It’s curtains for you Moriarty!

[carlos marighela]

I’m sure I’m not the first person to think of this but I can’t recall anyone else writing about it. I have just discovered that bog standard masking tape makes rather effective lace curtains.

I was dressing up an MDF building and being too lazy to furnish the interior, I wanted to obscure the view through the windows. I usually use blister or shirt-box clear plastic to glaze my miniature windows. I was taping the roof together when I noticed the slightly translucent quality of masking tape held to the light.

Cut into strips and adhered directly to the back of my windows with a gap in between or covered right over to give a curtains drawn/curtains closed effect. You can even crinkle it a bit to give the effect of folds. It would also work for old fashion draw blinds. Much quicker and a different effect to my old paint some metail foil and hang method.

I’m quite proud of myself.

[Bugsda]

Genius! You are the Alexander Fleming of modeling, well done.

[carlos marighela]

Genius! You are the Alexander Fleming of modeling, well done.

 Nah, I tried growing something in a petrie dish to simulate moss but it didn't work out. The petrie dish did turn out to be an excellent base for a 1/48th aircraft flight stand though. 

[SABOT]

Got a photo of the finished look? 😬

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Got a photo of the finished look? 😬

Curtains, not petri dish.

[carlos marighela]

That could be arranged. I’m hoping to finish the roof and guttering tonight.

[SABOT]

Nice one. 👍

I am using real lace curtain at the mo. Not convinced. So, be good to see your solution. 😬

[carlos marighela]

iPad so probably not the best photo. Still a work in progres. Faffed around removing a window, replaced with a door, then further indecision as to whether or not I wanted to add dorma windows. Downpipes, basing, flower pots and painting to be completed.

[carlos marighela]

More crap photos

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice work.

Possibly more horizontal lighting.

Excellent roof and gutters. What did you use for the tiling?

[carlos marighela]

Gutters are just plastic u-beam. Will add the downpipes once the roof is glued down.

Roof tilng is from a company called JTT. It’s a fairly thin gauge plastic sheet. Cheaper and easier to work with than the Wills stuff, it’s akin to vac form plastic. You get a couple of big A4 sized sheets per pack and they come with ridge tiles aling the edges (not used in the pictures). You can cut it with scissors if you are so inclined. In this case I mounted directly onto an MDF roof. If you are scratchbuilding your own it pays to make some battens from scrap balsa.

JTT make a range of other useful stuff, including trees, hedges and a range of textured styrene sheets. Good value for money.

[SABOT]

Looking good mate. 👍

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Thanks.

Is this the site?
http://miniaturetree.com

I have used Slaters and Southeastern Finecast vac form.

[carlos marighela]

Appears to be, although I’ve been buying it from a local model/ model railway shop.

[carlos marighela]

Almost there. Still some tidying up to do and some scenery dressing, signs a parked bike and some barrels in the little yard. Ran out of flowering tufts so the flower tub outvthecfront will have to wait.

Hot day, I took the kids to the swimming pool and somehow my wife convinced me to cook feijoada. Sometime this week, if the weather is good.