I added a gutter by slicing a piece of plastic tube length wise and sanding the edges thinner. I added a drainpipe from armature wire, as it’s easy to straighten and then bend as necessary to accommodate the attachment of the gutter. I added a couple of paper collars at each end and a paper strap to attach it to the wall and paper brackets to hold the gutter to the underside of the roof. The roof tiles have a few colors in them as my reference shows a range of grays to khaki, dark browns and the expected terra cotta. The cobblestones on the street received a similar treatment of various colors to help keep visual interest and keep your eye moving. The metal paper lamp was painted almost completely over and shows a heavy coat of patina, as does the drainpipe. The upper shutters are painted in a blue shade indicative of Southern France. The cycle and Major: The motorcycle is the old Tamiya kit of the Zundap and though my research seemed to indicate it was relatively rare as a solo bike, I though if anyone could get their hands on one, an SS Major could. I based the bike in a dark panzer gray and overpainted it in my approximation of ordnance yellow. Some gray shows through and it’s weathered with washes of a dust color. I did some extra detailing to it in the form of wiring, pipes and braces. I also added hand brakes from bits of styrene, carved just a little. Some thinner spokes would have been nice also, but the overall effect still looks delicate enough and I did want to finish the project. The only note about the Major was adding semi gloss to his rubber coat and airbrushing some dust around the bottom edge of the coat. The final effect: The vignette reads as a colorful “postcard” when seen in natural light but takes on a more desolate look when lit with a blacklight and the lamp and cigarette are glowing. The idea of the officer arriving at the appointed spot and waiting to be met by persons unknown is convincingly put across. Text and images ©Michael Bishop

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