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Job's Modelling

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  1. Job's Modelling
    The starting point.
     

     
    Last time I have made the final design for my row of cottages.
    Now I had to build the frame of the cottages using Scalescenes kit 022 Small Cottages.
     
    In an article which compares the living circumstances in working class cottages in the 1950’s and the 1970’s is the following description about a working class house in the 1950’s:
    “Along with the strong imposition of categories and relationships in a working-class house, there is strong insulation of rooms from each other. Doors are kept shut most of the time, particularly the par lour door, cupboards and the staircase frequently isolate the parlour even more firmly from the back room. It is not even possible to see into the interior of the front room of the street.”
    “In a ‘traditional’ working-class house the interior of the house is usually concealed from the street by net curtains, which remain closed even at midday.”
     
    So the interiors won’t be visible, but I liked to create the right atmosphere for them. The used wallpapers for the living rooms are from Model-Railway-Scenery.
    For the bedrooms I used the textures from Scalescenes kit. For the floors I selected the textures that fitted the best for the bed and living rooms. Bedroom floors were covered with lino or oilcloth. Linoleum (lino) and oil cloth were made by different processes but they both looked the same. In the living rooms there was planking with rugs. Also lino was possible used there. I couldn't find more information about this subject.
     
    After finishing the frame of the building I noticed that there is some difference with the try-out I built. I have to make a new plan for the front of the building to make it fit the frame. Because it won’t be visible I used scrap card to build it. So it is not so well fitting as I usually try to do.
     

     
    More about that in a next entry.
     
    Or if anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
    Kind regards,
    Job
  2. Job's Modelling
    How to find back my information.
    Since I started building Northall diorama’s I collected a lot of information. But one way or another I wasn’t always able to find it back as soon as I wished. I hadn’t built up a system for collecting my information. Searching again takes sometimes away time for modelling. Last week I came upon a website created by another Dutch man. He has an interesting website about a fictive land somewhere in an ocean.
    See his website here: http://www.spocania.com/archief/menu-e.htm
     
    What triggered my was his alphabetical index. Today I bought a new folder to collect my Northall information on paper and creating an index folder on my desktop. I will also use an alphabetical index.
    An example you can see below.
     
    Names
    The other thing I was not sure of were the surnames I used for my diorama’s. I now know that not all names were common in all parts of the UK. The same counts for Holland. My surname is a typical name you will find frequently in a part of the province Groningen and not in other parts of the Netherlands.
     
    Then I found the following for my usable website:
    http://www.1911census.co.uk/
     
    You can select a county or a place and fill in a surname. In this way I could see if the name that you had chosen was known in that place.
    This means that I have to go through my Northall Gazette’s and my story to change names that are, in my opinion, are not suitable.
     
    Progress
    Progress on the row of Victorian cottages goes slowly. Personal circumstances are responsible for this. So you have to be a little bit patient to see A wow of Victorian Cottages - part two.
     
    As you know I like to create a history for the firms in Northall. You can read the history of Robert Oxford and Sons Limited below.
     

  3. Job's Modelling
    The starting point.
     
    RESEARCH. I found some interesting information about cottages build around 1900. One of the things I have never released that from the same type of cottages several sub-types were build. To get something different then the standard card kit model size I used the Scalescenes small terraced cottages as my starting point.
     
    The information told me the following: there were 12 three-room; 548 four-room; 967 five-room and 116 six-room cottages build.
    A drawing of a three-room building was available for use with measurements. The Scalescenes cottage is 6 cm wide. The cottage in the drawing 14’6”, what is in 4 mm scale 5,8 cm. That is the size that is used for the Scalescenes small cottage kit.
     

     
    I could see what type of windows were used. I had to make a small changes to make it look like the drawing I have. Also the chimneys have a different appearance. I will try to create that too. The other difference will not be visible in the diorama.The cottage I’m creating is a almost square cottage with three small bedrooms on the first floor, and not one with an extension at the back side for the third bed room.
     
    On another drawing I saw some possibilities to create a more detailed brickwork front. Maybe I will give that also I try.
     
    Below the starting point of my design with the cottages from Scalescenes.
     

     
    In the picture below my design my Northall cottages. The upper windows got a other size. This is made with just normal prints of my brick texture on a laser printer. As you can see I changed the color from dark red to yellow. That is the result of the test printing of the brick textures on the Fine Art photo paper.
    Some explanation about printing colors on the building:
    The cream brick wall behind the cottage wall is printed on 190 gr. Fine Art textured paper on the best printing settings of my printer. This color will by used for the final building
    The cream color on the cottage is just plain 80 gr. printing paper / laser jet
    The light green door at the left is printed on 190 gr Fine Art smooth paper on the normal printing settings of my printer.
    The dark green door is printed on 190 gr Fine Art smooth paper on the best printing settings of my printer
    The other doors are printed on 80 gr printing paper / laser jet.
     
