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Update 03/10/20:
Interrupted somewhat by work and a bit of a slowdown painting-wise, I have completed the first building and the second is ready to be rendered.
Pics at the bottom of the thread
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Somewhat to my surprise, this evening I've built two buildings for Gangs of Rome (my surprise being that I started and finished both in the space of an evening). They were actually easier to build than I anticipated, the workshop model took about 30 minutes and the warehouse more like 90.
Suffice to say, my next thought is whether to render the walls or paint them 'flat'.
The photos I've see of these buildings painted up without rendered walls still look pretty good, but I'm wondering whether they will look a bit, well, flat, if I don't.
Anyone any thoughts?
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UC1F6M7I46E/X1lD6x2IdAI/AAAAAAAABAo/b4v-oyBlS7gw48n-6pURrFl6R8hDHmrbgCLcBGAsYHQ/w500-h231/Warehouse.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HGlYSEehGvM/X1lD7P1VbXI/AAAAAAAABAs/2h1TEXknsUQc2s9jibkbC_QcKmPy5yytgCLcBGAsYHQ/w500-h231/Workshop.jpg)
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Definitely render, the effect is so much better IMHO
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I've done both. I rendered my Warbases Mansio and Temple, but left the Villa unrendered. The remdering does add "something" but I am pleased with the Villa. I spray my buildings with a matt gray car primer which actually adds a small degree of "texture" to the walls. If you don't render I would recommend this.
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Matthew 22:21 Jesus said "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's...."
Can't get a better authority than that surely? The choice is now obvious. :D
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Thanks for the replies, I went ahead and rendered the first building yesterday and I think it will indeed look better than flat once painted up. Didn't actually take me as long as I thought it would.
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What's rendering? Is that adding a texture with plaster?
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The best thing I found to render MDF is Ronseal Wood Filler.
I had a tube that went gritty but still flowed and it was the best ever - the newer tubes still work well and I find it binds to the wood better than plaster based or plaster fillers.
Given a choice, I like to leave a bit of wood clear to denote where the render has broken off - may not be suitable for posh Roman building though :-)
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What's rendering? Is that adding a texture with plaster?
Basically, sort of like white spackle, greenstuff, Pva mixtures with sand and paint and the like to give a wall some texture. Or to simulate wear and tear.
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In some places you can also buy textured spray-paint, which is fast, but does require some masking of windows and doors, removal of the roof, etc.
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I’d love to see some photos. It’s a dialogue I forever have in my own mind which often means nothing gets finished!
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I use 4Ground's 'Base Render'; when I get onto the second building I'll post some shots of it before and after, and then again when painted so you get an idea of what it looks like.
I would post a shot of the first building but it's already been undercoated now so it'll look awful until it's painted :D
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Given a choice, I like to leave a bit of wood clear to denote where the render has broken off - may not be suitable for posh Roman building though :-)
Oh these are by no means going to be the domain of noble Roman patrons! Much more down in the subura (which, admittedly, was also frequented by the Roman aristocracy at times lol). I was quite light touch with the render, and on the warehouse yes was planning to leave the odd bit bare too - I will post some shots as I go along.
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I've fiished building no1 - workshop block. Down to represent a grubbier, not particularly salubrious part of Rome, hence the broken and muddied paving out front. You can see the effect the rendering has on making the mdf look less flat.
Front and Back
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM1jraTvjkE/X3ibJQNs1MI/AAAAAAAABCM/MtfcWc0HzdcMGTapCsvC4BoRm2TY6Pm_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2631/20201003_112318.jpg) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wHVyQ7cuFs/X3ibJQtuZmI/AAAAAAAABCI/-_tLvCYxXRk7VG5nQTuQoOUiZzKmS0YuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2889/20201003_112357.jpg)
Ends
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1fdaEmtmiFg/X3ibP7FOV_I/AAAAAAAABCU/Nh6FWa8ql0Ee8A0589AQwbQcfClayTl1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_112411.jpg) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWuMDXEAPtA/X3ibPvbSWII/AAAAAAAABCQ/Hl1RBOr0CSAfCLn4yxFAo01Jhp9nZnjUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_112345.jpg)
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I'm going to post some updates of the next building in progress so it shows the flat mdf to the painted finished building; doing the rendering on this one is a task for either today or tomorrow:
First up: flat mdf as built.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4EEAV4cJzY8/X3ibZZLVseI/AAAAAAAABCk/DWssAGprBo854MuYqt_jHEXlyxQpF8NJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_112506.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wm-6_CyRcXw/X3ibZVU7_aI/AAAAAAAABCg/AvMUC4jAxyQ9hY1tBF5vTHoboM7LR5MdACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_112532.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xM33dZSu47k/X3ibZGp3_aI/AAAAAAAABCc/sgea0Zh8hxoEju_OrkFptE4ZiCDoO8YOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_112518.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsfVJLZTlyA/X3ibadIyO1I/AAAAAAAABCo/7Z_XRw5qoCsh8voGTVkX3yteRdmKUFOXACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_112546.jpg)
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Rendering looks good! Having gone to that effort you owe it to yourself to tile those roofs. Couple of sheets of J&T or Peco tiles should see you right. Given that we mainly view these buildings from above, the positive effect of decent roofing is disproportionate to the effort required.
