Steampunk House #1 steampunk layers begin

Here's how steampunk layers start. The colorful elements are "masks" that will be used for metallic textures.

Steampunk House #1 snow layers

Snow layers are in progress (see below).

After some consideration, this model isn't going to be called "Steampunk House #1" and I'll very likely be splitting it up into multiple kits in order to get the most mileage out of this basic model shape. I'm thinking about releasing a fantasy/medieval version, a ready-to-print Rake's Corner version, a steampunk version, a PSD Photoshop file kitbasher's version, and possibly a snowy version that will be part of a Winter Village set. This is all tentative, but I think it's the best way to go.

It's a big shift in my approach to packaging these things, since my earlier Rake's Corner models and Winter Edition models were afterthoughts. I would crack open the files of an older model and make alterations to them. In this case, I'm doing all of the layer work at once, and will figure out how to split things up into different themes at a roughly $5 price point for each. I figure that folks who just want a fantasy/medieval model won't want to pay for steampunk layers they won't use, and so on.

But it's also good for me artistically. Since I know that I'll be able to get about $20 of sellable product from this one kit, I no longer have the ticking clock in my head that I normally get when working on something that I know I can only sell for about $5. (The truth is that no one will pay $10-$15 for a PDF paper model kit this size, although I think that's closer to what this amount of work is actually worth, especially considering the multiple texture layers.) Doing things this way is freeing me up to add all of the graphics I really want to work on, instead of feeling like I have to stop when I feel like it's no longer commercially sensible.

Steampunk House #1 half-timbers

Half-timbers are in place, and I'll be working on the stucco next. That'll just about wrap up the medieval wall textures.

Steampunk House #1 windows and stuff

This afternoon I worked on the fantasy/medieval roofs (2 colors of wood shingles, and moss which takes *forever*, not shown) plus these new windows (shown here). This all looks a little flat to me, but things will stand out more when I get to final shading. I'll probably create a new door design next, and then I'll move on to the half-timbered stuff.

Steampunk House #1 stone textures finished

Stone textures are done for the Steampunk House #1. A few other textures are in place but not finalized. I have a cool idea for metal half-timbering, but I'm going to finish the fantasy/medieval texture options fire before moving onto the steampunk stuff.

Steampunk House #1 texturing begins

Texturing in progress on the Steampunk House #1, which is what I've decided to call this kit. I figure the name will stand out and let folks know that this is the start of a new line.

Steampunk Workshop No. 1

Alrighty, here are some views of my new model kit. These images are "3D mockups" based on actual photos of the white paper test model, although they might look like 3D models. (This paper model has never seen the inside of a 3D modeling program. I did it all in 2D in Photoshop, including these images.)

You can probably see how this will make a perfectly serviceable fantasy/medieval model by leaving off some of the gribblies. The "T"-looking objects will be pipes/conduits leading up from the ground into some machinery (fans, piping, gears, whatnot). There's a stack of cordwood, and an automatic bellows, and two chimneys because steampunk. I'm guessing this is some sort of workshop.

Anybody want to name this thing? I'm okay with "Steampunk Workshop No. 1" but maybe there's something better.

If this design doesn't seem steampunk enough, that's all right. I'm easing into this sort of thing.