mention of having modeled a church in this manner brings to mind some previous examples that demonstrate just how old the technique of using photo images of the prototype to create scale models really is.

For instance, about a quarter century ago, John Nehrich had an article in MR about doing a stone church for the NEB&W in exactly the manner that Lance has done his structures. Set back about six or seven feet from the viewing aisle amidst some trees and other street scene details, it's reasonably convincing (I've seen it firsthand).

Looking back even further in time, to the truly early days of our hobby, I recall that Gordon Varney had created some of his early paper freight car sides from photos of actual rolling stock he'd taken of the cars sitting in a local freight yard...circa 1940! 

Yup, there ain't all that much new under the sun in this hobby!  

CNJ831

[cbq9911a]

SBCA

I am a huge fan of Lance Mindheim's work, as showcased in MR, GMR, MRP, etc.

I just saw an update on his website demonstrating the use of digital pictures pasted onto models.  This is taking realistic modeling to a new level.

Here are some pictures (go about 1/3 the way down the page):

http://www.lancemindheim.com/downtown_spur2.htm

Here are some more:

http://www.lancemindheim.com/produce_center.htm

Wow.

I bet this type of modeling is only going to increase.  MR has had a few articles on using photos for backdrops, but now people are using them for structures.  Incredible!

 

I've painted brick sheet and scanned the painted sheet.  I use the image as a basis for my buildings.  If you print it on matte photo paper it's indistinguishable from brick sheet at a 3 foot viewing distance in HO scale.  The image works better for buildings with low relief.

I've also used a digital photo for a backdrop model of Old St. Patrick's Church on my layout.  I had to edit the photo to eliminate trees in front of the building.  I also cropped the front steps to keep from shattering the illusion that the building is a background flat.

[RDG1519]

I think that Lance is using these as "stand ins" so he can optimise their size, shape, etc and than scratchbuild the real model. They are intriquing however to see them. I believe Lance has raised the bar on scenery as no one else has IMHO.

Chris

[LNEFAN]

 Here are two interesting sites for anyone wanting to pursue the ideas in this thread.

 http://textures.z7server.com/

http://www.cgtextures.com/

[reklein]

Behind the caboose is my Paper Creek station which is printed card. I like car models!!

[C&O Fan]

This is an intresting concept but i would be more prone to use it in a Mock Up

Than a finished Model

Simply for the reason that it lacks the 3-D detail

i've done mockups using CAD drawings which serve the purpose 

 

[CNJ831]

SBCA - I can tell you with confindence that what often appears dramatic in 2-D photos is usually much less impressive when seen in person in 3-D.  

I have no doubt that when mixed in with some conventional, fully 3-D, buildings and not placed near the front of the layout, such photo-sided buildings as shown in the link would work reasonably well but only because the existing 3-D detail of the one would tend to trick the viewer into thinking that the other was similarly detailed. On the other hand, in an industrial area setting on the layout, where such structures are viewed in isolation, the effect will fail and it will be immediately apparent from a conventional viewing distance that all the building's "details" are dead flat. Lance apparently did add some 3-D loading doors to his buildings but that's really not enough. If one goes on to add more and more 3-D detail, than the concept has little advantage over regular scratchbuilding project.

I will say that application of this technique would favor increasing smaller scales, where 3-D details become indistinct. Thus, in N and particularly Z scale, this approach becomes increasing viable...but it's rather ill-suited for HO and larger scales. 

Incidentally, this is by no means a new technique. Rather it is one that's been arround for years, just not widely employed for various reasons, one of which is simply that such 2-D buildings don't compare very favorably to 3-D examples. 

CNJ831

[chutton01]

They had a few features on this last year in RMC (I have the article clipped out somewhere) - same concept, except it was brick commercial structures, I believe the author added addition '3-d' details such as trim, downspouts, entry-ways, etc.
Heck, didn't someone post a thread on this forum a few days ago, do just the same thing except cutting out the windows, gluing them on a backer board, and sandwiching plastic 'window' glass between the building's photo-exterior wall and the interior windows images?
I certainly plan to use this concept for several 'mid-distance' buildings, in the background behind the foreground-detail buildings, but not backdrop 2-D photo flats...

[CNE Runner]

Some time ago I was surfing through model railroad pages on YouTube. While there, I chanced upon an English video depicting this very subject. It was amazing how real the buildings looked (the person even had cut-out broken windows). I would imagine you need a lot of artistic ability as well as a high-resolution camera and printer.

Ray

[SilverSpike]

This reminds me of the old timers technique which is still used today to a lesser degree of using printed card stock to build structures. Now with the price of color laser jet and ink jet printers coming down, printing convincing images of structures has been growing in use for primarily background structures and some foreground as well.

For example, here is an image of a section of my layout with the yard tracks in the foreground and the bottom portion of the backdrop is color images of a tank farm that have been glued to foam core board and taped to the Masonite backdrop, it's not the best image, but it gives you an idea of the possibilities with 2D printed structure images:

Here is an image of card stock structures built by my buddy sheriff Jim over on 2Guyz, this is an N scale structure BTW:

Addendum: Another consideration is the time, effort and cost factor. The background tank farm images on my backdrop only took an hour or so to set up from start to finish, and only cost me a little ink jet ink, maybe 50 cents in foam core board, $2.00 in photo gloss paper and pennies in 3M 77 adhesive. Compare this to an equal length of background structures in cost and effort to build and I've saved myself both time, materials and effort. When you view this area with a long string of rolling stock in front of them they look very convincing in person.

 

[Kenfolk]

I've used some color laser printed textures to (ie, bricks, wood siding, graffiti) on a couple of scratchbuilt buildings, and  they look quite realistic on my n-scale layout. I've also printed roof shingles that I then cut apart and glue on in strips--works well. I'd be willing to guess that in person Lance Mindheim's layout looks as good or better than it does in photos.

Laser printers are cost competitive with ink-jet now, with very high resolution images that can be printed on non-glossy papers. 

[MAbruce]

They seem to look good in photos (2D), but I have to wonder how they hold up to actual viewing (3D).  I'd think that a lot of the building detail just won't be convincing enough as it will be in 2D.

[SBCA]

I am a huge fan of Lance Mindheim's work, as showcased in MR, GMR, MRP, etc.

I just saw an update on his website demonstrating the use of digital pictures pasted onto models.  This is taking realistic modeling to a new level.

Here are some pictures (go about 1/3 the way down the page):

http://www.lancemindheim.com/downtown_spur2.htm

Here are some more:

http://www.lancemindheim.com/produce_center.htm

Wow.

I bet this type of modeling is only going to increase.  MR has had a few articles on using photos for backdrops, but now people are using them for structures.  Incredible!