Would like some references to articles on building structure interiors, videos, books that you feel are good
Roger
Hi Roger:
If I can suggest, you may have limited the scope of your possible replies by asking for articles, books and videos specifically. Perhaps if you were to ask for advice in general the flood gates might open. If you are willing to do that, it might help to let us know what scale you are modelling in as well as the types of buildings.
This could actually become a very interesting thread.
Just a suggestion.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Hey Dave
Thanks for the feedback, yes any advice would be welcome. Also I am working in HO scale. The first interior will be an office scene in the 2nd floor of a factory building. Any constructive ideas or pictures would be welcome
George Selios made a comment about not using his time to model things that can't be seen. I am a firm advocate of this philosophy. Any of my buildings where you can actually look in a window; or, door and see interior detail, has at least some in there. I will also make dividers to allow lights to shine from certain windows, but not all and darkening interior surfaces so that the building does not let light to shine through the walls. Beyond what I have stated, I leave the rest of my buildings interior-less.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
There are lots of such threads on this forum alone, search structure interiors.Also, do not ignore the use of well placed images/photos in the back in conjunction with foreground 3-D details.Question 1: Model Contest quality interiors which will be viewed close up?Question 2: Era is important - a 1900-era office is quite different from a 1950s era office is quite different from a 2000s era office?
ETA: to build upon NP2626's statement, Model Railroader itself has promoted the use of "shadow box" interior scenes, for example inside a open warehouse loading door model a few cm's of loading loading dock and back wall, maybe with some details as pallets and forklift, to give the impression of a lot more going on inside the warehouse.
This interior will have about 4 large windows accessing it and will be lit by diode lighting. It is set around 1980. Good suggestion.
I am not familiar with how to search the forum for something like "structure interiors".
Thanks
Industries1I am not familiar with how to search the forum for something like "structure interiors".
Floors are important. Without a floor, the view in the upper story windows shows a gaping chasm running right down to ground level. In fact, just putting in floors will look nearly as good as a full detailed interior. Combine that with glazed windows. The "glass" tends to obscure the view in thru the windows by reflections, and a bit of dirt. At least my HO window glazing always comes out a bit dirty.
If you are going to light your building, take some care to avoid light leaks at the joints, and paint the interior lest the styrene start to glow in the dark.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I built a couple of interiors before I saw the wisdom of George Selios. You really can't see much through small windows in HO scale. Now, I look for kits with large windows so that I can detail them and actually have my work seen.
This is a DPM kit. It's a hotel, so I added floors and walls to the inside. I use 3/16 inch foamboard for this, from a craft store. It breaks the building up so I can have some rooms lit and some not, which is more realistic "from the street." It also gives more strength to the building.
Here's one room, with walls and a carpeted floor. The painting on the wall is "Dogs Playing Poker" and on the other wall there's a velvet Elvis.
Total waste of time, in retrospect. You can't see any of this. But it is fun to point out that there is a velvet Elvis in every room of this elegant hotel.
This is a plastic kit. I glued balsa sticks to the corners, and along the walls to support the floors. It's a good idea to do this to hold the walls together better, and also to seal the corners against light leaks. From the other side at night:
Note that you can't see much inside of the hotel. The windows are just too small. The window shades and venetian blinds (from City Classics) are a more important detail than anything inside the building.
Speaking of City Classics, here is their diner. I had fun with this one:
I often visit www.cgtextures.com to download images of floors, walls and so forth. I print them on the computer and glue them inside. When seen through the windows, they are very impressive. The human brain turns a scrap of styrene, painted silver, into a napkin dispenser and a carpet tack into a bar stool. Just make sure you position the scenes directly in front of the window so they can be seen.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Here's an old thread. I often have more success with a google search in finding items of interest on the forum than with the search tool on the right. So try both.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/192881.aspx
I see Kalmbach has a book on structures in their store here but the table of contents show few pages on "detailing".
I've built a few structures for my layout these past 3 years but am just getting into lighting, adding window glaze, etc. As I've done that I'm learning along the way, though some of the former threads and hints from those above have helped alot.
I knew that lighting can bleed through some styrene so I typically painted the interior walls before assembly with gray primer. That inhibits the lighting so I've been repainting the interior walls with a lighter color (typically a mix of acrylic sand and khaki). As noted above, small windows inhibit interior viewing but I'm experimenting anyway. I like the way the gas plant below shows off the compressors inside (built on a simple platform) versus the large, dark void before. On the industry office I found that I should have added a first floor above the bottom casement windows. Today I completed addressing a 2-story "Laube Linens" building, having added flooring (including a first floor at the appropriate level), walls, window shades / blinds, furniture and people. You really have to look around for interesting details available.
EDIT: It occurred to me to comment on supplies. You can make flooring and walls out of 1/16" sheet basswood from Hobby Lobby or from 0.040" styrene sheet (you can cut this with scissors). You can support these with strips of basswood or styrene. I've stocked up on these type items, getting the styrene sheeting from Walthers, the basswood sheets and strips from Hobby Lobby and the styrene strips from modeltrainstuff.com. I've also begun to include some people, starting with the Model Power 72 people set and having some Preisser people on order. All unpainted, so I'm going to paint them myself. Added entertainment.
EDIT: added photos below
http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s558/peahrens/IMG_4541_zpsd12118e9.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL]
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
As has already been mentioned, you only need the suggestion of an interior in many cases. The exception of course is where you want to be able to lift the top off the building so you can view the scene inside.
I have a Moody's Plumbing supply that will sit within a few inches of the fascia, and it will have a removable roof. This is what the interior looks like:
Here is my Atlas train station. It got detailed, then I decided that it would get moved to the back of the layout so the interior was a bit of a waste:
This doesn't qualify as an office scene, but it will be in close view:
Don't forget that your interiors will benefit from interior lighting too.
Paul:
Your interiors are all really well done!
hon30critter Paul: Your interiors are all really well done! Dave
Thanks, Dave. I'm envious of your exterior lights, but have no idea how to do those. Another thing to add to the learning curve. There are so many dimensions to the hobby.
The exterior lights on the small engine house are Miniatronics 1.5V bulbs with Tichy lamp shades, with appropriate resistors of course. The Tichy shades are made from their exterior (non functioning) lamps by simply drilling the center out and sliding the shade on to the bulb. A little CA and paint....there you have it. I also use CA to glue the two wires together so they will hold the 'goose neck' shape.
https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/ho_structure-parts/p/8027/Default.aspx
I mention the resistors specifically because I have managed to fry the light bulbs in the shed not once, but twice! Now I always install resistors when I install the bulbs. I use resistors that are high enough in value to lower the brightness of the bulbs so they will last longer.
The same thing can be done with SMD LEDs but you don't get the 'bulb' shape. In the long run, using LEDs might be smarter.
I agree with other posters about not detailing interiors that no one can see. This warehouse is right at eye level about 12 inches from the viewer’s nose on the layout. I finished the interior background, added pallets as well as installing some light in the scene.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
When I feel an interior is necessary, it is fun to decorate them with various parts left over from kits to decorate them with. So, save all your detail parts which don't get used for these eventualities. It's also fun to make details from what you have on hand, such as wood parts, sheet plastic.
Of all the details I use on my railroad, those used in interiors are probably the least expensive. Maybe some brick material for floors, purchased benches and odds and ends; but, most of it just pieces left over from other kits. Free!