Monday, June 11, 2012

I certainly hope this keeps up.   I've been enjoying the painting and building more with my zombie stuff than I have anything else mini related in a while.  I am not sure if it is the subject, which has always been a favorite, or the blog (once I started reading everyone else's I was pretty sure I was going to start my own).  Whatever the cause, I've been going at it steady for a while now.  My 16 zombie hordlette is done but for basing (open for suggestions, am considering sand and gray paint, but flocking is pretty easy too.  The putty on the base to make it look like concrete sidewalk idea was tossed out when I realized how many I had.  Nor are all my efforts around the zeds.  I am finishing up 4 survivors, and working on terrain.  I've taken some ideas from you guys and some others to build my town.  Today's post is about a couple of WIP pieces, Nico's Wine shop and a billboard.  As the first models I am doing are based around the downtown area of where I live, I have selected Nico's, the Ezzard building (an architect firm) and the Gwinnett senior center as the first buildings to make.  The senior center and Ezzard building are scratch building projects, and will have their own post.  To say I have struggled would be an understatement.  On to the easy stuff: Nico's Wine Shop
Nico's in all it's glory
This started off life as the K-line Auto parts store.  I pulled off all the decals, JB welded the frame together, sprayed it brown (and the roof a flat black) and mod podged the wallpaper in place.  My wife was a great help here.  She had some scrapbooking supplies from a short interest, and I benefited.  The mod podge and the paper she got at Michael's. I still need to cut the paper out from the windows on the walls, put in some glass for the front windows, and paint up the doors this came with.  They don't open, and I am considering trying to make some that do.  The sign will be printed on my home computer.  I figure the place will be pre-looted, but a careful search might turn up some luxury goods. In real life, they carry some very good beer as well as wine and a few cigars.   The bottles could also be quite useful should some intrepid survivor make it to the gas station a couple of blocks away.

    The billboard I saw someone else do and I realized I could do it to.  It is an old paper dowel from printer paper that came on a roll, some sheet styrene, and a bit of hardboard.  Some JB weld and hot glue later,  voila:  
Sniper's Nest, anyone?

And here they are together.
Ignore the seasonings.  The best light in the house is in my kitchen, strangely.



So that's it on a rainy day.  Hope you enjoy, thanks for coming by, and feel free to comment or give me pointers.

14 comments:

  1. Looking pretty decent so far.

    I like the snipers ne...Uhm...Billboard.

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  2. I totally understand you when you say its fun. I am still surprised how much real joy working on my zombie project brings me. And I tell you, it can't be interest in the subject, as I am not too much of a zombie fan myself, but I looove it!

    Great idea with prelooted building. I am still undecided if my terrain should be nice (so I can play first day of campaign) and broken later, or "apocalyptic" from start.

    They both look nice and I think I'm gonna go the billboard way myself, too. Been planning it for a while, but I was thinking about making one closer to the ground hehe

    Keep up the good work!

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    2. I think my game will be set about a week or so into the insanity, not everything is wrecked but control has been lost. Still a good number of living, but plenty of zeds.
      I think the Wine shop will be the first place a lot of people go. Personally, I would stop at Bullseye, the local gun store and range, but that is just me.
      I have some ground based O scale billboards, but they don't fit with the moderness of my game. If I do some rural stuff, maybe. I haven't seen one of these in a suburban area since the 70's.

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  3. Very nice mate, the signage looks great perhaps needs a ladder adding?


    The building interior looks great and look forward to seeing where this progress's to. Keep up the good work!

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    1. I thought about the ladder. Still unsure. I make the terrain and you figure out how to use it? I might add that the 1/43 parking lot has a fire engine ladder truck and an electric company bucket truck in it. The real ones like this don't have ladders around here. The companies are scared of liablilty and vandalism.

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  4. Both models look very impressive and I'm looking forward to seeing them finished. What are your plans for the interior of Nico's? Will you be adding furniture?

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    1. Yeah, I plan on putting in furniture. I have some shelving, but I need more. A lot more. A counter, maybe a china cabinet to double as a humidor, and boxes for the boxes wine comes in. Bottles and bottles of wine. Any ideas, anyone?

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  5. Doing a fine job here. I like the wine shop and the billboard - so much I'm going to have to make one myself - curse you!!! ;)

    Here's an idea though; if you are going to make Nico's looted, or even 'part' looted, why not put a plank or two across the non-opening existing doors, and then a dirty great hole in one, or both even, of those huge windows at the front?

    BTW, what do you intend to use for glass? I have stashed away a pile of old blister pack fronts to use for mine ... if I ever get around to it of course :(

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    1. Thanks for you kind words.
      I think your idea is a winner. Planks on the doors and you have to go through the window like Bo and Luke. FTW!
      I have some old blisters myself, and some clear plastic some of the 1/43 cars came in. (I got a deal for a presidential limo at big lots, only 9.00 for the stretch limo, retailed for 35.00). I will use the case to make broken glass on the floor.

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  6. It's always good to see others' ideas in action and these look good to me.

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    1. Thanks Zabadak. I love the support and ideas you guys have given me.

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