Making Fantasy Doors
A decorated wooden door can be an eye-catching detail on a piece of scenery, a base or a diorama. There is a variety of resin doors on the market, but I always perefer to make my own. I can get very pleasing results using just common materials I always have around in my workshop. I mostly work in 28-35mm scale, but most of these materials can be used just as well in 54mm and bigger scales.
I start the build by cutting the shape of my door from a strip of thin balsa (2-3mm). The shape is then cut up into planks that make the door. Before cutting it's a good idea to number your planks, so that it is easier to put it back together afterwards in the right order. I ligthly carve a texture on the balsa with a pointy tool. At this point I usually add wear and damage. Then I glue the planks in the door frame.
This is when the fun with metalwork starts. I cut elements from thin plasticard using a sharp knife, and sand the edges a bit before installing them on the door. The material you use must not be too think because metal details on the door will look better if they are not very flat. Thin card is an OK substitute for plasticard. It is easier to cut, but it is otherwise basically worse in every way. To simulate the bigger rivets I simply use pin heads. The smaller ones can be made out of plasticard, putty, be cut and transplanted from a spare plastic figure... In the market there are rivet moulds, as well as micro glass balls that can simulate tiny rivets. There are many ways to do rivets, it is simply a matter of availability and resourcefulness. I use superglue for all these detailwork. Since these are very small parts, a pair of tweezers is an essential tool.
Other details one can put on a door are the hinges, a keyhole and some type of doorknob or ring. Since these doors are not functional, hinges are easily made from pieces of paperclip. Tiny metal rings can be bought in shops that sell beads and other jewelry elements. I get better results by cutting the loops from cheap bracelet charms (can also be sourced in those same shops). The simplest doorknob is a bent paperclip. If an ornamented version is needed, this will require some skill with putty. A ball doorknob is easily achieved with a pin head or a very small bead.
With some imagination a door can be made very interesting, especially if we make an effort with our painjob and weathering.
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