Foamcore and Printed Paper backdrop buildings

I like printed paper buildings. I have a number of Cleaver buildings....but yet to do any flats.....that will come later in the layout precess. Yours are a great mix of printed and  3-D details.

The corner looks very nice.

I wanted to take my own photos of buildings,print them, and make a backdrop like that but it was hard finding a clear shot of an appropriate building.  Have mostly some Marx tinplate buildings along the back wall now.

Lee - That looks fantastic!  Great job.  I tried this very same thing on my layout years ago.  Mine don't look THAT good.  Very nice.

Looks really good, Lee.

George

Those are fantastic. 

Bob

great job- I purchased software to do paper buildings but never got comfortable with it- so I moved on...

Hi Lee • Thank-you for sharing this project about the back drop buildings.

Cheers from Michigan

Those look really nice.

I especially like the way you cut out some doors and window areas and put in some people to give the buildings more depth and a look of activity to them.

Thanks for the comments guys.  I am using a lot of foamcore for backdrops and buildings right now and learning a lot, including:

"Don't paint foamcore with latex paint unless you have first primed it with a non-water-based primer." It warps.  But spray it with an oil based primer (like Rustoleum gray primer) first and then apply latex paint, and it stays perfectly flat.

I have not been a fan of paper buildings, but your details and application make them

really look good.

I used paper building fronts over artists illustration board to make up 75% of the buildings in one town scene. Paper, cardboard, and foam board flats have a place on a layout and yours look excellent.  Customized  Ameritowne fronts that I have used for another town also look great and I give that approach high marks as well. Keep the photos coming.

Actually, of the four backdrop building sets I am making, the largest and most important, int he sense one can get closest to it to see detail, will be made from Ameri-Towne fronts.  I'm heading upstairs in a few minutes to work on it, actually. 

They look so realistic, and it's a great use of your space.

Very nice job, Lee! I'm a fan of paper building backdrops as well. Lots of detail cheaply in very little space. I've been taking pictures of buildings when I go on trips. Then I print them out and glue them to foam board. It takes a knack and practice to get the right look and effect.

Keep up the good work!

Chris

LVHR

Chris

LVHR

Evan Designs, which advertises on this forum, also provides software for making printed buildings, facades, walls roofs etc.    If you don't have the skills or patience to freelance draw windows and doors, their software is a good way to go.    The don't do the kits like Clever models, they just provide the drawing tools.   

I have used them a lot.   I bought the software about 4-5 years ago to make a very large brick department store building for a friend's layout.   It worked great.    I have also done some buildings using their siding and adding grandt line windowns and doors.

The software, called "Modelbuilder" has menus for siding, roofing, windows, doors, building materials such as wood, brick, and stone and some details like electrice meters and fire-excapes.    You can your sides as one printout or make separate printouts similar to Clever Models.   

It is pretty easy to use.    I was a able to do a simple building after playing around with it for about 15 minutes.   

Used this same technique on my layout with background skyscrapers.  I printed the facade of buildings over and over and then cut and pasted them to get skyscrapers.  Then I mounted them on heavy cardboard and foam core....makes for a nice backdrop. 

Lee...this area will look really nice as you add the layers of for ground buildings...can't wait to see the finished project!

Alan

I think printed paper does not get the respect it deserves.  Yes, plastic and materials with a 3-D texture to its surface, are important for close up stuff, but paper and care with a bit of attention to adding some 3-D features such as open windows and etc., can produce very good stuff.  

I am completing more backdrops and will post more soon.

I bought two more Clever paper models this weekend. If I can get my laser printer set back up, move my office, I may start on them this week.

Lee-  are you designing yours?? What software are you using? Thx

Really nice job, Lee. It adds a lot to the scene.

I just do them in Microsoft office 2010, doing the drawing in Powerpoint and picture editing and all in Office's jpeg manipulator  I know it's not superior to some other software available, but I did the graphics for all eight of my engineering books in its graphics and know it well, so its familiar turf.  

