Scratchbuilt 18mm Scifi Desert Buildings

[zrunelord]

Hello again all,
Some years back, I was about to throw away a large piece of packaging EPS when I noticed that it had squarish holes which could be used to make something. I painted the inside of these holes with acrylic paint & sprayed expanding foam in them. The acrylic didn't serve as a release as intended & I had to break of the packaging but I was left with 5 squarish pieces of hard foam.

Last week I was looking at them , musing if I should throw them away ( too much stuff /ideas, too little time , as a usual)  & this idea came. Using packing carton shapes for fruit cut into roundish shapes & matchsticks I did this ( 4 to go ). Extras are 3d printed or card.

More pics at link.

https://castrarunis.blogspot.com/2022/08/scratchbuilt-18mm-scifi-desert-buildings.html












Thank you for your comments
Z

[Golgotha]

That is cool I like the fact that it looks so different from the norm with more heatwaves heading the UK I need to attach some giant umbrella devices to my house 

[War Monkey]

That is a great build! Definitely different,

I don't know why we don't use a similar idea to protect homes and reflect sunlight in a similar way as snow does the added shade can help reduce air temperatures too.

[CookAndrewB]

Oh damn, those are slick!

[zrunelord]

Thank you all,
Golgotha, that might work , unless you have freak wind storms .... & off you'll go  .  I was actually thinking of  putting taut cables on the side to avoid just that but decide against it as they would be flimsy & prone to damage.

WM, indeed & reduce energy & water consumption.

I tried to use logic when I was building it. They are designed to be autonomous ( can be placed anywhere ) & off the grid. The roof is a solar energy collector. Plus underfloor electricity accumulators and also acts as a humidity collector for water reclamation by opening side nets ( will model these ). It can also have other floors underneath. So more gaming possibilities .

More will follow.
Z

[zrunelord]

And now they are 5. In the last pic I put one used for melons on top of the 3. Quick, differently nice & effective .
Though I should point out that the melon one is thinner & therefore weaker.... but it can be effectively strengthened with white glue &
tissue paper ( somewhat like papier mache' or kartapesta , as we call it).













Now to decide on a suitable colour scheme.
Thanks
Z

[manic _miner]

 These are so cool.Great idea and very well executed.

 Cant wait to see them all painted up.

[Seal]

These do look super interesting. I, too, can’t wait to see them painted.

[Cacique Caribe]

Z

I love it!  This really makes me think of a planet (or moon) that frequently crosses the path of pretty substantial meteor showers.  Like the battered planet in the film Enemy Mine.

Dan

[zrunelord]

Thank you all,
Dan , that is a good idea, I could make destroyed ones also, in the future.

Here they are all painted up.

I used a dark blue green wash first, then lots of dry brushing with a buff colour, then washes with different shades of browns & yellows.
I think they came out nice.
https://castrarunis.blogspot.com/2022/09/scratchbuilt-18mm-scifi-desert.html

More pics at link.

Thanks for your comments.
Z

[manic _miner]

 These look really great painter up.Wonderful work on them.Just needs so miniatures to populate the Town now.

[War Monkey]

Wow! Those look great, the paint work is awesome!

[zrunelord]

Thank you.
Glad you like them.
One of the things I used is food colouring because it acts like poster colour or gouache , i.e. it dries but remains water soluble but is translucent.
Yellow colouring is one of the most versatile shades I found.

Food colouring can be added to other mediums, like white glue, matte medium, inks etc.
Experimentation does lead to cockups  but it leads to good results also 

Now I'll just have to add accessories - wells, tractors, animals/fences , plants/pots etc..... people I have loads from GZG.

Z

[has.been]

Very Sci-Fi & also very different from the usual run.
Excellent work.
If you do make ruined versions may I suggest that a meteor
shower hit the 'screens' & went straight through to the
building below.

[zrunelord]

Thanks HB,
Now that is a very good idea  I like it.... ( off to get my soldering iron  )
The card is thin enough to be burnt through & leave nice scorch marks . Hmmmm new possibilities.

The exp foam though, is nigh but indestructible ( impervious to chemicals & heat .. it burns black & does not deform like exp poly ).

More to come...

Z

Ps. I forgot to add, since it is remains water soluble then you can mix in different shades of colours bit by bit. This cannot be done using other inks which are water proof when dry.