My revised scenery thread

[Kevinkrey]

Well last night MilesWestern pointed out how my scenery looked to toylike and not Northern Minnesota-ish enough. He also posted some good pics for me to work off of, and some advice. I figured instead of taking over my Missabe Layout Progress thread, I could make another with the scenery itself. I figured I might get more reply to this thread. So Ill post the pics of my progress, and the pics Im working off of. Fell free to comment and please give any advice you might have.

The reference pics:
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/im...orca9_4_00.jpg
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/images/sPCE_1.jpg
http://www.trainnet.org/Libraries/Lib016/WC713.JPG
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/images/dMiTLDs.JPG
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/yellowstone/dmir234.jpg
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/im...elton_Hill.jpg
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/im..._Fairbanks.jpg

Step one: backdrops, MilesWestern pointed out how nice backdrops can be so I decided to make a decent backdrop to go around the rest of the layout, pics comming.

 

[Ralph]

Well I'm glad you accepted Miles' comments in a positive way. If you feel they motivate you to want to improve your layout, then great. Good luck with your new backdrop!

Ralph

 

[Kevinkrey]

I figured I couldnt be real upset at the comment, because it was all true.

Anyway, heres some pics of the new backdrop, pics of the sections primed, painted, and one in place, along with a pic of an section I did a while ago.

 

[Kevinkrey]

Here are some pics of a corner I did. I also have a pic of what I want to do for scenery, that along with the second pic posted in my first post (wrap your head around that)! I figure a tall grass patch a ways out from the track, and then make some scenic express type trees (because they can make beleiveable fall trees). Then I need to figure out how high the tree tops will go so I know where to paint the backdrop heightwise. Any suggestions?

Cmon people, this is why I made this thread, I know MileWestern will have more info, and Im sure Doc could chime in also. Anybody?

 

[MilesWestern]

GO KEVIN!!

You chose a wonderful sky color, very Clear, beautiful Minnesota skies blue!

Supertrees work well (Although I havent quite perfected my method of building them yet) Save up for some Silflor and grass and field related materials available from scenic express: http://www.sceneryexpress.com/departments.asp?dept=1032

I'd recycle the trees you already have and make them "background" trees, hidden behind the more beautiful "foreground" trees you can make yourself or purchase from Canyon Creek Scenics: http://www.canyoncreekscenics.com/frm_trees.htm These are extremely expensive, but you only want/need 2-4 of them for your really stunning scenes where you want to photographs trains a lot.

Another product to consider for your more photogenic locations would be this woodland pasture from HEki. http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HK1871

You can make some plowed fields for variety using this product: http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BH7182

(Or you can do it yourself by buying some sculptamold and taking a large comb with every other tooth removed, drag it though the drying sculptamold, and sprinkle on dirt)

It's really impressive how much of a difference the backdrops made! Excellent work.

(Remember one last thing, Don't paint clouds on your backdrops, your eyes go STRAIGHT to them, no matter how well they're painted.)

 

[Kevinkrey]

Thanks for the links.

Tonight I put up more backdrop, I also made a hill and put dirt over it for a narrow 3" section between the track and backdrop, I think I will glue some polyfiber to the backdrop and sprinkle on some flocking material to simulate trees, this scene is in a book of mine. I have a video (dream plan build video series from MR) with a section on painting backdrops,they blended in white from the bottom up, I tried it and am debating painting over it. I also am adding a hill into the corner to try to mix it up a bit and conceal the backdrop corner.

 

[Kevinkrey]

Well more pics will have to be put on hold. My camera is broke. It takes pics, but the screen is busted up so I cant see what I am taking pics of until I load them on the computer.

 

[Kevinkrey]

Still np pics. But I have the fur, it just doesnt look muck like I thought, I may have bought the wrong stuff, it looks like grass, but not for the right locale. Im only out $4 if it doesnt work, so I can go buy a different style. I havent done much though, going to get some done today though, build my engine house, and look at the backdrop.