    I think there are a lot more possibilities using different papers and printing settings.
     

     
    Any additional information about Victorian cottages is welcome.
    Or if anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
     
     

  4. Job's Modelling
    The last couple of weeks nothing did go as planned and hoped. My wife has serious problems with the flu, I had a little accident with my bike and a friend of yours needs some personal coaching en help. And luckily I found still some time to do some modelling. About the result you can read below.
     
    As I tried out in the design stage I tried Scalescenes brown stretcher bond at the building behind the cottages.
     

     
    Before building the final background building I printed the texture of the cottages on the Fine Art photo paper. The colour was so much deeper red that I reconsidered the texture of the background building. After printing several textures I decided to look for something totally different.
    On Northall Dock I used a texture from Clever Models. So I got I look at their textures I downloaded three of them to try out. After testing I had two options and the final choice was called “cream city brick”. It looks like garden brick bond and has a nice texture after printing.
    I used one the templates from Scalescenes High Street backs to create the building. After I had finished it I was not happy with the final result.
     

     
    I had a look at my own reference map of Northall and searched again for the templates I could use from the Scalescenes High Street backs.
    For the windows I wanted to try out again the same approach I had used for the factory and my first attempt of the back ground building. Scalescenes doesn’t have the windows I wanted to use, so I searched again in by Clever Models for some windows. The windows the use in their Coal Merchant building could do the job. So I bought the kit.
    I tried the Clever Model windows out on the Scalescenes textures.
     

     
    For the roofs I used a texture TX161 from Model Railway Scenery.
    The final result you can see below.
     

     
    I like to hear your opinion about the use of the Clever Model texture and kit parts for British buildings.
    Or if anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
    Kind regards,
    Job
  5. Job's Modelling
    The starting point.
     

     
    I hope I have not tested your patience to much.
    Because I wanted to use the textures of the new low relief factory from Scalescenes I had to try out it first in scrap seeing of it would work out.
    Let’s start with a picture of the design I made at first:
     

     
    Here I used just the sign and windows from the new kit. The factory will have a totally different appearance. I started with the underside of the building.
     

     
    But I was not happy with the dimensions above the wall. The solution is simple: cut the part above the brick wall away! And start again with the upper part.
     

     
    Working with Fine Art Textured Photo paper is quite different than paper. The material isn’t cellulose but cotton. And cutting cotton asks for an other approach. You have to work very carefully with a lot of patience. Cutting a line several times until it is really through. I wouldn’t advice to use this paper if you are starting with card modelling. But I’m very happy with it. Look at the first and the last picture of factory and compare the colors and the texture.
    Because it also a little bit thicker than normal card or paper I also decided to color every edge with a pastel pencil.
     

     
    The signs were made for my by Scalescenes to personalize my building. Many thanks for that to John.
    The window are just prints on smooth Fine Art Photo paper. I was not happy with gleaming of the windows on the factory of Ince and Mayhew on my last diorama. On the website on Clever Models I saw they also made models with just a picture of the window. I tried out the several colors and my final choice you can see in the finished factory below.
     

     
    I’m curious what you think of this solution.
     
     
    When I had finished the upper part I glued both parts together using a total back card on which I glued both parts.
    The only thing that had to be modeled was the corner with a rain pipe. Here is the final result of the building after some weathering.
     

     
    And an overview picture of the diorama until now.
     

     
    If anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  6. Job's Modelling
    Pavement and road are in place. So I can start with the factory.
     

     
    I started with the wall at the end of the diorama and the factory chimney.
    The wall is build straight forward using TX24 Dark Brown Brick and the coping from RO11 Arched Bridge from Scalescenes.
    The wall is weathered after building using in the Schminke pastels mentioned in the previous entry. To give you an impression I made a picture with the finished wall on a piece of clean printing on Fine Art paper.
     

     
    Then I started with a TX24 chimney. Before I started I had a look at several picture of chimney’s on the internet.
    I liked that metal bindings along some of the chimney’s I saw. I decided not to use card for modelling them, but to use a black pastel pencil.
    I “colored” the bindings on the chimney before gluing the texture on the template build chimney. With a cotton bud I worked the pastel on the chimney.
     

     
    Then I glued the texture om the template. I did this step by step, side by side. The used template was too large and after drying for 24 hours I cut the glued part at size.
     

     
    After I the chimney was finished it got a light pastel weathering.
     
    Here are some pictures of the wall and chimney glued in place on the diorama. The chimney looks too high on one of the pictures. It has the same height of the diorama.
    When everything is finished it isn’t possible to have the low street view. I will do some additional weathering at the edge of the wall and the pavement as the factory is finished.
     

