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Sunday, February 5, 2012

Update to the Cityboard

Hi, folks. Yesterday I got a lot done on the Cityboard. If you haven't seen it before, it's 28mm scale and intended primarily for use with TwoHour Wargames "All Things Zombie" rules, though it could be used for a number of settings and genres.

I've been messing around making some billboards to go with my Proxie Models Billboards I bought a while ago. The genius thing about the Proxie Models Billboard is they're designed to take a standard business card, and there are all kinds of programs designed to make business cards and even pre-perforated cardstock sheets on which to print business cards. Naturally, being a dumbass, I'm using Open Office Presentation to make the signs and printing out the signs on regular cardstock. :)

Pic above shows my Bank. I dressed it up with some signage and I'm using Billboards to help identify the building.
Pic above shows the side of the bank with signs from WorldWorks Games and MicroTactix sets.
The rear of the bank. Close-up. I love the wording on the WWG Bank signs.

The other side of the bank. More WWG and Microtactix signs. I think the addition of the signs adds greatly to the building at a very small time/effort investment.
Pic above shows another Sarissa Precision 28mm CityBlock building. This one I made as a 3 story. This angle shows off the rooftop. The rooftop texture is a printout from one of the WWG Mayhem sets. This building was primed with Krylon white spray primer, and then painted with acrylic craft paints. Folk Art Artist Pigment "Warm White" on top of the primer. The Artist Pigment line has a higher concentration of pigment than the regular line. The blue trim was done with Accent "Soldier Blue". Soldier Blue gives a very good coverage with one coat.
Pic above shows the front of the building. The mini is from Hasslefree Miniatures, a great, family company that does beautiful sculpts and has wonderful quality minis. The sign is from one of the MicroTactix Twilight Streets sets.
Pic above is a side view. The top sign is one I made in Open Office after googling for some free clipart caduceus. I figure the whole building is full of Medical Offices. The "East End" sign is from MicroTactix. The two minis are provided for scale and are a Studio Miniatures Zombie (left) and Hasslefree Mini (right).

Pic above shows the rear of the building. The signage comes from MicroTactix, and the No Firearms sign is part of a great freebie set from Hirst Arts. Dumpster is from WWG Marina set. Minis are a Victory Force Minis Zombie and a Hasslefree mini. Car is a diecast hummer from a drug store.
Above is side view with signage from Hirst Arts and Microtactix.
Here's that same side with a little vignette. I loves me some vignettes. :)
Here's a shot of the interior of the ground floor. The "tile" is a piece of scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby. One 29 cent piece gave me more than enough for all 3 floors. I'm using another WWG stairway, glued to a piece of mattboard. There's one for each floor.
Another interior shot above.
3rd floor interior. Hasslefree mini fits perfectly on the WWG stair.
Here's my obligatory shot through the windows/doors. This is one of my favorite things about the Sarissa Precision buildings. The beautiful windows and doors and playable interiors.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for looking. I hope this wasn't too long a post.

21 comments:

  1. Buildings looking great, signage really makes them come alive.4

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  2. Following this one with lots of inetrest. The board is going to look massive.

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  3. Looks great Lucky Joe. That board is really coming along extremely well -and extremely fast!

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  4. The buildings look excellent Joe, I love the billboard on top of the bank, that's very well done, keep up the great work!!!!!

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  5. Signs look great. Bill boards look awesome. You know when you are settings up your vignettes are you really making sound effects as you do it?????

    Mr Zombie shambles aloong Braiiiinnnnssss.....

    Cop with shotgun Die m*****R bang bang

    Que Zombie lying on side...

    He He I know I would.

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  6. Woah!!!!

    They are great!! :D

    Love the medical center, and in general all the building are very cool!

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  7. Your creative juices are overflowing...and that's wonderful! Don't try to fix it!

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  8. @PulpCitizen: Thanks very much. I appreciate the encouragement.

    @Zabadak: Thanks. I also enjoy making the signs.

    @Dr. Willett: Thanks very much. It's a big project but a labor of love.

    @Lead Legion: Thanks. It really saves time using the SP buildings. No scratchbuilding time.

    @Ray: Thanks, Ray. That was a fun one. Google search for a Ben Franklin clipart, then segue into Puff Daddy's song. But I only got there from Wierd Al's "It's All About the Pentiums". :)

    @Brummie: ROTFL. You caught me. I was thinking about mentioning the sound effects I make when I'm taking pictures of me playing with my toys ... I mean setting up vignettes. :)

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  9. Wow.
    Very impressive buildings.
    Looking great

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  10. As we'd say over her, Joe, job's a good 'un! It must make life very easy having your billboards the same size as a credit card.

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  11. @Zerloon: Thanks very much. These Sarissa Precision buildings practically paint themselves.

    @Jay: Thanks. I've usually got something overflowing somewhere. :)

    @Hendybadger: Thanks very much. This is a fun project.

    @Vampifan: Thanks! I should probably just keep one here by the computer. Every time you post one of your reviews I seem to buy something. :)

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  12. Those look really nice! What is the pattern on the hospital roof? Leaves?

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  13. This is looking pretty good mate!

    You are on a roll keep goiing!

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  14. Lovely work joe she's looking sweet as, keep the standard up mate !

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  15. This project is coming along leaps & bounds. It's looking really good. I can't wait to se some action on those streets.

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  16. Looking really great, lovely work.

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  17. The signs make such a difference, great work all round my friend....

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  18. Very nice indeed - I've got two sarissa buildings that have stalled partway through building and seeing yours has given me the kick up the behind I need to get them out and get them finished!

    Great paint jobs and you're absolutely right on the signs, they really bring them to life. Are they available in a set or part of building sets?

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  19. @PapaSpanky: Thanks. Yes, those are dead leaves on the hospital roof.

    @Lord Siwoc: Thanks very much. Just a few more to go.

    @The Extraordinarii: Thanks a lot. Whenever I need inspiration I can just go to all of the great Zombie blogs out there for inspiration and new ideas.

    @Irqan: Thanks. I think that may be one of the reasons I do the vignettes.

    @Spacejacker: Thanks. I really want this table to look good.

    @Fran: Thanks very much. And making the signs is even a little therapeutic. :)

    @Tea Urn: Thanks. I'm glad if I was able to get you started on your buildings again. As to the signs, most of them are available as part of the different sets from WorldWorks Games in their Urban Mayhem line, or Microtactix in their Twilight Streets sets. There are also a couple of good sites that have free signs, Hirst Arts and Topo Solitario are a couple. And I'm about to google to see if there are others. I'll post a link if I find any. Plus you can also make your own pretty easily. I'm starting to like doing that, but it does slow me down a little.

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  20. Fantastic Joe. And it really shows you can make pretty good interior without goping into too much detail. I think Imay follow usit and get a few more of mine done.

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