N Scale Structure Studios McCroy's Store Front

[towl1996]

This macro shot is brutal...
http://image96.webshots.com/196/7/1/8/2546701080101042499pyoYSJ_fs.jpg.

Definately falls into the back ground filler catagory. But I still think it can work. So I'll bite and I've yet to bite on the fire house, so the plate is filling up. 

[Zox]

Here's a full-size version so you can get a better look...

http://community.webshots.com/photo/fullsize/2546701080101042499pyoYSJ

I'll refrain from comment.

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[SkipGear]

Somebody buy the man a straight edge and a square.

http://www.zonatool.net/37-434.html

[peteski]

I'm again going to repeat the comment I posted about the previous offering (the fire station). I just can't understand why someone would hot spend a bit more time on preparing an accurate master pattern.  After all, all the copies will carry the inaccuracies of the master. It is not that much more difficult to make things accurate than it is to just haphazardly throw them together. Or even better, make sub-castings of items which repeat on the building then build the master out of those items. There are also tools (like the NWSL Chopper) which makes cutting identically sized pieces very easy. When things like windows (which supposed to be all the same size) are all different sizes and the size and width of symmetrical trim is not symmetrical, that changes a potentially unique model of an attractive building (which could easily be a centerpiece of a scene) into a possible background structure (if someone even decides to purchase it).

I guess that we all have out modeling standards and I guess that to some people this type of modeling is "good enough".  We were asked for an honest opinion so I provide mine.  This is after viewing the cloeseup in http://image96.webshots.com/196/7/1/8/2546701080101042499pyoYSJ_fs.jpg  (it worked for me).

[DKS]

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I guess I'm just special. 

And the link still works for me.

[peteski]

Link to the photo seems to work intermittently for me.  Here is the photo (but not at original high resolution as Photobucket shrunk it). 

[One of One-Sixty]

Well I talked to the guy who is making these, and it seems that he already started casting them.  He is also un-happy with the sign and said the second run he will not have the sign there, or make two models, one without and one with.

[peteski]

I guess that after looking at the larger picture, the sign is the last of his worries. Or lets just say that I'm not planning on purchasing this item.  Like Tony said: let's give the men a straight edge and a square.

[Dave V]

Quick glance and I thought it looked good.  Frankly I was starting to think you guys were being unreasonably nit-picky.  Then the big picture showed up and my second glance was not as generous. 

Yeah...  It's not looking so hot in zoom.  Too bad, too, because it's a neat prototype.

[Chris333]

(swoop down sound)

NZT to the rescue?

[DKS]

(swoop down sound)

NZT to the rescue?

Yeah, that thought crossed my mind. That's why I didn't want to say anything about it. The idea of replacing a DPM storefront is intriguing, but I'm not sure I want to "steal" that idea. We'll see; first I have to finish the pizza parlor. So much to do, so little time...

[TiVoPrince]

Nameless 
would be far more tempting.  This would find a place as 'deep background' just to get some variety from the DPM blandness.  Yes, I know that I usually preach 'common and mundane' but this removes the 'seen it on 10,000 layouts before' stigma of most DPM structures...

[wm3798]

I'd get one if the price point was right.  I agree that simply removing the lettering would be the thing to do.  It would be easy enough to print out the name you want with a 3-d effect and be done with it.

I think the problem isn't so much with alignment, as it might be an optical illusion due to the shape of the letters.  Back when I learned hand lettering, one of the tricks of the trade is to make round letters a touch taller, extending beyond the base line a bit as well as above the other letters to make them look more proportional to the square letters around them.  The space created by the curves makes the eye think the O is smaller, even though by dimension its exactly the same size. 

What I see is all of the letters are sitting on the same base line, but the round shapes look out of kilter due to this visual effect.

I love the building, though.  Definitely not vanilla, but definitely common enough.  Especially the non-brick facade.  There needs to be more like this to thin out the omnipresent DPM look.

Lee

[Bob Bufkin]

Despite the imperfections pointed out in the larger photo I would still get a couple.  Using the old 3 foot rule for these - you really couldn't point out the imperfections. 

[DKS]

I think the problem isn't so much with alignment, as it might be an optical illusion due to the shape of the letters.  Back when I learned hand lettering, one of the tricks of the trade is to make round letters a touch taller, extending beyond the base line a bit as well as above the other letters to make them look more proportional to the square letters around them.  The space created by the curves makes the eye think the O is smaller, even though by dimension its exactly the same size. 

Lee, I did sign painting and also typesetting for decades, and I think you're giving the builder waaaay too much credit. The lettering isn't even close to straight, and the spacing is arbitrary at best.

Despite the imperfections pointed out in the larger photo I would still get a couple.  Using the old 3 foot rule for these - you really couldn't point out the imperfections.

Sorry, but despite my failing eyesight, I'd have to give this a "thirty foot rule" before I'd find it acceptable.