Iraq House Build (1 Viewer)

Those look great Simon!:cool: Makes me want to get back to work on my building project.
 
That's great work Simon, but I got to tell you, making that door look so well from the foam block is really amazing to me!
Ray
 
Impressive work !!!:eek:
When you explain it, it seems so easy you nearly forgot there is a need for talent to do so beautifully scratch built buildings !!
Michel
 
Nice job. Really like the battle damage and how good it looks. Thanks for sharing all of the pictures. I have wanted to start some foam buildings myself and all the pictures really help.
 
I just found this thread. Those are sweet buildings, very realistic, I wish I could re-produce like that.
 
All finished and ready for playing with :)

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Just got the rest of Baghdad to finish now.....:eek:

Simon

Very nice job Simon.

I must have missed this thread the first time around.

Carlos
 
Like Michael and Carlos I also missed this the first time around Simon and once again another very nice well done piece of work from your end along with a group of great photos. Thanks friend for sharing it.................The Lt.
 
Perfectly done my friend, I have a special interesting for the front door, looks very real...

Superbe.

Rod.
 
Outstanding, Simon! You've gotten such realistic results from really simple materials and techniques. Your building is just fantastic. I like the details like the exposed rebar revealed by the battle damage. Most excellent job, can't wait to see the next one!

Prost!
Brad
 
Many thanks for the kind compliments guys. There are so many on this forum doing fantastic things in terms of builds, terrain, dioramas/diodramas, painting and converting, that it is constantly inspiring.

Simon
 
Building looks wonderful... I was wondering if you could go into a little more depth on how you made the brick pattern? I have been wondering how to do this for a wile and would appreciate your help.

Thank you and awesome job...
 
Hi Michael,
The foam board is generic pink and blue styrofoam. It's actually pretty hard to come by in the UK, only a few outlets - I guess our construction industry use different insulating materials to you guys in the States.

I don't know of the specific manufacturer, but I believe it's readily available in the US, at places like Home Depot and the likes? Perhaps the likes of Alex, Rod, Tim or Mike could confirm?

For the brickwork, I sliced away about 2mm thickness from the 'damaged' area. I then used a ruler and pen to mark out the horizontal lines of the brickwork, and 'scribed' the mortar lines with a ball point pen, adding the vertical lines afterwards. Is that what you meant?

Cheers for the compliment. You can get really good results using this foam - it's very forgiving.

Simon


You did such a nice job on slicing away the damaged mortar surface and scribing the bricks. It looks so real. I wish I could do work like that. Looking forward to the second building. A+ on this one! Michael
 
Thanks guys!

Tiger,

I've done a quick bit of wall this evening to show what I do. I know other 'foamers' use similar methods, although there's a whole host of things you can do to this stuff to get different effects.

Anyhoo,
first pic - on one side, I've measured out the hrizontal mortar lines for the brickwork. I used 5mm gaps, but obviously, you could use whatever measurement tickles your fancy.

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I ran a ball point pen, with a little pressure to get the horizontal lines, then, taking every other row, marked vertical lines, pressing in with the pen. Once done, I did the same with the alternate rows, thus getting the brick pattern. Of course, you could be as ellaborate as you like with the wall brickwork construction.

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Completed marking out

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On the flip side of this piece of foam, I've simulated (I hope!) a brick wall, which has damaged rendering.

Firstly, marking out the area where I want the underlying brick work exposed with a pen, and then cutting along the line with a sharp craft knife, to a depth of a couple of mm.

brick002.jpg


Next up, using again, a sharp knife, slice a couple of mm, up to the original line. This doesn't need to be in one cut, you can always shave any uneven bits with the knife. Using this type of snap off blade, gives a reasonably long cutting edge.

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Finished slicing

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Using the same method for the brickwork as the other side, I've marked out and indented the pattern on the exposed area.

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I've added a bit of battle damage.

Firstly, using the back of the knife blade, I've indented some cracks in the 'rendering'

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Using the tip of the blade, I've dug in a bit and twisted / gouged around, getting an uneven hole

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Few more bullet / shrapnel holes added for effect

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With that finished, I've given it a dark first coat, all over, ensuring that all the cracks, holes and indentations are covered. I personally prefer to use a dark brown of some description for yellow / tan / biege type finishes, or straight black for grey finishes, but, whatever works for you.

brick011.jpg


I'll chuck a few more photos up tomorrow, once I've finished painting. Need to let this coat dry first.

Cheers
Simon
 
Great job Simon!:cool: I have also used this technique before and it can add a great looking effect to a building. I did my damaged sections a little different from the way you did yours because my building was complete and already painted when I added my damaged sections. The idea was pretty much the same as yours but I had to cut out and carve away in smaller sections then yours. I used a clay sculpting tool that was curved and sharp to cut away the damaged section then I used a pencil to add the brick detail into the foam.

This foam has a good and bad direction to carve into it. You guys who have tried to carve stuff into it may have found this out already.
If you have it faceing the right direction its pretty easy to cut and carve but if you turn it, it,ll want to break into larger pieces and will fight your efforts. So you have to be carefull when carving against the grain of the foam.

You should try and mess around with some scrap pieces to get a feel for carving into the stuff!
Small scrap pieces can also be used to make scenic pieces like rocks and grass mounds, hills and bases for trees ect..

Here is a photo of a building I built awhile back that I added the exposed brick idea too! I might add some exposed brickes to the one I just compleated also.
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Also to answer the question about where to get the foam, YES Its widely available here in the states in places like Home Depot and Lowes and other such places.
If you know anyone in the construction trades they might be able to hook you up with some.

Heres a photo of a small section of exposed bricks I added to my new building. I plan on adding a few more exposed section. I also plan on making a barn to go along with this house. I,ll try and post a few photos as I build it if I do, thats how we can all learn from each other is by posting like this and learning from each other! Keep up the good work guys and remeber to share your expierence so we can all learn more from each other!
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Very nice Fish, your house-building is very good. I’m interesting in your chariot who make it?

Rod.
 
Very nice Fish, your house-building is very good. I’m interesting in your chariot who make it?

Rod.

Thats a frontline wagon from thier zulu sets. I got it at a show from the Hobby Bunker, Matt the owner split the set up for Joe the LT. because he just wanted the figures so I got a good deal on just the wagon without the figures thanks to Joe!:cool:
Rod you should do a how to thread on making foam buildings, yours are some of the best I,ve seen on here!
 

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