Well it's been a long time but I finally have some more progress to report... In March I built the window frames out of styrene strips. They're a very simple design, intended to be inserted into the openings from the inside. I built them in two layers, beginning with the larger outer frame that acts as a sort of flange against the interior of the wall. I used strips of scrap styrene as a spacer to center the vertical muntin:
Then I added the horizontal muntins, aligning them by eye to the marks I made on the frame:
The second layer is the part of the frame that fits into the window opening. It was built separately, then was glued to the outer frame:
The two larger window frames were built in the same manner:
The frames were then sprayed with white primer and painted a dark maroon color using Apple Barrel craft acrylics. To simulate a slightly worn and peeled look, I used a rough, old brush to lightly drybrush some grayish brown streaks. Then the frames were sprayed with Krylon UV clear matte finish.
I glazed the windows with real, 2mm thick glass. Due to the simple design of the frames I only had to cut the glass into rectangles of approximate size and shape. These were glued to the back of the frames using clear silicone.
I only plan to detail the lobby and one or two rooms, so I needed curtains. I've tried various approaches to curtains, usually using lace. This time I tried cutting thin linen into strips, saturating it in acrylic matte medium, and then running it through a paper crimper. Getting it through the crimper was a little tricky, and of course very messy, but it did hold the shape pretty well. (Be sure to wash the crimper immediately!) I dried the crimped strips of linen on a sheet of wax paper sprayed with Pam. When dry, I ran them through the crimper one more time. The the strips were cut to fit the windows and glued to the rear of the glass using a paintable silicone sealant. The sealant was applied only at the edges so it would not be visible through the windows. Here are a couple shots of the finished windows:
Some of the clear silicone was visible around the muntins, as you can see on the above photo. I later cut it off with a sharp hobby knife. Before installing the windows, I printed a decal for the sign above the entrance. After applying the decal I touched it up with paint to blend it into the surface and to make it look less like a decal.
Next I weathered the building using thin washes of gray and brownish-black. Occasionally I mixed some of these colors into the base coat and used that for finer strokes. When the weathering was finished I coated the entire structure with Krylon UV matte.
Finally, the windows were installed, using paintable silicone sealant to glue them in place and fill small gaps. Then I touched up the sealant with paint as needed.
I got all this done just in time to put the hotel on the layout for the West Coast Regional Tour on July 7. However there are still a few things that need to be done, such as the interior, the lighting, and a few other small details.
That's all for now. Enjoy!
