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ok, lets do the weird sci-fi track!!

94K views 651 replies 77 participants last post by  gus3049 
#1 ·
well, here we go again...this time a lot more tentative than the mexican track which sort of designed itself...this one is probably going to be a lot more tricky.

the first plastic track has now been ripped up and the decent bits of rockery will be donated to the local kids for army battle games and the like. the base is now as god intended, complete with the holes cut where the plant pots and water pools sat (it was an art installation of a friend of mine)


you can see its kind of 3 circles joined up in plan...this will give us the clue of how the track will work, the middle area is to be the high ground (towers etc) dividing the 2 exterior circles and the plan is to model the larger end in 1:32 and the smaller end in 1:43. the middle towers i´ll try and work in scales up to 1:72 with some smaller train and the like (obviously simple circular circuits or something)



something that i think it would be impolite not to use is the depth of the base. you can see from the close ups that the depth is about 50 cm, and the big lakes could easily be used as old quarry´s or sunken cities or something odd, and as they are in the 1:43 end its easier to make something big from them.my first though would be an inverse spiral like rally p´s mount, (but an inny not an outy!)

what else is important?

well for ages i´ve loved the uunpainted plaster that people have been doing molding and then painting, and also for years (and with my furniture ) i´ve been interested in the use of different textures within only one colour. there are many types of black and even more types of white, the different textures should be able to give it all the depth that is needed without the need for paint effects!! I HOPE!
the tricky thing will be trying to get wear and tear effects using only white....maybe thats were light grey comes in?

this will hopefully give the finished product, a quite sculptural feel which is something i´ll want to look at for the next few years (asking a lot!)

in theory this will be done with some collaboration with my pain in the arse 7 year old who thinks everything is boring at the moment, i´m trying to inspire him as he loves all things rocket powered and futuristic...also its a good way to get him to lend me his model space 1999 eagle, and all his broken toys for kit bashing.


it´ll probably take nearly forever..i need to be calmer with this one than with the last 2 as it was taking over my life too much...as you can see it´ll be really tricky and i´ll need everyones help with all the unknowns. and moral support...thanks in advance

sig

ps the track is likely to be a one laner again for space reasons, the 1:43 part should be capable of taking the 1:32 cars (like mexico). cars themes between futuristic one offs, existing 1:32 sci fi models (kit bashed ) and i ghuess a couple of classic wrecks like death race and mad max

opinions more than welcome
 
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#77 ·
first vehicle!...spot the bits!

cut disolvent bottle
f1 1:43 maclaren
2 x screw boxes
2 x fluo tube starters
handle off glass cleaner bottle
rivet
3 x chassis off diecast cars
4 x steel cut off disks
bits of wood
broken bits of toy crane
flying fortress gun ball

every sci fi track should have a transporter truck ...this one transports a mobile power supply for generating the extra boost for the rockets
quite pleased , but my pistol is bust so fine painting and aging not possible at the mo...probably needs a few bright orange logos too




 
#85 ·
Sig, always love your full on recycling efforts. The transporter looks great. Can't help but hear the Thunderbirds theme playing in my head as I look at it.

The reinforcing mesh looks just the thing for at least one gantry, if not more. Lars (Pssrfh - Ugh can never spell that!) would be the one to talk to on how much or little tyre wear it might create. He's got a metal mesh bridge on his main track.

Cheers
Embs
 
#87 ·
lovely comments thanks chaps and chapess!

brick top, good idea, a referal to matrix or et?!, in any case it could be a personal reminder to not completely loose the plot, i have the feeling that the city may draw its energy from its creator, not the ground underneath it!

sy..gonna have to do my own vehicles by the looks of things, they´ll probably be a cross between, adapted existing stuff and kit bashed, recycled scrap, the old mac mouse has its days numbered before it starts its new afterlife.


