1:35 House window base

A house window, a small 1:35 scenic base

A Black Dog diorama accessory in 1:35 scale with a section of facade with a window. A small format that is enough for one figure and yet looks like a piece of a real building.

The advantage of a small section

The smaller the area, the more weight every detail carries. A window is a rewarding motif, because it offers a frame, a pane, a sill and the shadow inside: four different surfaces in the palm of your hand. The scene can be finished in an evening and takes up minimal room in a display case.

How to achieve depth

Always darken the space behind the window, otherwise the section looks flat. Set the frame apart from the masonry in shade and in sheen: wood tends to be mattier, and flaking paint shows the layers underneath. Below the sill, the traces of rain gather; a few vertical strokes of thinned dark paint are enough and the facade comes alive at once.

Ideas for using it

A section of facade will serve outside a classic diorama as well, as a plinth under a bust, a backdrop when photographing, or a small gift for a modeler. Some builders make a whole series of miniatures out of it, each piece in a different season. The small format also lets you try procedures nobody would take on with a large scene: heavy weathering, sharp contrast, an experiment with pigments. If the attempt does not come off, a single evening's work goes to waste.

It suits

• a display case for one figure
• as an addition to a larger building in a scene
• for a quick project between two builds
• for practicing the painting of windows and wooden frames

Choose the suitable models and small accessories for the section according to your own subject.