Hi guys!
I have finished my bechwork which is 9x2 feet and now it's time to set up a nice photo background. I plan to build HO Southern Pacific in California style but right now I don't really know what to choose for material on the background? There is paper, vinyl, ployester and with or without adhesive on the back. Unfortunately, I have no experience of what is best, or most easily done ... or are there more things to consider?
I have 3mm masonite as background, and as sides. The front piece will be painted flat black. The height of the photo backdrop should be at least (60cm) 23 inches.And then I have to have something on the left and right sides, how do you do that because the rails can not stop in the middle of a "backdrop desert"?
The Diorama will consist of yard-buildings and some freight terminals.I have seen that LARC Products has something that could suit me.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks and a happy new year! : )Regards.
I don't recall what they use on MRVP but they frequently cut off the sky, trimming right at the edge of trees and buildings. Sometimes they cut out a whole building and mount that separately on something like posterboard to give more depth.
I'm planning on moving my small layout so I do not have a backdrop. Although I have thought about it. Having not seen it in person, I have concerns that the perspective won't look right.
I looked at your site http://larcproducts.com/Backdrops.html I'll bet it's a whole lot easier to put the self sticking backdrop on crooked rather than straight. At $8-9 sqft that would be an expensive mistake.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Scandinavian "I don't really know what to choose for material on the background? There is paper, vinyl, ployester and with or without adhesive on the back. Unfortunately, I have no experience of what is best, or most easily done"
"I don't really know what to choose for material on the background? There is paper, vinyl, ployester and with or without adhesive on the back. Unfortunately, I have no experience of what is best, or most easily done"
I don't know either.....But I do know that your "diorama" looks pretty nice!
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
I had a professional printer print a photo on vinyl for my background, which I glued to 3mm hardboard, using white glue.
Worked great!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Thank you guys,
Here is a quick build information: The diorama is hung on the wall -
The backdrop and sides stand loose on metal angles -
And its easy to adjust hight if its to low or high-
The lights are LED bulbs 40w, 6 pcs in 2 sections, 3+3 so i can dim down a bit if i like to. (double pole switch as can be seen to the right in the picture)
Hope to here more comments how to add a backdrop for this.thanks!
: )
Tinplate toddler -
Wow, that looks just like i want it... a deep 3D feeling.Good info, thanks!
Tinplate Toddler I had a professional printer print a photo on vinyl for my background, which I glued to 3mm hardboard, using white glue. Worked great!
That's very nice, and the angle of the backdrop photo aligns well with the angle of the layout photo.
A thought about photo backdrops in general. Since we nearly always view our layouts from the perspective of looking down, any photo bcakdrop used should also be taken from the same perspective, looking slightly down at the subject. The above backdrop does that.
So many photo backdrops are taken from street level, or a slightly upward looking perspective. Just like viewing our model structures on the layout, we should also see some roofs of structures and a slight decline in the topography as it moves into the distance.
Nice photo.
- Douglas
Paint the backdrop a very light sky blue color then find some nice pictures of some mountains. Trying searching google images. Cut out the sky and only use the mountains. Print and cut out pictures of individual buildings that the picture is head on, not at an angle. Tape them onto the background. Overlap them to make a collage.
I really like the idea of a photo background, but i can add some "Photo" buildings and maybe use pictures of individual buildings at the left and right sides... to give it more realism and depth.
And to place the yard and facilities in a "correct background environment" is a goal of mine, i will try to accomplish that, if i can.
Thanks : )
Scandinavian I really like the idea of a photo background, but i can add some "Photo" buildings and maybe use pictures of individual buildings at the left and right sides... to give it more realism and depth. And to place the yard and facilities in a "correct background environment" is a goal of mine, i will try to accomplish that, if i can. Thanks : )
Right now I paint my backdrops then using Evans building DVD I design my own buildings and apply them to my backdrop, gluing the building backdrop to Gator board and adhering it to the backdrop with double sided tape, but real photographs would be nice.
Just some examples.
Robert Sylvester
Newberry-Columbia, SC
Ulrich, fantastic backdrop
Robert Gimp, it's been a while since I used it. Never really mastered it, but it works like any windows program. The photo has to exist, before you can work on it. Either it's on you phone or camera as a file or it's on the internet. Save it to your computer and use the File command to open it.
I think i find a professional printer company first and have some chat with'em.
Then trying to find some matching pictures that i can modify and implement in a photo backgroud, i use to fiddle around with the PhotoShop program doing some ad's and stuff, so that could be a fun project.
If you integrate other buildings into a photo, make sure the viewing angle is the same. There is nothing more awkward looking as a mismatch in perspectives.
I think this vid is visible without belonging to MRVP. A cleanable backdrop.
http://mrv.trains.com/videos/sponsored-videos/2019/01/sponsored-video-railroadbackdrops-com
Walgreens can do some nice poster prints inexpensively with their coupons. I am fortunate in that my father took so many beautiful photos of the mountains I had scanned his slides into my computer, all 22,000 of them so far. The mountain scene on the right was a Walgreens poster print. I still need to do another one for behind the mine.
Don't overlook using smaller prints- behind city scenes- Sorry about the sepia tone- good steam area look. It blends in well with the foreground buildings. This one was my Dad's work too- To me it is a little way of honoring him too- he passed away nearly five years ago. Jim
"RailroadBackdrops.com" tadaa...
Thats some serious stuff, will check'em out.
Thanks! : )
"Don't overlook using smaller prints- behind city scenes- Sorry about the sepia tone- good steam area look. It blends in well with the foreground buildings."
Totaly agree with that - have see some guys use it and it make a ton of difference, it can make a small scene really come alive. Nice touch about your father...