Why photos help

How to add the atmosphere.
David Knight
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:02 pm

Why photos help

Postby David Knight » Sun Jun 13, 2010 5:15 pm

before.jpg
I can remember reading a long time ago in Model Railroader about how John Allen helped another modeller improve his models by taking pictures of them and making 'cruel enlargements'. The same applies to our layouts as I have discovered by comparing pics of my own layout to those of Mark Stapleton whose layout pics can be found here; viewtopic.php?f=9&t=756

My own layout, Nether Upton had undergone some upgrades since its first display and was looking, to my somewhat biased eye, greatly improved but when compared to Mark's layout with which it was displayed at GBTS 2010; viewtopic.php?f=62&t=847

The obvious difference was the lack of foreground and the sharp edge of the layout top compared to the blended scenery. I have since done something about it and the results can be seen below.
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David Knight
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:02 pm

Re: Why photos help

Postby David Knight » Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:50 am

Just a few additions to explain the transition, which was inspired in part by the article on the South Hants MRC and their layout in a weekend article in S4news 167. I noted in the photo their foreground pieces and proceeded to cobble up my own out of styrofoam insulation scavenged from a local building site and capped with some hardboard strips that I had been saving "just in case". The wide section got one layer roughly 1" thick x 2" high, the tapered part two and the narrow bit two. These were fastened with No More Nails adhesive and left to dry. Shaping was done with a knife and then the edges softened with a file and coarse sandpaper. Painting followed with Woodland scenics ground cover added while the paint was still wet. After another suitable period of drying further layers of colour and texture were added. All in all worth the effort and at virtually no cost apart from the use of materials I already had in stock.

Hope this is of some use to someone.

Cheers,

David

Transition.jpg


Transition stage.jpg
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LesGros
Posts: 546
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:05 pm

Re: Why photos help

Postby LesGros » Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:26 am

davknigh wrote:Hope this is of some use to someone.


Certainly useful to me David, I still have much to learn about all modelling techniques.
I believe that others,too, like to see how people achieve the splendid layouts we see both in photo and in exhibition.


best wishes
LesG

The man who never made a mistake
never made anything useful

David Knight
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:02 pm

Re: Why photos help

Postby David Knight » Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:50 am

Thanks Les,

This is a tough place to make postings as the skill level is, for the most part, quite high already. OTOH if you can help one person then it was worth it. :D

Cheers,

David


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