K-Line Ranch House

[Smoking gun]

For the first time in a long while I've had the opportunity to sit at my painting desk and resurrect an old incomplete project.

Inspired by Oldben 1's thread here: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=36996.msg433455#msg433455 I remembered I had one of these I started a few years ago. A quick rummage in the store yielded the building below.

This is a K-Line Ranch House model kit I bought off Ebay an age ago, the base is an old mdf placemat with the laminated picture picture peeled off. I have cut a thick card floor to bring the interior level with the bottom of the doors.

Front:


Back:


With roof:


End view showing where the chimney was cut to allow the roof to be removed:


The other end, notice the half round mouse hole under the right hand window, this will be hidden by a grass tuft or cactus plant:


Since these photos were taken I've undercoated the roof matt black.

Martin

[Oldben1]

Nice work!  Those roof pieces are cast in a different color than mine.  Pretty bright.
I love the shape of that house.  It has a surprising large footprint.  I used the plastic for milk jugs for grimy windows.  It helped add a bit of realism to the model.
I'll be watching . . .

[Smoking gun]

Now with a figure (Copplestone Future Wars) to show the scale.

Without roof to show front door more clearly.


With freshly dry brushed roof and figure.


Rear view.


Rear view from higher view point.


Very overcast here so little natural light so these photos have been taken under halogen light.

Just the chimney, store pipe and base to finish.

I've tried to go for an old faded sun bleach wood look.

I have a ERTL barn tucked away some where but I think it may be too big to go with this building, I may look at the Perry's barn.

Martin

[Smoking gun]

Painted the chimney and stove pipe today. I'm not happy with the chimney stones, I'll repaint them black and start with a dark grey dry brush and work up to a pale grey.

The stove pipe was painted pale grey and then washed with a orange brown and dry brushed with pale grey. I like the effect I have achieved but does it look too new? Should I go with a dark brown red rust colour? All comments appreciated.





Martin

[FramFramson]

The orange is too consistent and flat. Lighten it with more grey or vary the orange with some darker bits, but either way I wouldn't leave it as it.

[Oldben1]

Looks great.  I painted my stovepipe silver, but what about a brass color?  You MIght want to use an ink wash as well to add some depth.  I think your window need some contrast as well.  Keep working on it!

[Smoking gun]

Taking on board the comments above I've done some more work, painted the chimney, window surrounds and added a bit more colour to the stove pipe. I did consider painting the window surrounds red but as Oldben's looked good in green I went with that.







I took the house to the Grimsby club last night and it will have the base textured when the club has a terrain session in a couple of weeks.

Martin

[Oldben1]

I like it, I think you Might want to paint the door and window insets green as well.  You're dry rushing is really nice and subtle.  Your chimney is better than mine.  I got my ranch house for a good price but it was a little broken ( front porch)

I painted my trip green because it was supposed to look 1930ish.  Is your cabin wild west or cottagy?  You also might want to take some dark brown paint watered down or some furniture stain and add some shadows around the doors and windows.

Anyways, I like what you've done, most people are pretty impressed with the model after they see the before pictures.  It has some great texture, but it's cast in the worst colors of plastic.

Mike

[Smoking gun]

Hi Mike,

I'll revisit the green on the windows and doors and yes, there would be some benefit of adding some shadows with a dark wash. I'm considering painting the door knobs brass. I see this as being a building that was built in the 1800's and has received little maintenance over the past years.

The model is nicely detailed, mine wasn't too badly coloured in that the walls were pale brown, the roof a darker brown and the chimney and stove pipe yellow.

If I was building it again I would cut the "railing" piece off the porch posts as they made the walkway too narrow for based figures.

Thank you for the inspiration and helpful comments.

Martin

[Smoking gun]

The ranch house has been based to match the club's terrain boards.













As before the figure is from Copplestone Castings Future Wars range.

Martin

[nevermore]

Seen it at the club Grimsby, excellent paint job Martin well done me old mucka

[von Lucky]

Yeah, turned out really well.

[Hupp n at em]

Love the way this turned out, the MDF placemats are a genius idea.  I'm definitely stealing that, as somebody who doesn't have the space or means to cut MDF bases.  They seem hard to find in the US though.

[Oldben1]

Sorry I've been away.  I love the basing.  How did you do it?

[Smoking gun]

Hi Mike,
Sorry for the delay getting back to you.

The base was textured with play sand scattered onto PVA, the grass areas were textured with ceiling paint. All the base was painted with Johnstone Trade Saddle Brown, the "earth" area was given a heavy dry brush with Wilko Matt Coffee, then a lighter dry brush with Leyland Trade Warm Sand. The grass areas were heavily dry brushed with Johnstone Trade Glade Green, then dry brushed with the Glade Green mixed with some cheap yellow craft acrylic paint, then a final dry brush with the yellow craft paint.

I hope this helps regards,

Martin