 

[TruckLover]

WOW BIG Improvements Kevin!!!! Im going to be folloowing this thread, im gloing to need to this as well as far as backdrops go, since my layout is all shelfs with double main on the front and bu8ildings in the back :mrgreen:

 

[MadHatter]

Your new backdrops look ubercool!!!

 

[Kevinkrey]

I have been working on some super trees, here are a few of them to represent fall birch trees. They are still wet in the pics, so they are still wet, and wrong colors. This isnt their final place either, just somewhere to dry.

 

[MilesWestern]

Go KEVIN! This is awesome, thanks for picking up the ball and really making your layout look exceptional!

BTW, a cheap way to make pastures can be found in the florist section of Michael's Craft store, they're called "Pot Toppers" and they're made from the same material as the Silflor expensive grass, but they're only $2.99 for a 6-8" disk (to fit in a flower pot)
http://ardleybridge.fotopic.net/p50057820.html

http://ardleybridge.fotopic.net/p50057824.html

Check that out!

 

[Kevinkrey]

Thanks. Im still learning with the trees. Those pot toppers might be perfect because Ive never figured out that fur stuff.

 

[MilesWestern]

Yeah, I never figured out how the fur worked either, (I wrote that suggestion as I was trying it out for the first time) I tried the dye as well, and it was completely unsuccessful. I supppose you have to just buy brownish green fur and cut to size and shapes you want.

The Pot toppers look better anyways.


I almost forgot to compliment you on those excellent looking Birch trees! To straighten out the bent ones, hang them on a clothesline upside down, then using a clothespin, attach a small weight to the clothespin and clip it to the top (now the bottom) of the tree.

 

[Kevinkrey]

I painted up a background, and it turned out poor, but it did help to give the trees depth. Now I think Ill make up some very short trees to go behind the ones I just planted to help add depth.

 

[MilesWestern]

Looks good enough, but remember hillsides get bluer the farther they are away from the viewer:

http://www.artisticdesantafe.com/13...jpg/1353jc_Distant_Hills_35x26-full;init:.jpg

The trees on the backdrop do indded add depth to the birches in the foreground, good job!

 

[Kevinkrey]

Looks good enough, but remember hillsides get bluer the farther they are away from the viewer:

http://www.artisticdesantafe.com/13...jpg/1353jc_Distant_Hills_35x26-full;init:.jpg

The trees on the backdrop do indded add depth to the birches in the foreground, good job!

I dont really want any hills higher than the tree tops in this corner, but in other areas I will definately work harder on that.

 

[MilesWestern]

True enough, it's nice to see some really low hills like those found in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It definately fits your theme, as you're modeling the upper plains, not the rockies!

You did a perfect job then. I'm just so used to the higher hills (1500-2000ft) around here.

Like in this photo you can barely tell that the ground undulates, only the slightly lumpy trees in the far distance are any sign of this:

http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/images/DMIR_Limestone.JPG

 

[MilesWestern]

Here are some taller hills for reference for the other side of your backdrop:
(Also check out that cool DMIR signal bridge, that might make an awesome scratchbuilding project!)
http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/images/sPCE_2.jpg

You got the trees 100% correct, judging by this photo: http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/images/217.JPG

Autumn in Minnesota: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1246/1431923145_a23aa3a5be.jpg?v=0

 

[Kevinkrey]

Miles, I have several pictures of the siganl bridge on proctor hill in the fall, a very good idea of a scratcbuild! Id love to paint a scene like that in a backdrop, but I have no clue as to how, and I dont have room anywhere to model it in 3d. Im still playing the scenery thing by ear, or rather eye I guess, but I do have somewhat of an idea as to what I want where. Im thinking of more hills in the background near the taconite plant. That pic with the open grass field is exactly the grass I want to model, maybe those pot topper things you showed me would work. Thanks!

I just painted a few dozen trees white, and tommorow I will most likely give them some leaves. Im trying to figure out how I can make one row of trees look like and endless forest, I even painted a few stems by themselves to stick in without any leaves.