Curtains and window shades


H

hamltnblue

Active Member
Lately I've seen some good looking pics here of structures that have shades and curtains in the model windows. What do people use to do this? Is is something you get on-line or printed on a standard printer?
 
Over the years I have built hundreds of buildings & in the kits there's always xtra curtains, drapes & shades printed on heavy cardstock. A lot of the guys on here print their own & some like me use masking tape for shades. I also paint the inside of the glass(plastic lens) w/latex paint to look like curtains. I also spray a clear paint on the inside of my windows before I paint the window curtains to give them a glaze that deflects the interior lighting. Some of the guys put whole interiors w/people in their buildings & don't want that glaze. There's a lot of ways to have shades.
 
hamltnblue said:
Lately I've seen some good looking pics here of structures that have shades and curtains in the model windows. What do people use to do this? Is is something you get on-line or printed on a standard printer?
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hamltnblue, I've bought a bunch of these from ebay. they are printed out on clear plastic so you have your window glazing too. He has a bunch of styles and sizes to fit most windows.

http://cgi.ebay.com/709-Curtains-w-...wItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item53dded7a04
 
Shades idea

I've used paint color matching cards from Lowes or Home Depot. Go to the paint chip card rack and help yourself to whichever colors you like (I usually grab light greys and some greens for passenger car window shades). Then I tape the edges with 2-sided clear thin tape (like for scrapbooking - available at dollar store). Then cut to whichever length you like, and stick to inside of window. Easy, cheap, and more opaque than paint if backlit.;)
 
StratCatGenius said:
I've used paint color matching cards from Lowes or Home Depot. Go to the paint chip card rack and help yourself to whichever colors you like (I usually grab light greys and some greens for passenger car window shades). Then I tape the edges with 2-sided clear thin tape (like for scrapbooking - available at dollar store). Then cut to whichever length you like, and stick to inside of window. Easy, cheap, and more opaque than paint if backlit.;)
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Fantastic idea, never thought of that. My local WM Supercenter has'm too & the Dollar tree is in the same shopping center. Great Idea. Learned something new today. Now. I'll have to take all my buildings apart to change the window decor.(just kidd'in).
 
I can't take credit for that idea, I read it somewhere online and thought it sounded good (ie. cheap); and as to the decor, well, just wait 20 years and everything will come back in style again.
GENE
 
I use different color construction paper too. Ribbon works well but if it is shiney I hit it with a mist of Dullcoat before installing it. Some ribbons are actually a fine white mesh and simulate lace curtains in the houses of your well to do folks. Paper or cloth material sticks to the buildings with a dot or two of white glue although I find scratching the inside wall area above the windows of plastic buildings with 400 sandpaper gives the white glue something to hold onto better.

I'm pretty sure I saw JL Innovative makes curtain and drape sheets in HO if you want to go beyond just a simple straight shade or curtain.
 
I've been using painted tin foil for my curtains and shades. The foil keeps creases in it to look like fabric curtains that have been drawn back. or blowing in a breeze
 
NH Mike said:
I use different color construction paper too. Ribbon works well but if it is shiney I hit it with a mist of Dullcoat before installing it. Some ribbons are actually a fine white mesh and simulate lace curtains in the houses of your well to do folks. Paper or cloth material sticks to the buildings with a dot or two of white glue although I find scratching the inside wall area above the windows of plastic buildings with 400 sandpaper gives the white glue something to hold onto better.

I'm pretty sure I saw JL Innovative makes curtain and drape sheets in HO if you want to go beyond just a simple straight shade or curtain.
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Brain fade here. City Classics offers the curtain and drape sheets and not JL. Sorry.
 
I usually make shades and curtains out of small bits of paper, and sometimes plain ole masking tape. However, I prefer venetian blinds... I usually print a striped pattern and add thin paper strips to simulate the cords. When I want them open, I scribe a piece of celluloid and rub some paint into the lines.
 
Those venetian blinds look good, Charles. The Woodland Scenics Municipal Building has some of the best looking venetian blinds I've ever seen, including some that are open, closed, and hanging crooked. It appears that they were pad printed on clear styrene. I'd love to be able to buy those as separate detail items.
 
If you have access to it. The September 2007 Model Railroader has an intresting article on page 60 and 61 about interior details and adding curtains.
 
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I scan or download pictures of curtains from catalogs, scale them to fit, print on regular paper and glue behind the window "glass". This provides the look of the textured folds.
Post some pice of what you end up with. Doc
 
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