     

     
    If anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
    Kind regards,
    Job
  7. Job's Modelling
    Pavement and road are in place. But although the printed version is very good, I prefer to give it a personal touch.
     

     
    Another problem I had to solve was my way of weathering. When I started using my pastel pencil I noticed some scratching on the surface of printed pavement. So I re-read an article about colouring black and white photographs. In this article the recommended the use of soft pastels. I decided to give that a try. In an art shop I asked some advice and I went home with a small range of Schmincke soft pastels, fitting to my color palette for Caroline Street.
    Schimcke has all pastel colors in 5 different shades from dark to light.
    These pastels are very, very soft indeed. So applying it directly to my textures didn’t work out. Then I used some fine sanding paper to get some pastel powder. Almost like pigment.
    With a very fine synthetic brush I applied a small amount of pastel on the texture and with a cotton but I worked it on the surface. This looked very promising, so I decided to go on with this method.
     

     
    For the pavement I used Neutral Grey M and for the sides of the kerbing Neutral Grey D. Both colors I also for weathering some parts of the road.
    For the kerbings I used mixture of Grey violet O, Neutral Grey D and some Silver.
    I used Sepia Brown O for a start and for some parts Vandyke brown O for the road. The yard is weathered with the same colors, but I used more layers of Vandyke brown O there.
     

     

     
    On the textured Fine Art Photo paper it is possible to use also pastel pencils. I used the pencils also to color edges before gluing.
     
    If anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  8. Job's Modelling
    No not a new diorama, but all about paper.
     
    This time I’m working with Fine Art Inkjet Paper from Hahnemühle.
    I received kindky from them some sheet to try out and there my first problem started. Both papers were 310 gsm and my HP printer had problem to print them. But with a little help from my (friends) hands I managed the printing of this papers. And I love the result.
     
    For my background sky I used William Turner 310 gms paper / 100% cotton. In my opion this couldn’t be a better choice.
    For the road I used German Etching 310 gms paper / 100% cellulose. This paper give already a nice structure to the road.
     
    But because my printer had some problem with this kind of thickness I decided to buy some thinner papers:
    A smooth one: Photo Rag 188 gms / 100% cotton and
    A textured one: William Turner 190 gms / 100% cotton. This one I will use for my buildings.
     
    For the pavement I did choice the smooth Photo Rag paper. When working with it I noticed it was had a vulnerable top coating. I had to be very careful cutting and gluing this paper. But I liked the deep of the colors of the pavement
     

     
    After I had finished the pavement and the road I created some more deepness by using a embossing pen. This was a delicate process, but I completed both with success. I didn’t glue the pavement on the road.
     

     
    As you can see I work from free hand. This ask for some patience and you cannot do all in one time.
     

     
    After embossing it was time to give the pavement and the road their final appearance.
     
    More about that in my next entry.
     
    If anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  9. Job's Modelling
    After I finished my first basic design, I wanted to answer the next two questions
    - what balanced color choice could be used ?
    - what is the right choice of textures ?
     

     
    I will start with the answer on the second question.
    I bought and tried out several textures from Model Railway Scenery, Clever Models and Scalescenes. I have laid several type of pavement and tried several brick options. Although all mentioned suppliers have excellent textures, I came to the conclusion that for my way of working the textures of Scalescenes are the most useful. So I had to look in his range to see what was the best choice for this diorama.
    I found a nice color scheme on the Internet that I used as a reference for the choice of the textured. I used Publisher to create a basic try out on the computer. The result you can see below.
     

     
    Not all textures were available to try out this way and maybe I will use other sets.
    The next step was to print out the textures. I used the lowest setting for my printer and also used some left overs. Then I started to apply the textures on some the buildings.
    The factory I designed again after the release of the low factory from Scalescenes. I will use it in a slight modified way for my factory. I also made with the use of the low relief High Street kit a building behind the cottages. Many thanks Mikkel for your comment on the open sky behind the cottages.
    And I followed Mike’s advice to keep the sky in same as on Station Road.
     
    In the pictures below you can see my colored try out. I didn't apply textures on all the elements and also didn’t correct some things I have to build different when I’m building the diorama. Also I accepted that not everything was perfect.
     

     

     
    If anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let me know.
     
    And of course I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a good and healthy 2015.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  10. Job's Modelling
    I started with the design of Caroline Street when I finished Station Road.
    I had made my wish list for this one before I started with the first drawings:
     
    - a row of Victorian 2up 2down cottages
    - a factory
    - a just a few people ( I had the idea of just one)
    - a balanced colour choice
    - the right choice of textures
     
    The first attempts did go to the recycle bin. I tried to add some track into the diorama, but that didn’t work out. So you have to imagine that the goods line is in front of the diorama going along the factory.
     
