borealis

I have just finished the 1st house which will restyle our battlefield in the future.
I took a 1/100 free papermodel, odered a print on a sheet of Forex (they actually print on a adhesive PVC film and then stick it on the sheet), cut it, figured out how to assemble it and keep it transportable and this is the result.
Now I have already received a print on pvc of the next 9 houses: it's a 10 square meters roll, printed with all the parts like a giant jigsaw.
The villag style will be alsatian, which fits a village ranging from northen Normandy to Germany.

streetsquid

Borealis,
Very nice, the house/cafe looks great! I had the same idea, using the free paper models I mean, I was going to try and blow them up and then add 3-dimension detail, using balsa strip for the tudor, and foam for the brick and stone work.


In fact I have the website with those Tudor style paper models already book marked. I just wasn't sure of a good way to get them blown up to 16th scale cleanly and for an affordable price. You refer to it as being printed on a sheet of Forex, never heard of it. If I understood your post that's the self adhesive PVC film. Can you share a bit more about where you got them printed and for how much. Perhaps there is a company here in the states that we could find to do the same. Innovative idea, and they look great!

Thanks a million for sharing!

Squid

borealis

I need to add some explanation, since FOREX is a commercial name for a PVC foam, with semi-expanded cell structure. It is used to make printed panels, signs, company logos, etc. It has good stiffness, with thickness 3 mm and higher. Since it is hygroscopic (i.e. it tends to absord humidity along time) it is not suitable to be left outside with any weather for years.

The printed support is just a sheet of adhesive PVC, which is then attached to the panel. I was able to detach the pvc film from the panel for a couple of details such as the shop sign and the window panes (5 mm was too thick for those details).
The PVC film can be protected after printing (but at an additional cost - I did not) with a coat of UV-absorbing transparent plastic film, which adds durability to colors if the item is kept outside (up to 5 years of durability against a standard of 3 years).

One note about the upscaling of pictures: try to find a software or plugin which makes use of S-Spline algorythm to enlarge the pictures: that way you will keep an acceptable level of definition: the S-spline reconstructs the lines and shapes by recalculating them better than common linear or bicubic interpolations.
The richness of printed textures compensates alot for the lack of a real rough surface.

Lastly, for printing the pictures you might search among any digital big-format printing shop. Just try to find one which is cheap, also online. I made reference to an Italian online shop: the printed forex sheet (i.e. the complete house) costed me about 45 € including shipping (it's 130x100 cm).
After that I ordered just the 10x1 m PVC adhesive roll which costed about 75 €, while I bought the Forex sheets I am going to use next from a gross seller at about 7 € for square mt (minimum sell 6 sq mt) here in my town.

It takes some searching, but the material costs per house including consumables (glue, tape, etc.) will be in the range of 20-30 €, which I found acceptable for such a result.

borealis

The village is growing, but the krauts have overwhelmed it and set up an AA battery!

(the 88 is the 21st century toys 1/18 scale one)

Panzerfaust77

Send in the shermans!

skosti

Could you post some of the websites you got the buildings from and what software you use to blow up the images


Thanks
San Diego Steve

Ern

Yes, what exactly is a "1/100 papermodel" Great work... please explain a bit more for those of us that are less informed

streetsquid

Not to steal Borealis's thunder, but here is the website with the paper models. Simply click on the images on the right side and a download window will appear. You can download the paper models in PDF format and print them on your colored printer

http://sites.estvideo.net/suzyland/Archikit/

Paper models are exactly what they sound like. They are models that you print on paper then you cut them out, fold and glue them together to make a 3-D image. The particular site above are all European tudor style homes. Borealis had them professionally blown up to 1/16th scale and printed on an adhesive backed vinyl that he then applied to 3/16" foamcore.

Here is another site with lots of links to a variety of free paper model sights

http://www.ss42.com/pt-buildings.html

Streetsquid

Ern

What a geat idea... didn't know these existed. You gotta love the internet!
Thanks for the explaination Squid

swathdiver

A couple of months ago I was looking to make a modular city from plastic or styrene. You could mix and match sides to make different buildings or connect them together for a city block. Well, I was kinda busy and nobody offered to help. I think this would be easier to produce and sell wouldn't you guys? Does texture matter that much compared to cost?

borealis

Another advantage of these buildings is that you can fold them almost flat (I used Velcro strips for the joints) for storage or transportation purposes. I will post a picture of the folded houses as soon as I dismount them.

blitzkrieg65

Excellent Post Borealis,

Thanks for bringing this to light! I can see this a huge improvement over my spray painted boxes!

