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Creative => Customs Gallery => Dioramas & Buildings => Topic started by: Little Jo on September 05, 2006, 20:14:57

Title: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on September 05, 2006, 20:14:57

Finally PM made it: they provided the most suitable incredients for customizing a lighthouse. Last Saturday I went to my local toy store getting those: the new airport tower (which is available in Germany since September 1st). So here is my variant.

As you can see, I worked in the blinking light from the airport tower. To enlarge the lightning fire I covered the blinking light with a capsule from my two-component modelling glue putty. To diffuse the light I inserted a tracing paper to the capsule walls.

The glas cylinder around the fire is made from a plastic bottle which normally contains sparkling water; some white plastic stripes had been glued to it to make it looks like made of four sections.
The roof top is a plastic throw-away ice cream bowl. The railing is made from wire mesh (bought at my local DIY store); the top of the railing is a PM fire hose which I cutted lenghtwise (just one side) and put on the mesh.

Sorry for the poor photos, but I must admit, that I'm currently lacking a suitable background (sky) which is big enough to cover the complete background of the lighthouse -- so this is not my normal quality on providing new customizings  :-[  :(

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on September 05, 2006, 20:23:41

Well, that's amzing - I'm dumbstruck.  It could be a genuine Playmobil production.  Write to them quickly before they think of it!

I take it that the harbour theme has seized you. :)

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on September 05, 2006, 20:36:30

Quote from: playmofire on September 05, 2006, 20:23:41

Well, that's amzing - I'm dumbstruck.  It could be a genuine Playmobil production.  Write to them quickly before they think of it!

Hm, I'm not sure if they already haven't had that idea on their own. The parts from the airport tower are that useful for such an item; just imagine a slightly different looking top, some different imprints and voila it's also a lighthouse.

I've become a little bit wary of my customizing ideas, after PM launched a baby zebra recently, and right after I finished my own swan variant as tribute of admiration for Andy's idea, photos came up with an original PM swan planned for next year.

Quote from: playmofire on September 05, 2006, 20:23:41

I take it that the harbour theme has seized you. :)

:lol: No, not at all. It was only because there had been some discussion of the community in the past about a lighthouse. I agreed that a lighthouse really would be a nice item for a PM world. There are already some customizings out there, but I wanted to make a more classical one. So here it is.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: cachalote on September 05, 2006, 20:39:14

 :)
great building, little jo.
thank you for showing it to us.
i am sending this other image of another "real" lighthouse that looks just like yours. it's in the city of beira, in mozambique (an ancient portuguese african colony).
if you don't mind me making a very small sugestion, i think a sea-gull with be a great addition to your fantastic lighthouse.
thank you again.
 :)

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Sylvia on September 05, 2006, 21:00:59

 :o :o :o

I can't get over how perfect it looks  - quite an achievement considering you used several non-Playmo parts.

The background problem you mentioned does not detract at all from the simple beauty of your creation. :wow:

Absolutely wonderful! 8-)

Quote from: cachalote on September 05, 2006, 20:39:14

if you don't mind me making a very small sugestion, i think a sea-gull with be a great addition to your fantastic lighthouse.

Agreed! That's probably the only thing that could be missing from the scene you created, Jochen. ;)

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Jimbo on September 06, 2006, 00:02:37

Hi Little Jo,

That is a real great lighthouse, WELL DONE!!

Jimbo

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on September 06, 2006, 04:40:49

Quote from: cachalote on September 05, 2006, 20:39:14

if you don't mind me making a very small sugestion, i think a sea-gull with be a great addition to your fantastic lighthouse.

For sure I don't mind. The sea-gulls are really a must. I consciously avoided any further details so far because I first want to solve the sky problem (the window cleaner with just for testing if in the reduced space between railing and window a figure still can "act"). Then for a full environmental photo there also will be some lawn be added etc. I'm also thinking of adding a house next to it like in you photo; that's a quite common combination. But e.g. the medieval houses a quite big in relation to the lighthouse (or the other way round: in comparison to them the lighthouse is to small).

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: cachalote on September 06, 2006, 11:14:22

 :yup:
the house will be a problem, no doubt.
as i am only into pirates, i don't know the range of buildings avaiable in the other families.
for the background problem, you can always use the gallery "klickies in the real world" started by captain henry.
here´s a picture of my town's lighthouse that might inspire you.
again, thank you.
 :)

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on September 06, 2006, 12:57:09

Here are some pictures of three UK lighthouses, one of which is partyl maybe built on the accommodation.  The knight superset might be the answer.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: cachalote on September 06, 2006, 14:17:19

a lighthouse, as little jo just demonstrated, would be a very nice playmobil set.
now that the g.p.s. navigation system is taking over the seas, the lighthouses are becoming increasingly obsolete.
nevertheless, they are one of the most beautiful constructions man has made.
i very much like them when they are mixed with ancont fortresses, like the ones playmofire shows.
little jo's one is kind of shorter, maybe more like the one in the cover of this book...

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on September 06, 2006, 14:47:00

Quote from: cachalote on September 06, 2006, 14:17:19

a lighthouse, as little jo just demonstrated, would be a very nice playmobil set.
now that the g.p.s. navigation system is taking over the seas, the lighthouses are becoming increasingly obsolete.
nevertheless, they are one of the most beautiful constructions man has made.
i very much like them when they are mixed with ancont fortresses, like the ones playmofire shows.
little jo's one is kind of shorter, maybe more like the one in the cover of this book...