    Finally I came op to this one:
     

     
    Build with black and white texture. After some try outs I decided to use Scalescenes textures again, because they suit my way of working.
    The main scene is a somewhat older porter working at the Northall Goods Yard, enjoying his Sunday rest, talking to a neighbour girl. The scene is placed in the late 1950’s again.
     
    In the picture below you can see the working points for the final design.
     

     
    To be sure the it will all work out I will build a test diorama with the colours I want to use for the final result. My black and white textures are printed on a laser printer and I noticed by building Station Road that there is a small difference in scale when I printed the colour sheets on my inkjet printer.
    The colour try out version is also to see how many and what pages I have to print. This because I will use some other paper this time for the parts that will be in sight. This paper is more expensive, so I will be sure that I don’t print pages that are not used.
     
    If anyone has useful information, comments or suggestions please let my know.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  11. Job's Modelling

    Presentation

    By Job's Modelling,

    This little diorama deserves a proper presentation.
     
    Just as for my previous diorama I used an APA-box. In an APA-box I can display two A4 diorama’s.
     
    My main concern was the lighting. I followed in this case in main lines the way a shadow box is lightened.
     
    I started with the front of the APA-box. I cut a piece of black demenstration board to size.
    Then I bought two black photo frames, with a opening of 14 x 10 cm. I had to make sure that the edges on the inside were black.
     

     
    Next step was to make some side brackets alongside the window frames at the inside of the APA-box. I made them from frames used to make a painting frame. Made them fitting in the box and I glued black board along it on the side of the window. The angle at the top is 45 degrees.
     

     
    Then I made a black bottom bracket between the two side brackets. The underside of this bracket has the same height as the street level of the diorama.
     

     
    After that I made an overal bracket for the lightning. This is glued above the side brackets, along the whole inside of the APA box. On this bracket the led light is glued. I used the same ledstrip as on Northall Dock.
     

     
    Then the diorama was placed in side and I could test out the light. Because this diorama has blue colours I was limited in the choice of the colour.
     

     
    And to finish Station Road – Shops under Arches a final picture through the glass. I know that isn’t the best for to present it here, but it gives you an idea how it looks like. My wife loves this little diorama in a box.
     

     
    And to make pictures I can take it out of the box.
    Now I can start with my next diorama. This will be called Caroline Street.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  12. Job's Modelling
    When I started building the yard I got a problem. I couldn’t find a fitting texture from Scalescenes for the yard ground.
     
    After some try outs I decided to build the yard with a part of the shop from the corner shop kit.
     

     
    As you can see I had to use just a part of my Odeon movie board.
     
    I just my preferred methods to build the building and the yard.
     
    Now the scene is finished it is time to show the final step from black & white to color.
     

     
    Next step was to put the figures in place:
     

     
    And to show the real size of my A4 diorama and how it is build up this picture gives a nice impression:
     

     
    I have made some more pictures to use in my Northall story. But that is for a later entry.
     
    But I have a personal favorite:
     

     
    I hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have.
     
    There is still one thing to do. Making my APA-box ready to put this little diorama in.
     
    Advices and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  13. Job's Modelling

    Arch Records

    By Job's Modelling,

    The Record shop has a limited interior.
    But let’s start with an interview from the Northall Gazette from 24 July 1959.
     

     
    And if you like you can listen to the Quarrymen here. Just as a tribute to John Lennon who was born on 9 October 1940.
     

     
    After a lot of thoughts I decided to create a tribute to one of the great rock and roll artist of that time. I used original movie posters and record covers from Elvis Presley to create my shop window.
    With Publisher I created the basic elements for the shop window display. I printed them an artist photo paper.
    This shop window is also a part of the story I try to tell in this scene.
     
    For the interior I used a counter from Clever Models. On top of it is a gramophone player from His master’s Voice.
     
    I also did some additional work to the front of the shop front. Adding an awning above the shop sign and some gliders along the edge of the brick and the shop. Above the awing a burglar alarm, resized from an picture from internet.
     
    I hope this has improved the total appearance.
     

     

     
     
     
    Next step is the small wall at the right of the scene.
     
    Advices and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  14. Job's Modelling
    I designed the record shop using the Scalescenes textures and following the related building description.
     

     
    But I liked to give this shop a more 1950’s appearance. Unfortunately I couldn’t find much pictures. So I had to improvise here. As far as I know there were not much regulations about shop front appearances. So shop owners had a lot of freedom to create a shop front to their own design.
     
    I decide to use a brick surrounding for the record shop. Embossing the stones. With this job I have a love and hate relationship. One time I stop after 10 minutes, because I’m struggling with it. Another time I can go on and on,, working in some kind of flow. But afterwards I’m always pleased that I did it.
     