mr pedal, the hanging shuttle gives me a way of having my cake and eating it..i really fancy doing a hardcore future goods train on the top, even though it is unlikely to be up there, looks like the shuttle will have to be scratch built too


zook, thanks for the pics mate, good job, love the stuff don´t know where you get the time for slot on top of all that mularky...nice to see someone elses crazy workshop..we are not alone in the universe

ember, its a really good mental exercise doing the recycling thing, absolutely everything can usually be reused. its just a matter of looking at stuff in a different way, and making sure its not absolutely obvious what it was afterwards..i was a bit worried about the f1 maclaren on the transporter, but in the end i think it blends relatively well. the only trouble is waiting for glue to go off.

dreinecke, thanks a lot, the tricky bit is going to be knowing what level of detail to put into what part...the tops of the towers can´t have the same detail as the vehicles, but the building close to the cars should have. also i want the buildings to be more neutral colourwise...saying all that, as you can see, its really difficult to stop when the decal sheet comes out!

not sure what to do today, we´ll see

cheers sig
 
#88 ·
building number1, a corten designer apartment with incredible penthouse and views to die for of the launch site (!) known to be the residence of the lover of the magnate in charge of TIERRA ORG the company in charge of the energy extraction in the area..not officially a political figure of the city but rumoured to be singlehandedly pulling the strings of all the city leaders in the city hall (the conical building next to it)

hes the architecture



the glass penthouse (the timex box), will be ideal for the bed action that ember referred to earlier

need help with the city hall, its not the tallest building but the most imposing, i want it sinister and dark, its the equivalent of blade runners pyramids, any ideas please ( its the old galvanised animal feeder next to the designer pad
)
 
#89 ·
Nice to see the old fashioned world of the courtesan is reaffirming itself in the future.

Sinister surface... hmmm..... How about white(ish) metal plates, rivetted in place. Lusterous white surface peeling in places (cheap plating job approved by corrupt council so they could skim the city's wealth off for themselves) with mild rusting showing from around the rivetts but heavy yellowing and corosion visible beneath the flaking white surface. Should serve to denote the rotting corruption seathing below the surface of what should be a gleeming city.

Also needs large swathes of reflective windows.

Just an idea.
 
#91 ·


From this angle the building looks almost benign. However it was known as Darth Vader's Castle or the Death Star!

The brown bits were black when it was built & from the freeway it was a giant intimidating black mirrored hell..

Black Mirrors for City Hall - trust me..
 
#92 ·
ember i love the way your brain works, its amazing how we all love the idea of a corrupt political society...or is it just habit at having lived with it!


love the idea of the buildings cladding representing the insides...my lamps are stainless on the outside and rusted on the interior for much the same principal

mr dog, thanks for the jap pics, it seems that most concept cars were watered down for the production version..i should be able to buy a couple of production slot cars and water them up again!

i agree mirrored black is the way to go..however...
if you put in fascist, or conical or sinister, or city hall, you generally get a kind of stripped back neo classicism, with few windows, those that exist must be massive. along with a massive portico entrance (suits me as its less work and will contrast with the fiddly tower behind

i noticed the prevalence of cathedrals in the search, many beautiful, but a very fine line between the religious and fascist architecture on certain levels!!

made me thing we need a corporate identity, a brave new world type statue or something to inspire the workers

i want to combine the feeling of these images

1st a cathedral in brazil


oslo city hall


something fascist


something sinister!


oh and by the way the metal dome, lets call it the sunken cathedral has had a bit of treatment
 
#93 ·
I came in late on the Mexican track but I intend to follow this daily.
Looks like a massive project with limitless possibilities - maybe for that very reason more difficult/challenging than the Mexican which, as you say, more or less designed itself.
So, good luck an' all that.

Cheers

FB
 
#95 ·
My only concern with mirror black is that it will stand out like infected dogs' genetalia (sorry Eno) if you're sticking to the earlier mentioned lighter monochrome. However, reflective black was one of the first things that sprang to mind.

Eno, do you know the Coles Myer shareholder office at all? Big black mirror glass block. We used to call it Battlestar Galactica. Silly thing is I can't even remember exactly where in Melbourne it was, cos when I went past it was usually about 10pm at night and I was in a cab on my way home from work. Was looking for some photos of it. Any way, the point is it is (or was) just a big, heavy, black reflective cube sitting in the middle of empty, grassed ground, with nothing to break it's lines.