The Blitz

temejin

Nice work Borealis.
As a papermodeller I've been thinking on 1/16 scale paper buildings for the battlefield for some time. I've found a couple of other sites that have free models that you may want to have a look at. Models of Illinois historical buildings at 1/87 scale that could be adapted with a little Photoshop effort can be found here
http://www.illinoishistory.gov/ps/Co...Mainstreet.htm
Another that has a couple of free samples is
www.Scalescenes.com
Scalescenes is popular with model railroaders and has some very detailed industrial models such as oil tanks, bridges and warehouse style buildings along with very detailed instructions. I'm working on a 1/20 scale copy of their Goods Shack at the moment.
Looking forward to hearing more on this thread.

Ern

They even have a Luft Stalag! Would be a nice addition for my Schultz figure!! [This one isn't mine - Just received it and mine needs to be painted]

http://www.ebobminiatures.com/products/downloads.htm

Ern

I may have to dig out my VSTank*R models! The little VS IR tanks are what got me into this hobby. I was going to construct a small table top battlefield with HO scale buildings but shelved the mini tanks because I got into the 1/16. From what I remember they are about 1/100 scale and making small buildings would be even easier than enlarging to 1/16! [and a whole lot cheaper than buying HO scale railroad model buildings!!]

Thanks again Borealis - lots of potential with these!

streetsquid

Ern,
I actually built that entire Luft Stalag III POW camp. I downloaded the models and reduced them to HO scale and used them to build an entire 30" x 40" diorama for the 2007 IMPS (International Plastic Modelers Society) National Convention held in Anahiem CA. That was the first year the IPMS allowed paper models to compete in the competition. When I attended I was completely blown away at the variety, quality and detail of the paper models. Many of them looked just like styrene kits you built outta a box, instead of folded paper with a printed picture. Just to give you an idea of how nice these can be here are a few pics, and yes this falcon is folded, cut, rolled, and glued paper.

Squid

PS In the middle picture you can see my POW camp (in the snow) directly behind the bird

streetsquid

The paper models also come in just about every subject matter as well. There is a sight where you can download and build a miniature version of Disneyland. Here a few more very nice paper models from the show.

Squid

swathdiver

Almost 30 years ago my Grandfather gave me a paper model of the space shuttle columbia. I was building plastic models then but was intimidated and afraid of messing it up, never put it together. I then decided to save it for when I had kids and do it with them. Maybe it's time to dig it out, Squid you're work is awesome! I can see someone creating the scene for the ill fated Hammelburg Raid with 1/16 Shermans crashing the gates to rescue Waters and 1700 fellow prisoners!

Ern

Great work Squid... thanks for sharing. I might have to give it a go. It's a shame I'm just finding out about these. A few buildings in 1/16 would have made a nice Mother's Day gift for the wife! I wanted to get her the metal hull with the metal wheel set for the Tiger I call "Hers" but they are still out of stock [] I hope she doesn't mind just getting flowers...

Ern

I'm not sure about the cost of constructing out of styrene, but this seems to be a less expensive alternative and I'd take a more realistic appearance over "texture" any day.

You guys are sharing a lot of great stuff. I'm starting to wish more and more that there was a club in my area. Turbobearcat, where you at? Maybe we should try and start one up! Playing with myself in the back yard [X(] just ain't what it used to be!

streetsquid

Swathy - Ern,
Gentlemen thank you for the compliments, but sadly I cannot take credit for these. All of the paper models in the pics were built by other model builders, with the exception of my POW camp in the background. I took these pictures while attending the 2007 national convention, and these shots are from the contest tables. That's what I was trying to relay, I showed up at the convention with the paper POW camp and was completely blown away with what others had done with paper, I was both humbles and amazed!


Sorry that my earlier post earlier didn't make that clear!

Squid

streetsquid

Ern,
Why can't you have realistic appearance and texture?

My thought was to blow these paper models up to 1/16th scale, print them and adhere them to foamcore like Borealis has done, but then go back and possibly cut out the windows and doors to create some relief. You could also attach thin balsa for the tudor and trim. You get the best of both worlds. The printed "picture" gives you a great realistic look especially at a distance, but by altering the "flat surface" you add texture and dimension as well.

The only drawback to adding balsa and window frames is it might make it harder to fold the buildings up like Borealis has described. But if that is not a priority for you the buildings seem like they would work great!

Just my two cents!

Squid

Ern

Squid, you are totally right and I like the way you think! I was referring more to these type vs. plastic/styrene. Great idea - not to mention the other possibilities, ie: hanging signs with real chains, interior lighting... the options are only limited by your imagination and creativity

swathdiver

I understood ya right the first time, the POW camp is awesome IMO.

streetsquid

Swathy,
Thank you! Very kind of you to say. That build was challenging and fun, and ever since the middle of 2007 I've wanted to figure out a way to enlarge that camp and incorporate it into our battlefield.

Thanks to Borealis and this thread the gears are once again turning. I have a local friend who works for a printing company, I think I just may ask him what it would take (cost) to get some of these paper models blown up and printed on adhesive backed vinyl. Who knows if it's reasonable maybe its something we can offer through our club website, to other individuals and clubs.

More to follow!


Streetsquid (Craig)