    I tried several front shop colours from the Scalescenes shops under arches. After trying several colours I decided to use the blue one.
    The shop front is made using the Scalescenes textures.
     
    The shop sign is made in my usual way using Publisher and Word. For the fascia I used colors from the BS5252 Color Chart.
     

     
    Again I have used a very good quality of card to create the shop front.
    The final result is weathered in my usual way with pastel pencils and some pigments.
    The shop front has had a total covering with a blue pastel pencil to give it a deeper blue color.
     

     
    In this picture you can see why I will not use grey card anymore. The shop front is the cut out. When adding the textures I wasn’t able to get it as straight as I wanted. Lesson learned. But I like the final appearance.
    I hope the result is convincing. And of course again an overall picture of Station Road, adding more and more colour to it.
     

     
    Advices and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  15. Job's Modelling

    Walden Books

    By Job's Modelling,

    The bookshop has its interior.
    For the interior I used the pub interior from Scalescenes as a base and the bookcases are from a free download of Clever Models.
    The used illustrations and book covers I selected from internet. This was a job I liked to do. Unfortunately when you resize them to 4 mm scale the sometimes beautiful designs get lost. Therefor I selected the fronts more on colour them on design.
    Books are very tiny in 4 mm scale and hard to work with in card and paper.
     

     
    In the picture the whole interior with the shop window display next to small cup.
     
    My regular readers know I like to create a story behind a shop. I did this also for Walden Books.
    In the Northall Gazette of 26 October 1956 here was an article placed by the re-opening of the bookshop.
     

     
    And of course a picture of the finished shop front and the next overview picture.
     

     

     
    The used lightning is temporarily. But gives an impression of what I want to achieve when the diorama is finished.
     
    Advices and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
     
    PS. For those you like it the article of the Gazette in PDF:
  16. Job's Modelling

    Bookshop front

    By Job's Modelling,

    I designed both shop using the Scalescenes textures and following the related building description.
    Although the overall appearance is convincing I thought it must be possible to create a shop front I saw on several websites.
     

     
    I found a picture that has a lot of resemblance to the shop front design of Scalescenes.
    If you compare the shop front in the picture with the shop front in the drawing below you will notice a lot of differences.
    For my it would be a challenge to create a shop front that looks more like the drawing, creating the following features mentioned there: plaster; console, facia, cornice, stall riser. The fanlight, the transom and mullion is part of the design of the Scalescenes shop. The transom and mullion are so fine that it’s very difficult and maybe impossible to achieve in card.
     

     
    I have used a very good quality of card to create the shop front. Grey board will not give the same result. This is one of the excellent advices I followed from David Neat.
    The shop front is made using the Scalescenes textures.
    The facia I created using a black wood texture, adding the shop name on it in Publisher.
    The final result is weathered in my usual way with pastel pencils and some pigments.
     

     
    I will give the shop an interior.
     
    I hope the result is convincing. And of course again a overall picture of Station Road, adding more and more colour to it.
     

     
    Advices and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  17. Job's Modelling
    The railway arches are really a challenge for me. I want to try to give them some more relief then just the texture that was printed out on the art paper I’m using for this project.
     
    So after gluing the base layers in place I started with embossing the stones.
    Progress did go slowly, because I did this job with hay fever eyes. But time is the only thing that I can get for free creating a diorama. After trying an embossing pen I took my empty ballpoint again. I followed the texture of Scalescenes, playing with the pressure on the point of the ballpoint. More pressure on “thick” mortar lines and less pressure on the “thin” ones. Between some stones there are no mortar lines.
    After I had finished embossing the stones I cut the arches out.
    I followed the same way of working for the buttresses, the copings and the parapet wall.
    Then I worked in the same way for the stone fill-in at the right of the diorama.
    I glued this one in place.
    Now it was time to do my traditional pastel pencil weathering. Also in this case I used some reference pictures from the internet.
    Now I glued the finished arches in the diorama box.
     
    Next job was to finish the pavement.
    I glued the single pavement stones in place using tweezers. This job I had to do carefully.
     

     
    After finishing the pavement I gave it some final weathering using pastel and a brushed coat of wood ash. I still think this is one of the best solutions to create an old looking street or pavement surface.
     

     
    Also this time an overview picture of the diorama, so you can follow the development from black and white to colour.
     

     
    Now I can start creating the shops. I will keep you informed about the progress.
     
    As always your suggestions and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  18. Job's Modelling
    Progress on the arches is going slowly. But I make progress.
    There were some other things I had to do for Station Road.
    For instance the movie poster on the side wall of the yard.
    By accident I came along this ODEON board
     

     
    This one is more 1940’s than the end of the 1950’s.
    So I started for a search for correct time based movie posters.
    I selected the following:
     

     
    With Publisher I created my own 1959 ODEON announcement board.
     

