Improvements To My N Scale Architect HARRIS Tower

I've published a photo of my N Scale Architect PRR HARRIS Tower here before. This is how it looked after I'd assembled and painted it, with Roberts Products mortar applied, and instaalled a Just Plug LED:

I was never completely happy with it. The embossed brickwork didn't work all that well with the Roberts Products mortar, and I didn't like the uneven look of the lighting from the single LED. Eventually I installed Woodland Scenics Light Diffusing Film behind the windows, but I still didn't feel like I was finished.

Not long ago I saw a video with a shot of the prototype HARRIS tower in the 1970s. It was much darker than it is now since its resoration. Here's a photo I found on the web of it in that earlier condition:

The video also showed it had ivy growing on its west side, but that's also gone. I decided if I darkened the brick areas and added some ivy, I'd be happier with how the mortar came out. Between the carker brick, the Light Diffusing Film, and the ivy, here's how it wound up:

The ivy is barely visible on the rear corner in the photo above. I made it by smearing full-strength Elmer's glue with a fingertip over the area I wanted to apply the ivy. Then I sifted Woodland Scenics light green turf over the area and let it dry.

I darkened the brick first by brushing brick-colored chalk over the brick areas. I fixed the chalk in place by airbrushing a mixture of a little Tru Color grimy black paint, a little clear flat, and a lot of acetone over the whole tower, including the roof. I didn't bother masking the windows off. This toned down the brick color but left smaller mortar lines visible. I'm much happier with the result.

The Light Diffusing Film also makes the light from the single LED much more even. The NCE Illuminator that I'm using to run the LED also allows me to adjust brightness, and I'll probably dim it.