FOS Hill - Large Dio or Begin of a layout

[EricQuebec]

Hello all,
As mentioned early, it's been 3 month that I'm working on a new scratchbuilding diorama. All have begin with the last limited edition kit from Foscale : the very inspiring bandit roots.
When the kit was sold, the rate between the Canadian and US dollars was  25 %, and if you add the shipping and custom duty, you have a kit at almost 500 $ CDN. It totally off my budget.
The more I thought about making it myself, the more the project grew with the addition of new ideas. Hence the idea of ​​making a very large diorama in the only available space in my Home . This space is actually a triangle of 5 feet by 5 feet, and in the hypothenus  angle, the dio can have up to 2 feet deep ( so in fact we have an irregular pentagon). Here's the location :
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Can we still talk about a diorama for something as big as 5 by 5? should not we talk about a start of a layout? The debate is open.
for the track, I'm very inspired by the left side of the top draw from this one that I've found on the net
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The upper  track will be a large curve half masked in a tunnel that pass below the Fos Hill.
the 3 diagonal track will shortened and move to the right. The idea is to incorporate my RedHook Dio in this place, and incorporat two other dio ( Hooper's Oyester and Nolan Cannery) around that I spell The Oyster Bay that is located  between the Fos Hill and the RedHook Wharf.
Ok I Know it's a lot of stock in a small space...but the project can still evolve and I count on your advice to achieve it. It is this very evolutive character that makes me think that it is good for a diorama and not a layout that should necessarily be better planned from the start. That's all for the concept of this projet.
The second challenge is my new method to build the different building. no measurements are taken, everything is drawn to the scale for making template, that are glue on  wood before cutting. For all the draw and signage I use CorelDraw X7

Unfortunately, I've not take any picture during the scratchbuilding process of the first three building.

First Building : Callahan Machine tool.
In my opinion, one of the most beautiful building of the kit, lot of charactere. I've some difficulties to draw it, not being able to determine whether or not the wall next to the gas station is at an angle to the rest of the building rather than being square. Finally, I've opted for the option with angle, the shape of the final result is a little bit strange, but ad a lot of cachet. The signage are made with corel draw. what is interesting about this software is that you can open a picture and modify it quickly and easily ( stretch or reduce proprementally or not etc).
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Second building : Burdick Oyster
An other Foscale kit that I would have liked to own. For this project I've decide to scratchbuild it inverse side  from the original. In the dio It will take place on other side of the street in front of callahan machine tool. The base stone work is a plaster mold from a NewEngland Brownstone product.  I would especially like to thank one of you who kindly sent me the posters I was missing.
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Continue in a few... Tea time...

[EricQuebec]

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Third Building : The Gas Station
Probably the most difficult to draw with his irregular  trapeze shape and angle. Very funny to build.
I never be able to make acceptable stucco with durham putty. So I used my own technic:
1. blend a small amount of acrylic mudstone color in a small quantity of Liquitex light modelling past
2.  cover the wall with a thin layer of this paste. The more thicker is the layer, the more rough is the stucco, proceed with small area.
3 . Dab a soft brush on the coat of the paste to obtain the final texture of stucco.
The original paste is snow white, very slightly shiny. I've foun that mixing a small quantity of olor in the paste before use it, break the shiny effect and add a lot of deepness of the final color. of the wall.
Once the stucco is dry, I'Ve wash it with AI solution, in some place, I've ad 2 coat of AI solution. Then I've brush the wall with Acrylic color : Eggshell white as base and vintage white for break the uniform aspect of the white.. Then I've paint the blue area and dry brush it with vintage white. Once the paint are totally dry, I stain some area with light AI solution, and finally brush the model with green chalk and rust color. The sign are all hand made with corel draw. I've choose to make a Carter Sign rather than the Curtis original, because the billboard on burdick Oyster Is For Curtiss Baby ruth. two time CUrtiss is one too much. The word carter is cut on an half millimeter thick evergreen styrene sheet.
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Here's an overview of the street
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4th Building : The tailor shop
In my own opinion (and this engages only me and is by no means a blame for Doug),the Livery feed and stable building is the most  insignificant and uninteresting building of this kit So i've decide to skip it and replace it by a personal creation. Same size, but with a little bit more interest and fun to build. It,s the « Sam Grath & Sal. Pike tailor shop» Juste the name is funny for a french speaking personn. Imagine a Frenchman  who pronounces this name with the biggest French accent of the world, what is heard is something like « Ça me gratte et Ça le pique» that means in English « It scratches me and It stings him» the exact sensations  with new woolen fabrics like tweed or so
At this step I've build the front of the shop and the cornice.
here'S the step by step process.

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That's all for today.
If you have any question or comments, feel free
all your feedback are always welcome.

To be continued
Eric Quebec city

[ACL1504]

Eric,

I'm very excited to be following along with you on this.

Great explanation on what you are and have been doing. This will be a fantastic little, er, large diorama.

The structures look really great and I love the colors you've chosen.

The last structure looks to be a winner as well.

Tom

[bparrish]

Eric....

Pretty cool...... sir

Thanx
Bob

[Mark Dalrymple]

Great stuff, Eric!

Looks like an interesting project.  My own philosophy with Tellynott has been 'if I feel like things are getting too cramped - add more'.  It usually works!

Cheers, Mark.

[EricQuebec]

Eric,

I'm very excited to be following along with you on this.

Great explanation on what you are and have been doing. This will be a fantastic little, er, large diorama.

The structures look really great and I love the colors you've chosen.

The last structure looks to be a winner as well.

Tom

Thank you very much for your interest and comment Tom.

Eric

[EricQuebec]

Eric....

Pretty cool...... sir

Thanx
Bob

Thank you for your comment Bob, I much appreciate it

Eric

[EricQuebec]

Great stuff, Eric!

Looks like an interesting project.  My own philosophy with Tellynott has been 'if I feel like things are getting too cramped - add more'.  It usually works!

Cheers, Mark.

Thank you Mark.
I really like your philosophy

Eric

[S&S RR]

Eric


This is a fantastic project. As was said above, the buildings so far look great. I will be following along with great interest.

[EricQuebec]

Eric


This is a fantastic project. As was said above, the buildings so far look great. I will be following along with great interest.

Thank you John for your interest.
there's somewhat in this project that said that I will need your help ...

Eric

[donatode]

Wonderful work Eric...

[BandOGuy]

Jealous!
What ever the project ends up being, the start is fantastic. Please keep up the great work and the pictures.
Happy New Year!!

[Zephyrus52246]

Great work, Eric.  I really like the gas station, and your stucco technique.


Jeff

[EricQuebec]

Wonderful work Eric...

Thank you Donato.
Eric

[EricQuebec]

Jealous!
What ever the project ends up being, the start is fantastic. Please keep up the great work and the pictures.
Happy New Year!!

Thank you BandOGuy for your comment and your interest for this project
Eric