     
    Then I saved it as a picture and re-sized the picture in Word using the height of the stones as a reference.
    Now I can use the board by cutting it out. Then glue it on thin card colouring the edges grey.
     
     
    I’m also working on my Northall story.
    I have changed a lot of street names. And did number them by street.
     

     
    The yellow dots are meant as a guideline for me to create my story.
    The dark blue dots are diorama’s already built or under construction.
    The light blue are diorama’s that I hope to build in the future.
     
    This is not the final version of the map. I have to change some points in the map writing the story.
     
    As always: information and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Next time I hope to publish the finished arches.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  19. Job's Modelling

    Struggling….

    By Job's Modelling,

    Finally I started yesterday with some card modelling again.
    In the mean time I was designing Northall.
    Creating a believable story for the small Northall diorama’s is more difficult than I thought.
     
    After some struggling I remembered a chapter in “Light Railway layout design” by Ian Rice. In the chapter about Orford he described how detailed this layout was designed with maps, Acts of Parliament etc.
     
    This could also be the right approach for me. So I created a map for Northall. I used an old map somewhere in Greater London and filled it in with the diorama’s I had already finished.
     
    After that I filled the map in with other streets using the ideas I have for my story about a week in Northall.
     

     
    And for those who will save the map also the PDF version.
     
    Map Northall.pdf
     
    The yellow dots are meant as a guideline for me to create my story and diorama’s. But to show what I mean I can give you the meaning of some of these points:
     
    5 – Great Eastern pub on Bridge Street
    9 – Shops on Nice Street
    9a – Adderley glass works
    6 – Station road shops under arches
    7- Ince & Mayhew.
     
    This may be not the final version of the map. It is possible I have to change some points in the map writing the story.
    I’m also reading some more background information about urban design and housing in (Greater) London.
     
    As always: information and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Next time again some of my modelling.
     
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  20. Job's Modelling
    It is still too hot for modelling for me. I looking forward to somewhat less warmer and oppressive (?) weather.
    So I worked a little further with my story telling idea.
     
    I have made an appointment with the hotel where I can expose my diorama’s. He have to do a small change at the front of the diorama. This gave me the opportunity to make a picture of a delivery scene in Nice Street.
     
    So a new chapter from “A week in Northall”
     
    Nice Street on Tuesday
     
    Today Arthur has to do some deliveries at Nice Street. Nice Street is one of the shopping streets in this area. With the railway arches behind the houses its characteristic for this part of Northall.
     
    Arthur will first go to Christine Cooper at the Launderette. She opened the Launderette in 1957, in the former butcher shop of John Gibbs, who died after a short illness in 1956. It is a local meeting point where people share their latest news.
    Christine this morning is doing the wash for Mrs. Leanne Fincher-Rosenberg and her Teddy boy son Darrel, who live next door on No. 13. Her husband was a plumber and died in WW2 when Darrel was only about five years old. Leanne works on the tea packing floor of Fanshawe Ltd. She starts at 8. am and she finishes at 5.30 pm.
     
     
     




     
    Arthur has to deliver some bulk packages of OMO soap at the launderette. After a short chat he goes to his next costumer.
     
    This is J. Baker’s Café on no. 17. A well-known selling point for cigarettes and ice creams. He also serves good coffee and sandwiches.
    Jack Baker and his wife Yvonne started in 1939 this establishment as a Dining Room. In 1955 it is turned into a cafe.
     

     
    Arthur has to deliver a box of Rowntree's Fruit Gums.
    Marian Adderley, the 8 year old daughter of the owner Adderley Glass is going to buy a Walls ice cream in the café of Jack Baker.
     
    In the corner shop on no. 19 Henry Hewitt started in 1935 his photo shop. Henry has closed it down because the shop had outgrown its premises. He moved to Station Road. Darrel Fincher bought here his first second hand Houghton Ensign E29 Roll Film Box Camera. This camera was used by Henry Hewitt’s grandfather. Darrel made this picture of the closed shop.
     
     
     




     
    No 21-22 Nice Street is now the business and house of Mr. John Adderley, the local glass merchant. The merchant workplace is built in 1936.
     
     
     




     
    In front of the back entrance of the glass works Raymond Berryman, a British Railways van driver, has parked his Scammell in Angle Yard. He is delivering wooden box with mirrors for Adderley Glass Works. Mr. Adderley had ordered them by Mawby & King Limited, mirror manufacturers in Leicester for Quintin Nightingale the owner Brimhurst Park Manor, a Grade I listed Jacobean manor house.
     
     
     




     
    And for those who liked it the PDF version:
    Nice Street.pdf
     
    And as always information, opinions and constructive critics are welcome.
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  21. Job's Modelling
    Real modelling is still going slowly. This has several reasons. I hope I can show some progress in a short time.
     
