Miniature Steps

Remember the model zombie I made? Well part of the project is a model school for the zombies to invade. I'm making a replica of the school I work at, which has a big set of steps leading to the main door, so I made those this past weekend.

I've made a few model staircases in the past  (like this one, and this one) but I think this one is my best yet as I tried a new technique which worked really well. I cut out the sides of the stairs from mountboard and made slots for the vertical pieces.

Then I slotted in the vertical pieces with PVA glue on the sides. This took two attempts as after the first time I did it I went to move the whole thing and it collapsed.

I then stuck the horizontal pieces in place.

The tops of the sides curve slightly so I used some left over kapa-line foam from the model making course. I stuck it to the card and then used sand paper to round the edges.

I added the pillars at the bottom from more mount board encasing the bottom of the stairs.

This is how it looks attached to the rest of the school. I've still got quite a bit to do, for example it doesn't have a roof yet!

New miniature

Firstly, some business.

My housemate Luke, as part of his course, has had to make a video to put on youtube. The group with the most views on their video wins a prize! Except noone knows what the prize is.

So if you would be so kind, please watch the video below to help him out.

Also, I think it's pretty funny.
If you like it, pass it on.

Now, I think it's new miniature time.

I haven't quite decided on the narrative of this one, but this is what it looks like at the moment.

It's a box!

No, there are things in the box.

Like that staircase I showed you earlier.

And a light coming from upstairs.

Interesting...

This lamp shade was tricky, I'm still not sure I've got it right.

But check out that floor.

I'm very proud of it.

Each 'plank' was individually laid.

It's really just strips of painted paper with a bit of watery PVA glue on top.

Step up

My latest miniature has this set of stairs in it.

I've made 2 other staircases before but I think this is my best yet, structurally anyway.

These stairs from last year were all kinds of wonky, but it was dark in that box so noone could really tell.

I do really like this set of stairs, but the method was a bit annoying.

See how I made it here.

For this set of stairs I did my best to make sure the steps were all the same size and didn't warp when I glued them together.

I was also feeling ambitious so I went for a banister with spindles.

If I were to make it again I think I'd tried and add carved details to the spindles, but this time I just wanted to make sure that they were all the same length.

You should be seeing the rest of this miniature some time next week!

I'm off to go finish it.

Outside the box

For my newest miniature piece I've been thinking outside the box...cos it's not in a box! Oh, I crack myself up.

Blue front door at the top of steps.

Keys still in the door, bag abandoned on the door step.

Drinks cup tipped over on the step.

Uh-oh.

This doesn't look good. 

The staircase is one of my favourite things I've made. I think they're really impressive.

They started like this; every step is an individual box that I measured out, cut and constructed.

Then I added the sides which were again carefully cut and stuck together. Then I painted the whole thing and got to work on the rest.