As I said for these, I tried three methods: actually drew the bricks, windows, etc., maniupulated photos I took (of Ameritown buildings) or found photos on the 'net I downloaded and manipulated.

One thing I always do - my images are slightly bigger than the building fronts/sides, whatever I am making.  I contact cent them to the foamcore and then cut the foamcore and image to just the right place, etc.

I've attached one of the files I used to make more of the buildings I showed in this thread.

Thank you for the file, Lee! I can see where there may be a few places on my layout where some of your designs will reside.

Neil

Those buildings look great. I have a few places I could use these. Thanks!

Lee, I am curious about the paper that you use. I have tried high quality 92lb paper. I wasn't happy with the results. I keep coming back to photo matte paper.

What do you use? The results look good.

Thanks for the file, Lee.  I will definitely find places I can use these.

Art

Lee, you are the man!!!  Thank you for posting the file.

Bob

I purchased 2 kits from a Canadian company called 3DK.  Somewhere in their instructions they recommended using avery label stock.  Before I tried that I used a glue that warped the foam board.  Using the 8 1/2 x 11 one size avery label you can print and simply peel and stick the output.  The label paper was a bit pricey, $13 for 25 sheets, but the ease of assembly was worth it.  

Very nice, Lee

Peter

Thanks for the file, Lee. That's the beauty of this forum...so many ideas and they're shared. 

necrails: I purchased the Avery labels at Walmart for $4.50 for 10 sheets and I didn't think 45¢ a sheet was that bad.

Sure is easy to use. So far, I've used it to cover the exposed edges of the foam board. Works great and sticks good, too.

George (G3)

Not Lee.....but standard good quality bond printer paper is what I used......

You really did a great job on those two buildings, Dave.  I have that Clever disc but haven't got around to trying it yet.  Seeing your pictures is inspiring.

Art

Wow, that is a good building.  

I just print on normal office paper - I use one of the color printers here at work on whatever is loaded in it.  Remember I'm not doing carstock strictly speaking - I contact center the paper onto foamboard, so the thickness of the paper is not an issue.  

Dave and Lee,

Perhaps the question is...are you using a laser printer?

I am using a commercial grade inkjet printer that can handle tabloid or 11 x 17.

I use a high end laser printer. It took me a while to find one that printed so well. Laser printers with high end ink that has a higher iron content will then blend better and is very much like a paint once it comes from the printer. The issue with ink jet is it's a stain and not a paint as such. It can be made to work...just not as nice. A good work around is load your artwork on a flash drive and take it to a office store that has a good commercial laser printer. Ask to see a sample...if it's thick looking and semi-gloss....that's whet you want!

I use a color laser printer most of the time.  The problem I have with ink jet printers - well, the ink jet color printer we have at work, is that applying rubber cement to the reverse side a bit too liberally will bleed the ink on the printed side, making it a bit fuzzy.  I still use it sometimes because its near my office, but only when I know I will be used another adhesive that isn't so problematical.

I'll have to try the Avery label paper that was suggested by necrails and G3. That sounds like the easiest. Regarding the "lesser" intensity of the ink jet printing, the buildings in the background would look a little less brilliant anyway because of the "distance." The photos I've printed on print paper look deep and rich enough for mid distance usage. Only thing to do is try...

Neil

Lee,

Thank you for the file.  It is great.

I started into this several months ago, then the project got sidetracked.  Yes, I use the laser printer at work, not my inexpensive home inkjet.  It is a fairly high end Canon, but I really like the results from the HP plotter at work better.  We have two since we are a telecommunications engineering department printing maps and network diagrams.  Most offices wouldn't have any.  They are injets, but very high quality.  I have some paper walls printed from both laser and plotter, but have not tried gluing them on to the foamcore yet.

I used velum paper and thin basswood for the backing with 3M spray adhesive. So far so good.