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I do like the effect you've achived.
Here's a couple of Ideas for your musing. I did a tutorial a couple of years back on a quick method for representing Roman roof tiles. (I can't find it but I'm sure someone else could ::) )
I could also added a couple of pictures of different techniques a spray can texture and Woodchip wallpaper which works better than the photo show's.
It's also worth noting once you get out of Rome andvinto the provinces you'll see more wood on display especially if the wood had been cut with a saw. As this was way more exspense to produce so it was used as a way of displaying wealth Rather than being hiden with a render. Render would be used around such timbers (even its just on the public view side of a building.)
The render on the Romano British church was done with a premade combination grout and tile adhesive.
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Rendering looks good! Having gone to that effort you owe it to yourself to tile those roofs. Couple of sheets of J&T or Peco tiles should see you right. Given that we mainly view these buildings from above, the positive effect of decent roofing is disproportionate to the effort required.
I had a look at some tiles options after reading this - will probably get some Peco or Empires at War tiles and see what I can do. The cardboard roofs are quite frustrating as they warp a bit when paint is added, particularly on the building I'm working on now, so hopefully the added weight of tiles if I attached them on top would solve that.
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I do like the effect you've achived.
Here's a couple of Ideas for your musing. I did a tutorial a couple of years back on a quick method for representing Roman roof tiles. (I can't find it but I'm sure someone else could ::) )
Are the tiles in your pictures made by you? I do like those, especially on the building at the top.
I will have to decide how far out from Rome to venture - part of the issue is space as these buildings are certainly not small!
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It's a very simple method just requires a little pre time with a pencil and ruler more than anything else.
I did a quick tutorial on the method a while back. If you search 'Roman roof tiles' it should come up. As most tutorial title's I've done normally start 'Tales from the tin shed' I know it's been linked all over the place on other forums since I posted it but I can't for the life of me remember the title.
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Thanks, I shall have a google!
Next stages for those interested in the rendering process:
Warehouse with render, and then once dried undercoated. I use 4Ground Base render with varying amounts of water added to the brush, and then undercoat in a watered-doud artists' brown ink. I use the ink because it spreads further than paint for what is just to add a dark underlayer, and as you can see on the pictures gives a bunch of different shades which I find break up the lcolour layer which goes on top. Very much going for the grubby look.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wPdFrKC3duk/X3nmol8xkII/AAAAAAAABDM/TifnHiWvTVYad2ouzcHMs_bcMtGjbOzvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2551/20201003_212444.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JwvFY61fHlU/X3nmoEvCbKI/AAAAAAAABDE/zIi_a8AO3Wk4OY-rbxGTa4FI3LW47q1OQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2601/20201003_212509.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkD9qQjSuuk/X3nmovi0lMI/AAAAAAAABDI/fPP1uoPB8HIo6H98dBfM6aFoPeBIgHpkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201003_212531.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jD90yNMw7J4/X3nmo7fxzvI/AAAAAAAABDQ/K0Ge8pK5zxw-qAqvI1TM2ORwR2lwLIK6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201004_145707.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inpxhM_2bwk/X3nmpngQjrI/AAAAAAAABDU/EbmDXEo_JAAAP082P6exmNXbazx4Rgs6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2530/20201004_145738.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yhRGSlhXNCM/X3nmp4f3t8I/AAAAAAAABDY/nWPjff5ua6Qvnj56ruEn_38z0Tv-Pm1VQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201004_145751.jpg)
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Great results already - I really like the variation of brown tones achieved with the ink....shall be following your progress with interest
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It's a very simple method just requires a little pre time with a pencil and ruler more than anything else.
I did a quick tutorial on the method a while back. If you search 'Roman roof tiles' it should come up. As most tutorial title's I've done normally start 'Tales from the tin shed' I know it's been linked all over the place on other forums since I posted it but I can't for the life of me remember the title.
I‘d say this should be the one:
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=108508.0 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=108508.0)