Window Awnings

I have never built any awnings except the plastic ones that came with some kits.  They look too hard to be really convincing.  Perhaps if some wrinkles were added using putty or something the effect would be more realistic. 

I remember some kit I had once which came with printed paper awnings to cut out and fold up. Would that work? Perhaps you could make them on the computer and print them out.

Just brainstorming here, how's this for the germ of an idea? 

I have seen some very convincing tarps made with tissue soaked in thinned white glue draped over model loads.  I wonder if that may be a method to use here.  Perhaps make a mold from Sculpey (or equivalent) the size and shape of the awning, bake it, and seal it with lacquer. When it's completely dry, a spritz of Pam or something, then lay the glue soaked tissue over it and let it dry.  After it's dried you could trim out the flaps with a scissors and it may be possible to add wrinkles and wind effects with a wet paintbrush, although that should probably be done while the tissue is wet...

 As for painting, that will be the tricky part if you want to keep it translucent, I'm not sure how to go about accomplishing that.  Watercolors are out, unless they were added to the glue mix.  I suppose you could find colored tissue.  Maybe that would work... cream colored tissue and just paint stripes on with enamels after the tissue is dry?  Then at least part of the awning would be translucent...

A modification along a similar theme you could try making a frame from fuse wire then covering with tissue paper and coloured dope. I've had some success with this for faking canvas covers over crates etc on model boats.

For what it's worth:

A development of ranulf's tarpaulin idea is to do the following:

Create a basic frame from styrene strip, card, balsa or whatever your material of choice may be (even a soldered wire one could be used), and attach it to your building (using CA?)

Tube Acrylics are then painted onto toilet tissue (being double-ply it's actually stronger than ordinary tissue), with the base (background) coat being applied first, then the stripes as appropriate.

The lower of the two ply's may distort and shred a bit as a result of the painting, so some care will be require, but as it is the TOP layer that you are interested in this not particularly important.

When everything is dried, cut the tissue to length and drape it over the frame to see how it 'sags'.

The paint will give the tissue a bit of 'body' and keep it from shreddng, yet at the same time it will give some flexibility, so you can make it 'sag' as you wish.

When you are satisfied with what you've done, apply a small quantity of PVA to the frame and place the painted tissue over it.

The PVA will give you a bit of time to readjust and stretch the tissue as you need to, while the paint will keep the tissue all together so that it won't shred as tissue tends to do when just coated with PVA.

Experiment to see if it works for you - it may be what you require.

Hope that it helps.

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "

I think I've found a method that may work.  I've gotten mini-staples from which to build the awning frame. The width of the mini-staple is perfect for the window as is (horizontal across the front of the window with the staple's two side arms attached to the building).  Then, I have two more staples, each bent to form a triangle.  Those will be glued to the two side arms and to the building.  That should form the perfect frame. 

 I'm now experimenting with what to use to use for the actual awning.  Paper (printed with the awning stripes) has a perfect drape and thickness.  I've cut the paper into strips and then folded the strip over once so that the stripes appear on both sides (top and bottom). Then I'd just glue one end to the building and one to the staple.  But I'm concerned about how the paper will hold up, so I may try some other options first.

I opted to go with a totally different approach after trying several things.  This photo doesn't do the awnings justice.  They look more realistic in person, and they're actually green awnings.  The photo makes them look almost like black and white striped -- they're green and black.

What I did was print the awning pattern on normal paper (laser printer).  I then glued it thin pieces of brass with CA.  These were left over scrap from a Gold Medal Models photo etched detail sheet.

 The brass is nice, because it bends to a nice curve easily and really stays nice and rigid.  I thought about doing the actual cross arm supports for the awnings, and still may, but they may be too small to work with.

 Since the photo was taken, I've completed all of the awnings.  All the windows (none on the back) have awnings except the far two columns of windows.  Those now have a fire escape in place. 

 I'll post more photos when the bulding is complete.

Good stuff!  I really like how you used 'found" brass!  Do you have a micrometer or calipers to measure how thick the brass you used is? 

I also like the awning over the sidewalk.  What did you use for the corrugated edging? 

Frank

VERY Nice Indeed - congratulations sir on an amazing result - very effective!

Thanks too for sharing the 'Brass Alternative' with us - that was a medium I had never even considered when making my reply - an excellent idea indeed!!  The things we learn . .

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "