custom brick paper generator

[nkalanaga]

I saw this site mentioned in the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette, and thought some here might be interested. 
http://www.paperbrick.co.uk/

It's free, can generate files for almost any common scale, asks for no personal information, and returns the files as PDF files, ready to print.  The sheets are randomly generated from pictures of real bricks, and look good in my PDF viewer.  I haven't tried printing one, but there's no reason to think they won't print well.  The site includes a variety of brick styles, laying patterns, brick sizes, mortar colors and thicknesses, etc, so one can match almost any building.  One can even use the "stacked" brick option to make headers for windows, doors, etc, and might be able to notch and bend the paper for arches.

[bdennis]

The link above has an issue with WWW...
Try this
http://paperbrick.co.uk/

[nkalanaga]

Thank you!  Nothing wrong with the website, and I had the site bookmarked correctly, but apparently had "paper bricks" on my mind!  It should work now.

Have you used their products before?  I currently don't need any bricks, so haven't printed the sheets I generated. 

[jimmo]

Great, everything but American bond, the most common brick pattern used here on American brick structures.

[bdennis]

Thank you!  Nothing wrong with the website, and I had the site bookmarked correctly, but apparently had "paper bricks" on my mind!  It should work now.
Have you used their products before?  I currently don't need any bricks, so haven't printed the sheets I generated.

Hi,
No I have not used them before but have saved the link for future.
I just posted my response as I could not get your link to work.
Thanks for posting.

[Sokramiketes]

Great, everything but American bond, the most common brick pattern used here on American brick structures.

That's different from "American Common" that they have? 

[DKS]

Great, everything but American bond, the most common brick pattern used here on American brick structures.

Looks like American Common may be the same thing...

http://paperbrick.co.uk/index.php?action=browsebonds

[Philip H]

So I just ran an American common sheet in red at 1:160 with 10MM mortar lines in gray.  As you might have guessed from all the previous discussions on brick sheets around TRW, you can't actually see the individual bricks when you print it.  at 1:150 the bricks come clearer.

FYI.

[jimmo]

American Common, yes I see it now. My bad.

[C855B]

It breaks my browser's PDF viewer. That must be one honkin' file.

[nkalanaga]

Both of my test files were less than 2 MB, so they shouldn't be too large.  And I'm using an old Acrobat version, so they should work on almost any system.  On the other hand, my Firefox is set up to save PDF files, or to open them in the stand-alone Acrobat viewer, rather than opening them in the browser.

As for not seeing the individual bricks, I agree, with any scale-sized images.  Actually, I can't see the individual bricks on plastic brick sheets from a normal viewing distance, unless the mortar lines are badly exaggerated.

[jimmo]

As for not seeing the individual bricks, I agree, with any scale-sized images.  Actually, I can't see the individual bricks on plastic brick sheets from a normal viewing distance, unless the mortar lines are badly exaggerated.

I agree. I've found that it's mostly an overall coloration and tone that looks realistic. After looking at hundreds real brick structures I've noticed that the mortar lines are hardly visible, yet on some of my brick structure projects the mortar lines have actually interfered with my brick color--making them appear too pink. I've noticed (mostly in pictures) that a lot of other modelers have the same problem.

[DKS]

Although brick papers can photograph very well, I'm not especially fond of them since, in person, they tend to look entirely too flat, especially if they're adjacent to cast or otherwise textured brick.

...on some of my brick structure projects the mortar lines have actually interfered with my brick color--making them appear too pink. I've noticed (mostly in pictures) that a lot of other modelers have the same problem.

I've had this happen as well, and from what I can tell it happens most often when the brick paint is not allowed to fully cure. Alternatively, it happens if they're both solvent-based paints, and the mortar starts dissolving the brick paint, or if alcohol has been added to the mortar paint to thin it and get it to "creep" into the mortar lines better. My preference is to use solvent-based paints for the brick color, and allow it to dry for a minimum of about a week before applying a water-based mortar effect.

[kelticsylk]

I've been looking for scale bricks for a long time. I think is the first time I actually found some. I tried printing a 1:160 sheet on my HP 6500 (ink jet) I thought at first it didn't work. Thought I got a piece of brown paper...


Then I took out a magnifying glass. To my surprise...


A - They actually look like bricks.
B - the printer can print at that resolution

I had to scan the results in, my camera show's only pixels.

As Philip said, we'd have to use 1:48 or bigger if we wanted it to actually look like brick

[jimmo]

I've had this happen as well, and from what I can tell it happens most often when the brick paint is not allowed to fully cure. Alternatively, it happens if they're both solvent-based paints, and the mortar starts dissolving the brick paint, or if alcohol has been added to the mortar paint to thin it and get it to "creep" into the mortar lines better. My preference is to use solvent-based paints for the brick color, and allow it to dry for a minimum of about a week before applying a water-based mortar effect.

The pink coloration I was referring to was not from the white picking up red from the brick color, it was how the overdone mortar lines blended the two colors together at normal viewing distance creating a pinkish tone. My observation of real brick structures has shown me that mortar is rarely ever white. It may start out that way, but not long after being exposed to weather, it tones down. Some mortars are grey or even brown. Looking out my office window at my neighbor's chimney, the mortar is actually tan with rusty-orange brick.

I agree with you on the whole building papers thing, unless it's background I prefer shadow-driven texture.