Ameritowne building an tunnel

The building looks good! Here's a tip that I read in another post - use gray paint for the mortar rather than white. Never tried this myself but have seen others work.

 

Please keep posting so we can see your progress!

I think the building paint scheme looks great.  One suggestion I would make would be to think about painting the roof, water tower and stairs With a weathered lok It would really make the building pop a little more.  And as an added perk, I would install some outside lights.  I did that to an ameritown building I did and what a difference it made.  But really nice job with the painting, more so if it is your first build.

 

As for the tunnel, I think if you expanded the mountain on the right side down that wall a bit to give the mountain a more expansive look with the benefit of having more area to scenic.

 

Last suggestion - since you are in construction mode, you also might consider painting some backdrops on hardboard giving the layout some huge visual appeal.  

 

I did them on my layout and IMO they turned out great.  I went to Catholic school as a kid and I was so bad at coloring, the nuns told my parents they thought I was colorblind.  My grandmother was so distraught over the nun's news, she started praying for me so God would "retun my color".  Just proves if I can do it anyone can.

 

I watched a few how to YouTube videos and I was amazed at how simple it was to do. Only thing is I wish that I did them when I first started the layout. 

 

I just wanted to pass along a few things I learned along the way.  Keep us posted on your progress. Great start.

Ed 

A little over spray with grimy black should toned it down a bit.  A very nice project.  I like your progress.    Mike CT  

I think the building looks great.  You could leave it or add detail and weathering. Ed had some good suggestions. Also since we usually see models from the top I like to add roof detail like vent pipes or stairwells or signs. I weather mine by putting a couple of drops of india ink in a spray bottle of water. It runs down the building and puddles in depressions leaving realistic streaks. One thing good about working on the building is if you try something and it doesn't look right you can always paint it over. Every attempt is a learning experience.

The construction of the tunnel is a great start. My only comment is that the portal is too big for the mountain and doesn't look real. I suggest making a bigger mountain or instead of a tunnel, make it a cut through the rocks. Have fun with it. 

Nice job! Just a few suggestions since you very bravely asked! I use spackling for the mortar .put it on and wipe it right off being careful around windows,cleaning around them with a toothpick.i dilute India ink and brush it on the stone and step structure which makes the lines stand out. Maybe use a color like khaki  on the sections  above and below the windows to make them pop a bit. Then weather lightly with diluted ink or powders. I like to add extras like lights outside and in plus loading docks etc. Ameritowne sells docks or you can make your own from balsa. One last suggestion which I am sure you are aware is to follow this forum as do I now because you can learn an amazing number of techniques! Happy modeling! My favorite part of the hobby!

Thanks everyone for the responses 

 

Pat I agree   The portal does look big relative to the mountain.  I will give that some thought 

 

mike do I understand you to say to lightly spray it with black - that kinda scares me

 

I think I will do a backdrop - just saw a good post on a sky backdrop

 

i have attached another pic from a little further out.  I want to have some building flats on the upper level.  There will be a wall then a tunnel entrance about where the switch is on the lower level

 

the tunnel actually leads into the attic.   There was not enough room on that side of the room to make a 72 circle so I went int the attic and come back out about 7 feet down the wall

 

 

Michael,

Your building looks fine. Enjoy building some more of them. If you feel the mortar is too bright, dry-brush some black chalk on the building and spray with a clear matt finish.

 

Alan Graziano

Wow • 

Gary - Cheers From The

Okay - still working on my first scene.   with my first Ameritowne building in the bag I am going to try my skill (and I use that term loosley) at a Korber model kendall manufacturing.  Any tips ahead of time are appreciated.   It is going on the upper level where the existing building is.   That building you see is not there permantlyit is just holding up the sky for now 

I built that same Ameri-Towne factory building (#443).  And, yes (as others have posted...) do NOT use white paint for the mortar.  Use stone grey or equal.  I enlisted a grandson to scrape most of that paint off the bricks.  Then, I came back and painted a few random darker bricks until my eyes got tired!

 

I also have built three other Ameri-Towne buildings--- City Hall (#303), Police Station (#868) and Fire Station (#864).  They make up the "Municipal" block in our town located above the RR tunnel in our 4 ft by 8 ft layout.  Factory is down below in the industrial area.  See attached photos and a video of Main Street.

4X8? Sure looks larger, some great scenery.