Alright, so I got completely hooked on Magic City Series Season 3. You know how it is, you find a show, and bam, it’s all you think about for a bit. So, I figured, why not try and make something? I’m not much of an artist, mind you, but I get these urges.
Getting Started – Or Trying To
I decided I wanted to build a little scene, like a diorama, from one of the episodes. The one in the old warehouse, you know? Looked cool. So, I started by rummaging around for stuff. Found some old cardboard boxes, leftover paint from when I tried to repaint the shed (that was an adventure in itself, let me tell you), and a tube of glue that was probably older than my dog.
My first go? A complete mess. Seriously. Things wouldn’t stick, the cardboard kept bending in weird ways, and I ended up with more glue on my fingers than on the actual project. It was like trying to assemble those flat-pack furniture pieces with instructions written by someone who’s never seen a screwdriver. Just frustrating.
The Actual Process, Bit by Bit
I almost chucked the whole thing in the bin. But then, after cooling off and re-watching that specific scene from Magic City Series Season 3 for the tenth time, I thought, okay, simplify. I was trying to make it too perfect, too exact. Who am I, a movie prop designer? Nah.
So, I grabbed some fresh cardboard. This time, I focused more on the general shape and the atmosphere. I spent a few evenings just cutting pieces, painting them – mostly greys and browns, trying to get that gritty look from the show. It was actually kinda relaxing, you know, after a day of dealing with endless emails and meetings about absolutely nothing important. My cat kept trying to “help” by batting at the little pieces, which was… an added challenge.
- Cutting the main structures: Walls, some broken bits of floor. Used a craft knife, nearly sliced my thumb a couple of times. Classic.
- Painting: Layered on some cheap acrylics. Tried a bit of dry brushing to make it look weathered. Watched a couple of videos online for that, felt like a pro for about five minutes.
- Adding details: Little bits of wire for pipes, some crumpled paper for debris. The kind of stuff you just find lying around.
The lighting was the real head-scratcher. I wanted that moody, single-light-source feel. Tried some tiny LED lights I had from an old Christmas decoration. One setup got a bit too hot, almost had a mini fire department call-out in my living room. Switched to a different, less ambitious battery-powered one.
What I Ended Up With
So, after all that fiddling, I finally got it to a point where I could step back and say, “Yeah, okay, that’s something.” It’s definitely not going to win any awards. If you look closely, you can see all the wobbly bits and where the paint’s a bit dodgy. But you know what? It captures the vibe of that scene from Magic City Series Season 3, at least for me.
It’s now sitting on my bookshelf, next to some old paperbacks. My kid actually pointed at it and said “cool,” which, honestly, is high praise. It’s a bit rough around the edges, a lot like most things I try to make, but it’s mine. And it was way more satisfying than just binge-watching another season of something without having anything to show for it, if you get my drift. Just a little something I cobbled together.
