Layout Progress! Nov 30/07

[spitfire]

I finally got some time today to work on this corner of my layout. I had the embankment partially scenicked, and now it's complete. I have been spending time here and there over the last couple weeks weathering track and laying ballast. This section of track is behind the city area, and now that it is completed, I can start putting my buildings back, putting in roads and streetlights.

The first 3 shots form a panoramic view of the corner. The 4th is a detail view of the weeds growing by the tracks, and the last one, my favourite was shot with the camera sitting on the layout.

Hope you like it!

Val

 

[Ralph]

That looks real good Val! I love the weeds! Very convincing!
Ralph

 

[jesso]

Wow! Those weeds looks incredible. You did a great job!:thumb:

 

[MilesWestern]

You did such a great job modeling one of the best skies I've EVER seen. EVER. I however think the illusion is totally given away by the shadow the poles make...could you flip them to the other side of the tracks, so the illusion would be great? The weeds, and other foilage are absolutely GRAND!!

 

[Catt]

Nice modeling girl.As usual :mrgreen:

 

[spitfire]

Thanks for the kind comments folks!

Miles, I agree with you about the shadow, it's very distracting, but I think I have a solution. I can't/don't want to put the poles in front of the track because once I string wires it will interfere with reaching the track. I think if I print out some poles and glue them to the backdrop that will solve the shadow problem. Then, where the backdrop is further away on the curve, I can put 3D poles, with some EZ Line wire. Hope to try that today.

Val

 

[Ralph]

Val, I once saw a club layout that had painted poles on the backdrop similar to what you are suggesting. It was pretty effective, I thought. Printed ones will look even better!
Ralph

 

[cnw1961]

Val, your weeds look fantastic. What did you make them of?

 

[cn nutbar]

hi val---excellent work---i can only hope and dream my layout will one day look as good :thumb:

 

[MilesWestern]

OR! you could cut the poles in half legnthwise, and glue them to the backdrop rendering them 3D and without a shadow!

 

[farmer ron]

Hi Val, looks awsome !!! Great work. I agree with Miles Western, even if you do not cut the poles just glue them to the back drop, cut the back side bar off where the wires were to go then gue them, leave the front bar on and put the wires on there, would give great 3 d look..again great job..Ron..

 

[spitfire]

Thanks Nutbar!

Kurt, I made the weeds by pulling some tufts from a scenery mat by Silflor - a sampler pack. Got it from Scenic Express. I fyou need more details, LMK I have the package right here!!

Miles I like your idea, and your refinement, Ron. I was planning to draw in the wires, but with a partial pole i could just run the EZ line all the way along. :thumb:

Val

 

[doctorwayne]

Great looking weedy embankment, Val. I especially like the flowered weeds in the fourth view.

Wayne

 

[cnw1961]

Val. thank you. I am already using the Silflor prairie tufts, but haven’t used their scenery mats yet. Looks like a must have.

 

[spitfire]

Kurt, I'm not sure if you were referring to the "flowering" weeds, or to the grass on the embankment. Just in case you meant the embankment, I used 2 different kinds of mat there. The all tan is Silflor and the tan and green mix is Busch. It is very pricey, as are all of those static grass mats, but sure looks like a mix of tall and lower grass. The Busch mat was $30 for a piece 8-1/2" x 11-1/2". (Silflor is the same price but the mat is bigger). Cutting in half lengthwise was the perfect size for the embankment, so that gave me almost 2 ft of linear coverage.

 

[cnw1961]

Val, I’ve seen these Busch mats at my LHS. They looked really good, but I backed off from buying when I saw the price. I will defintitely go for the Silflor mat. Thank you for the info.

 

[rogerw]

Val, Ricky Williams gives your grass/weed two thumbs up:thumb::thumb:

 

[doctorwayne]

Oh, to be a football hero...

Wayne

 

[rogerw]

sorry Wayne I couldnt resist, Im blaming it on the meds