I think sinister is as much about the shape as the surface treatment Sig. Round is usually warm and friendly, no sharp edges to bark. All the samples you show are hard edge, strong squares. Lots of big sharp corners for people to bump into and damage themselves. A bit like government really.


You could probably mix some early bauhaus architecture in amongst that lot too. I love bauhaus design for its practicality and fitness for function, but the architecture is big and blocky and bulky, unfriendly by today's standard.

While looking for photo of it I found this one...

Another little bit of Melbourne I'd forgotten about. It's a heritage listed shot tower, of the sort that was used for dropping moulten led from to make lead ball shot. It was 'encompassed' by a dome and included in the main court of a shopping centre. Possibilities for the new enveloping the old?

I'm wondering if your government building needs to be the only short, wide block amongst the city. Something that brings a certain visual dischord with it compared to the rest of the city. Something to house the mass of beaurocracy. The corrupt city fathers would, of course, take whatever land they wanted to use for themselves and the needs of the growing city be damned.

Love the way the dome is looking. Combination cathedral dome and coal scuttle helmet.
 
#96 ·
QUOTE (sig @ 5 Oct 2010, 12:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i agree mirrored black is the way to go..however...
if you put in fascist, or conical or sinister, or city hall, you generally get a kind of stripped back neo classicism, with few windows, those that exist must be massive. along with a massive portico entrance (suits me as its less work and will contrast with the fiddly tower behind

i noticed the prevalence of cathedrals in the search, many beautiful, but a very fine line between the religious and fascist architecture on certain levels!!

made me thing we need a corporate identity, a brave new world type statue or something to inspire the workers
Stripped back neoclassicism...massive portico entrances? Fascist architecture?

Have you seen these videos on YouTube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaDeWFocAv0...feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeAfoiN5SDw...feature=related

cheers,
Bob
 
#97 ·
ROFL - That's the one I was talking about Embs - just couldn't find a photo taken from the S.E. Freeway.

I just thought of something you need to read "Armageddon - the musical" by Robert Rankin. All based around society having been destroyed & the three religions running things from towers like you've just described.

Lots of Elvis - Barry the Talking Time Sprout & extraordinary silliness.. but the picture you're drawing in my mind comes from that book..
 
#99 ·
QUOTE (Ember @ 6 Oct 2010, 12:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>OMG! Someone else has actually read it!! I've never heard anyone else admit to it. Eno, I think we need to talk.

Sorry Sig.

Rankin, Pratchett & the bloke that wrote the Eyre Affair.. Jasper Fforde.

Rankin is (however) god..
 
#100 ·
could nt help myself, been welding, ..god i hate galvanised tin!
, council offices done, ended up being quite influenced by defensive architecture also, i figure theres a big terrorism issue out there, ember, saying circular is nice and invi¡ting is like a red rag to a bull...so had to prove a point, saying that, added many more angles. on the fotos you don´t really see, but the main door is small 2 x 2m scale approx, but i like the huge defensive doors, the promenade leading nowhere (showy!), and above theres another penthouse glass block sticking out which are the mayors offices (with terrace on the top floor and pool), access is via the 2 front square columns in a military controlled lift, no other access available. the false perspective arms come from the bowels of this building. its confusing at the moment because theres too much rust and steel, gonna have to start with the white paint soon

it also needs internal lighting in the cabinet offices and the paper pushers bit.

i think it gives off the right (or wrong ) message for the city...really needs a statue though




mr drive, in the mexico thread, half way through someone told me about ken blocks bbc airfield race ...and i thought i was being unique

this time its the space nazis from hell!..just goes to show none of us are working in a vacuum, they´ve got the pits, the domes, the grimness...looks good, god knows how its gonna be a comedy!

ember and coldblood, the dome detailing reminds me loads of st pauls in london, i´m thinking of having all the subterrainian stuff as old style architecture, ie, st pauls was built upon...gives us a chance of doing a bit of steam punk in the pit

fender bender, i still want to see you in sabadell some time!


hasta pronto sig
 
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