    I spend some time on reading inspector Wexford novels and made some thoughts about how to use them into my diorama’s.
    I realized I was making two type of diorama’s:
     
    More or less railway based:
    Northall Dock – track out of use
    Bridge Street – siding with track; station, arches with track
    Nice Street – arches
    Station Road - arches
     
    and British Railways van delivery service:
    Nice Street – delivery to Adderley Glass Works
     
    I like the railway based diorama’s and I have some idea’s to build more of them.
     
    But I also like to explore the possibility to build some diorama’s telling a story about parcel delivery in Northall. I came to this after seeing a nice instruction movie from British Railways on You Tube:
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbqjmbISww
     
    What I like to do is the following:
     
    There is one railway van with a van driver that I will use for all of the to build parcel delivery diorama’s. For the van I had the Austin 3way van in mind:
     

     
    The van men will be Monty porter figures. I can those the right one depending on the scene I’m building.
    I’m also trying to create a map of Northall and have already a lot of other useful information about delivery receivers.
    I will create a delivery sheet for delivering the parcels. I will use a simplified one.
     
    From every scene I will make a picture and a description (small story). I this way I will try to write the story of a workday of Albert Foster, van driver at Lower Road Goods Depot in Northall in the late 1950’s.
    This could be a nice PDF booklet.
     
    I can use all useful information about van parcel delivery in the late 1950’s by British Railways. All information is welcome.
     
     
    What do you think about this idea?
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
  22. Job's Modelling
    Try out …
    It is too hot for modelling and I also suffer again with hay fever eyes.
    So I did some research and thinking about my story telling idea.
     
    I found a wonderful description of a 1950’s week in the UK. So much similar the way I grew up in Utrecht in the 1950’s. This would give me the opportunity to create a serial of diorama’s that could give a good picture of daily live in Northall in the late 1950’s.
     
    To try this idea out I used one of my old diorama’s and made a story to it. So not much new here on modelling, but another approach.
     
    Do you think I’m on the right way?
    Here is a chapter from “A week in Northall”
     
    Bridge Street on Saturday morning
     
     
    Arthur had to work on Saturday morning. He is almost finished for today and he has only to do some parcel delivery’s at Bridge Street. He is coming from North Street passing Berkel & Parnalls Manufacturing Co. Ltd. producing motorcar accessories on his left hand.
     
     




     
    On his right hand is Dixons fish and chips shop. Arthur and also some of his colleagues sometimes uses their lunch here. But mostly his lunch is some sandwiches Christine made for him.
    On Friday afternoon Dixons fish and chips shop is very busy, when house wife’s buy fish and chips for dinner.
     
     




     
    Around the corner he passes the Express Dairy van from Mr. Bill Fulford, the milkman. Saturday was the day to pay him. Mrs Doreen Dacras has just paid her bill and they are talking about the latest local news. There was a shocking article about a murder on Orcadia Place in the latest Northall Gazette.
     
     




     
    On No 3 Bridge Street lives the Bertram Farrance with his wife Mary. Mr Farrance works as a clerk in the office of Berkel & Parnalls. Mary is an old school friend of Christine and on Thursday afternoon they visit each other.
     
    His next stop is at the Great Eastern Pub. The pub is locally well known for its own ‘house’ darts competition. The pub champion then moved on to the Area final of the The News of the World Individual darts tournament.
    It is not money they are playing for but a huge trophy. This trophy may be held by the champion’s pub for a year, plus a replica for the winner and fame. The NoW was the chance for any man, who could throw a great dart to become not only a local but also a national hero.
    Arthur’s colleague Maurice Cullam takes every year of this great event. He is also a member of the pubs dart team.
     
    The pub occupier is Dudley Drury. He is a collector of shipping posters of the Great Railway Company’s before 1948. In the pub he has exposed his collection.
     
     




     
    Dudley is also great expert of Scottish whiskey’s. He has ordered a bottle of Ambassador 25 year old Blended Scotch Whisky for personal use. This whiskey is distilled in the 1920s and bottled late 1940s to early 1950s.
    Today Arthur is delivering the bottle he ordered directly from Taylor & Ferguson Ltd.
     
    After having a nice cup of tea from Mr. Drury he continues his way.
     
     




     
    He is passing the viaduct on his way to his last client. Today he is not driving his Austin 3way van, that has some technical problems. He is using the Morris J van in the old British Railway colours.
    Next to the road is the no longer used railway freight line to Northall Dock. The businesses that are located there are more and more using road transport or are moving to other parts of Northall.
    On top of the viaduct is the line between Stowerton and London. This line is mostly used by workers and students.
     