Interestingly, the lighthouse theme is very popular with stamp collectors.  New issue lighthouse stamps sell out very quickly and there is a Lighthouse Stamp Society.

Here's one which is a mix of the old and the new.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on September 06, 2006, 15:09:54

Quote from: cachalote on September 06, 2006, 11:14:22

:yup:
the house will be a problem, no doubt.
for the background problem, you can always use the gallery "klickies in the real world" started by captain henry.

 :)

Yes, that was also what I was thinking of because the real world sky is endless and should be sufficient for the lighthouse. Nevertheless in real world I'm dependent of waiting for a "nice sky".  Although it's sunny here the sky doesn't look nice  :-\

Quote from: playmofire on September 06, 2006, 12:57:09

Here are some pictures of three UK lighthouses, one of which is partyl maybe built on the accommodation.  The knight superset might be the answer.

Wow, what a lot of lighthouses this thread brought up ... *hmgrpfl* Gordon, what did you suggested? I'm not with knights and now I have to buy this superset ... because this idea is absolutely fantastic!!!  :D
Can anybody provide me the diameter (or better the area in general) of the round 4133 fortress section? I wonder, if the lighthouse tower can be placed inside the round section of the mini-castle. Has anybody some detailed pictures of this set?

This really would be the perfect solution in case the fortress can be combined with the tower.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: FireChief on September 06, 2006, 15:17:05

hello Jochen,

That looks great.  :yup:  Thanks for sharing.


Ben

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on September 06, 2006, 15:40:40

Quote from: Little Jo on September 06, 2006, 15:09:54

I'm not with knights and now I have to buy this superset ... because this idea is absolutely fantastic!!!  :D

It even has rocks around it, which is the reason no doubt for putting a lighthouse on it. ;D

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on September 06, 2006, 20:16:59

Quote from: playmofire on September 06, 2006, 15:40:40

It even has rocks around it, which is the reason no doubt for putting a lighthouse on it. ;D

Oh yes, indeed. Actually I had been messing around virtually some days ago with the rocks from the dark castle but hadn't a good idea how to arrange them suitable together with the tower. But this is really a great idea. Thank you again, Gordon.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Tim_w on September 08, 2006, 20:41:24

Hello  Little Jo  :)

:wow: Your custom lighthouse is amazing !! It really does look just like the ones in the pictures !! I cant wait to see it on the base covered with rocks.

Kindest Regards  Tim  :wave:

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on September 09, 2006, 09:45:20

I got my copy of Playmobil Collector 2 yesterday and couldn't resist posting this scan of the stamps on it! :lol:

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on September 09, 2006, 16:16:15

Quote from: Tim_w on September 08, 2006, 20:41:24

:wow: Your custom lighthouse is amazing !! It really does look just like the ones in the pictures !! I cant wait to see it on the base covered with rocks.

Thank you Tim and all the other for your praise, and Tim, I will show some photos with the rocks  ;D because:

I must say, Gordon, your idea with the rocks/castle was absolutely brilliant. You have a very good imagination for this. I bought today the knight superset and ... it looks great. I just have to find a piece of sky where no house, forrest, hills etc. are in front of to make the photos without any disturbing "real-life" artefacts.

Quote from: playmofire on September 09, 2006, 09:45:20

I got my copy of Playmobil Collector 2 yesterday and couldn't resist posting this scan of the stamps on it! :lol:

 :lol: That's really funny!

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on July 12, 2007, 19:14:22

Ok, during the board has been down I was a little bit busy making some photos of my final version of this custom lighthouse. The "story" with more pics can abe seen here (http://www.jr-x.de/playmobil/customizing/leuchtturm.php) on my homepage.

(http://www.jr-x.de/playmobil/customizing/leuchtturm_1b.jpg)

(http://www.jr-x.de/playmobil/customizing/leuchtturm_3.jpg)

(http://www.jr-x.de/playmobil/customizing/leuchtturm_4.jpg)

(http://www.jr-x.de/playmobil/customizing/leuchtturm_7b.jpg)

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on July 12, 2007, 19:20:29

Wow, that is superb, Jochen.  Really magnificent.  Must follow up the "how to" link now.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: Little Jo on July 12, 2007, 19:28:24

Quote from: playmofire on July 12, 2007, 19:20:29

Wow, that is superb, Jochen.  Really magnificent.  Must follow up the "how to" link now.

Thanks, although I also must state here clearly that the idea with the basement was from you Gordon. Thanks, it really fits perfectly.

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: playmofire on July 12, 2007, 19:42:24

Quote from: Little Jo on July 12, 2007, 19:28:24

Thanks, although I also must state here clearly that the idea with the basement was from you Gordon. Thanks, it really fits perfectly.

Thank you, Jochen, although it's one thing to have the idea but an entirely different one to produce it as well as you have, and presented it in the photograph.  The picture reminds me of the time Diane and I had a cycling holiday in Norfolk and we stopped at the lighthouse at Happisburgh (pronounced Hazebrr!)

Title: Re: Lighthouse
Post by: cachalote on July 13, 2007, 01:00:05

it is now perfect. :wow:
the sea-gulls really made the difference (just kidding).
a very nice building, no doubt.
the best way to welcome this renewed site.  :)