We’ll start with my latest N scale structure — a men’s clothing store created using a Design Preservation Models (DPM) kit. This is the DPM Corner Apothecary kit, #507.
The name Kessler’s was chosen for this structure because it happen to be the name of a men’s clothing shop my grandmother worked at in the late 40s.
Painting
I’ve used all Polyscale acrylic paint for this structure. Most of the building was airbrushed, with details brushed.
- Rust – Brick base coat
- Earth – Brick base overspray (lightly)
- Dirt – Brick base overspray (lightly)
- Concrete – Top cornice, cornice supports, window lintels, area surrounding display windows
- Roof Brown – Window frames, roof overhangs, doors, billboard backing
- Grimmy Black – Roof
- Tarnished Black – Hanging sign, roof (drybrushed)
- Medium Green – Fire escape
- Various shades of gray (whatever I had on hand) – Billboard supports, roof vents
- Red (craft paint — the only one not Polyscale) – fire alarm
Added Details
I’ve added a number of details to make this structure more unique than a standard DPM kit.
- First floor overhang – Created using strip styrene as the base for the “L” shape. I then used a Model Power white picket fence with the top and bottom of the pickets cut off. This created a ladder effect with two horizontal runners and vertical detail pieces. This modified fence piece fit perfectly on the edge of the strip styrene, creating a nice 3D effect.
- Billboard Supports – These were done using Bar Mills Billboard in a Bag kit, which I don’t think is still being produced. A horizontal platform was added using strip styrene.
- Roof Vents – The tall capped vent is a simple vent from a Walthers modules Roof Details set. The smaller pipe-type vents are sections of a downspout from a gutter/downspout kit (sorry — don’t recall the manufacturer).
- Fire Escape – A “standard” fire brass photo-etched kit from Gold Metal Models.
- Hanging Sign Support – This was constructed using an HO scale eave support (probably Grandt Line) and two standard straight pins.
- Awnings – The awnings were created by attaching a printout of a stripped awning pattern to pieces of extra brass from a photo etched kit. Those were curved slightly and glued into place.
- Fire Alarm – This is simply a small, painted rhinestone from a craft store.
Printed Detail and Signage
I usually print to an Epson PhotoMate with glossy photo paper. Once sprayed with Testor’s Dullcote, the signs completely lose the gloss and have a nice, even matte finish. The Flickr photos show this structure without a final Dullcote, so some signs still appear glossy and paper-like. Dullcote fixed that.
- Everett Coffee Billboard (roof) – This sign was an image found on the Internet. I typically do random seaches on eBay and Google. eBay is a great resource for this.
- Marvels Cigarette Billbaord (wall) – Again, this was a simple eBay sign image.
- Kessler’s Amalgamated Co. Signs (overhang and hanging) – Original, created in Photoshop.
- Three Floors of Men’s Furnishings Sign (wall) – Original, created in Photoshop.
- Same Day Tailoring and Alterations Sign (not shown in these photos) – Original, created in Photoshop.
More to Come…
I’ll continue Kessler’s Men’s Clothing Store and cover weathering, the interior, window glazing, lighting and more.
Filed under: Signs, Structures , awnings, billboard, DPM kit, fire escape, model railroad, model railroading, N Scale, scale modeling, structure, super detail
[...] all of the custom signs and printable details used on the Men’s Clothing Store presented here. These are intended to fit an N scale DPM Corner Apothecary [...]
Very nice job. I like the details. I have been looking for interior details and this fills the void. I would like to have a copy of what ever files you can send. There are never enough details.
Thank you
Joe Burden
Charlotte, NC
[...] Store – Kessler’s Amalgamated Co. I realized that in spring of last year, I posted a series following the build of a men’s clothing store using an N scale DPM kit, but that I never posted completed photos of the window glazing. The [...]
[...] scale modeling, structure, super detail I realized that in spring of last year, I posted a series following the build of a men’s clothing store using an N scale DPM kit, but that I never posted completed photos of the window glazing. The [...]