     




     
    Under the viaduct are advertising posters. One of them is the well know DRINKA PINTA MILKA DAY POSTER from Patrick Tilley.
     
     




     
    His latest client is John Grantham F.C.A. John Grantham’s father was an agent for Morse’s Teas and became a grocer in 1935.
    In 1956 John took over the grocery shop from his father. He lives with his wife and 2 sons above the store.
    For the grocery he has some boxes of Drury coffee’s
     
     




     
    After he is ready he goes back to the Northall Goods Depot. When he has finished his job on the Depot he can go home and enjoy his well-deserved weekend.
     
     
    And for those who liked it the PDF version:
    Bridge Street.pdf
     
    Kind regards,
    Job
     
    PS.
    I changed the cup of coffee in a cup of tea. Also in the PDF version.
  23. Job's Modelling
    Last week we were married for forty years.
     
     
    To celebrate this I had arranged a short stay in a local city hotel just over the border in Germany.
    We have enjoyed our trip and could combine our both interests.
    The owner of the hotel has the same breed of dogs we have: Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers. A bread that doesn’t affect my allergic constitution to much, with the right approach.
    So we took the dogs with us on our walks. My wife could work with them. She is a coach of dog owners and likes to create a dog (owner) in balance.
     

     
    In this area there were in the past large coal mines on both sides of the border.
    On one of our walks we saw some relics from the coal mining past. See the pictures.
     

     

     
    I told the owner of my diorama’s and she was very enthusiastic. I suggested that they could be a nice atmospheric items in their small restaurant. She thought this could be a good idea. So my diorama’s Nice Street and Northall Dock will go over the border to a small hotel in Germany as eye catchers in their restaurant.
    I promise you to post some pictures after we have them installed them in the restaurant.
     

     
    My eyes are going better finally. So I can start modelling again. I really missed it.
    Regards,
    Job
  24. Job's Modelling
    I have trouble with my hay fever eyes. Modelling is a real challenge with cloudy sight every 5 minutes. Fortunately for my I don’t suffer from other hay fever problems any more due my medication.
    After trying for some while I stopped. I have to wait till sight is not cloudy anymore.
    Did some paperwork modelling instead. Trying to get my Northall story fitting to the design of my modules. Searching for background information to create stories for Northall based firms, companies and shops.
    Sorting out my pictures and other information.
     
    But this morning I got this beautiful movie about railway travelling. Look at it ….
     

     
    Then imagine you are travelling this with one of your favourite railway museum companies and you get surprised with some wonderful music.
    The movie gave me my mood back…
    Hoping I can get on with my modelling work soon. And of course happy modelling for you.
     
    Regards,
    Job
  25. Job's Modelling
    I wanted to start with the arches, but then I noticed that this was not the right starting point. I had to start first with the road and the surface. The reason of this is mentioned somewhere below in this blog.
     
    The asphalt road from Scalescenes is printed on Hahnemühle watercolour paper 150 g/m2 rough. I like the deep colour of the asphalt that I got this way. I always put the printer output on best quality and select the right type of paper. This will depend of what type of printer you are using.
    I also placed a drain in the asphalt road as I designed it. The drain is also from Scalescenes. To get the drain on the right place I draw coloured pencil line on the edge of the pavement.
    The asphalt road is sealed with transparent matt gesso from Tri Art. I applied it with a soft brush.
    I did also some test with the gesso. It is possible to apply pastel an colour pencil beneath and on top of the gesso.
    So I gave the drain and the edge to the pavement some additional weathering with some pigment powders. I applied them carefully with a cotton bud.
     

     
    The kerbs are printed on Lana Dessin paper.
    Because I wanted to use the Scalescenes kits, the kerbs are this time are also from the one of his kits.
    This meant the kerbs are 0,5 cm wide at the surface of the pavement. I decided to glue them separately. To give the kerbs a more granite appearance I used an embossing pen and some weathering with a pastel pencil.
    I also glued the pavement stones separately on the underground. I coloured the edges between the separate pavement stones with a Derwel colour pencil. I also coloured every edge of a pavement stone with a dark brown pastel pencil.
    I applied some additional detail using one of mine embossing pens.
    I leaved the last row of pavements stones away. In this way it will be avoid the setting of the aches and shop fronts on top of the pavement. This row will be glued carefully in place after I have finished the arches and the shop fronts.
     
     

     
    I glued the pavement on the asphalt base with coloured acrylic modelling paste. For collaring I used Kassel Earth pigment. When I laid the pavement on the asphalt I saw it didn’t fit exactly flat. The modelling paste will fill up the gaps between the asphalt road and the kerbs.
     
    Also this time an overview picture of the diorama, so you can follow the development from black and white to color.
     

     
    As always your suggestions and comments are much appreciated.
     
    Regards,
    Job
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