I don't think it's been mentioned in the earlier posts, but when trying to find a color to use you might try Joe Fugate's method of color matching found in his scenery video. He takes a photo of the ground color he's trying to match and gets some color swatches at the paint store that are close to the ground color in his photo. He then picks the paint color that most closely matches the color in his photo under train-room lighting conditions. This last step of comparing colors under the train-room lighting conditions is critical for a good color match since the colors may look completely different under the lighting conditions in the paint store.
Bob
Thanks again all. Keep the comments coming. Sorry my responses are slow due to "approvals" needed me being a new member.
Thanks all again. Very helpful indeed.
We use latex house paint as a base many times, then spread appropriately colored dirt, sand ,etc--whatever fits the territory.
Richard
First, a question. Do you live in the Central Valley?
If so, go for a drive and take a look at the ground color in the area. Note how it varies - and why.
If you don't, attack the Internet with great gusto - using Central Valley town names for keywords. Granted that the digital images won't tell as much as on-scene investigation. they're a big improvement over a total lack of knowledge.
Then, buy latex paint at your big-box store, along with color additives. The paint should be the lightest shade of the local ground color, and the additives can be used to darken and vary it to match what you've seen. Bear's advice to put down the darkest shade first is valid - that would represent damp or wet soil under the drier surface layers. You also need to take irrigation methods and patterns into account. Even Farmer Jones applying soil additives and nutrients will result in a spray-bar wide trail of different color. That will be straight as a chalk line, but (If you're modeling the present) probably mottled. (They use GPS to vary the type and quantity of additive, literally meter by meter.)
Accurate modeling of a flat agricultural area is a skill that I haven't had to master. My railroads run in a cedar forest where the scenery stands on edge. Most of the visible `ground' is rock...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I am the furthest thing from an artist you will ever see. That being said a few years ago I learned that the best landscaping art begins with an absence of colour. So I painted everything a dark brown (even though they said black) but the darker the better. Work lighter from there and your scene will look really full and rich as in complete with colour. If you just use the colours of the area your modeling, it can look anemic without the richness that the underlying dark will add. Just my
As far as the trails go, try sprinkling a bit of tile grout with your finger along where the trail goes.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Did you check out the "Oakville Sub" Tehachapi themed layout in the July MR? There are some in-progress scenery photos that could provide inspiration for modeling central CA, including base color on the scenery shell.
Rob Spangler
Hi,
One thing to keep in mind, "dirt" can be a very wide range of colors. From black as coal to near white sands, from light yellow to dark brown, from a light almost pink color to a brownish shade of red - there is an amazing array of color out there. In my car travels over the US, I have just marveled at the array of color out there. In fact, some of the prototype earth colors would look fake on a layout.
For the countryside, shades of beige to brown/black work pretty good for the most part. But I would keep it on the lighter side. As you are likely going to apply groundcover, I would tend to get the best "ballpark" color I could find, and it sure does not have to be expensive.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Thanks everyone! This is well appreciated. Some trials in the future ...
Neeraj.
I use a color called Nutmeg Brown from Glidden, but it's a reddish brown that matches the dirt around here very well.
I think you've gotten the best advice -- take a photo to the hardware store and try to match the color. Get the cheapest interior latex you can find. I've never done what Lion suggests, but I do essentially the same thing with very dilute acrylic paint, so it should work.
For the farm, I agree with the folks who say model the structures and put the fields against the backdrop, and let your backdrop cover the real-estate. You can't make a convincing farm in HO scale unless you're prepared to sacrifice a whole lot of space.
For well-trodden paths, use a color of fine ground foam or ballast that is slightly darker than your base color. Paint the path with glue, apply foam / ballast, let dry. Add more foam / ballast if desired, dribble with dilute rubbing alcohol (35% -- half the strength of what you buy in the store), then add dilute glue or matte medium. Let dry. Vacuum up anything left over. Voila! A path.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
LION goes to look at the color chips at the hardware store. When you find one that you like buy the color. Not the paint, just the color. Put it in a gallon bottle, add water and you have a stain which you can use to color sand or other media that you will spread about.
LION used it to color the paper machie used to create mountains.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Welcome to the forums.
I am not totally familiar with the color you will need as a base. Look at the area, then go to a paint store and find something close. Often you can find a can marked down, as it was the wrong color for someone else. Close enough should do nicely, as you will be putting other colors and textures over it. I used a tan color, as there is dried grass and dead leaves on the ground. The various colors of ground foam you will use on top of it later will gradually hide most of it.
When I was doing the initial painting, I painted a square foot or two then sprinkled on the first layer of ground foam onto the wet paint. Saves one gluing step. Do not totally cover the paint with one color of ground foam. Unless you are modeling a golf course or large lawn, colors vary in nature. Use different colors and textures.
For farms, go down the right hand column to Search our Community. You should get some connections to threads there. Farms can take up a lot of real estate. Most often the farmstead is done, with a small field or pasture representing the land mass. If you put it at the edge of your layout, it will look like it goes on further, off the layout.
An unpacked pathway could be done with a narrow brush putting down a line of appropriate color paint or just glue. Sprinkle on color of fine ground foam or finely sifted dirt that you want. Sweep of the excess when dry.
Good luck,
Unless you live in the desert west of the US your dirt is too black for modeling. It will SCREAM black and never look like what you intend.
Thus latex indoor paints are necessary for ground colors.
But if you are in the west........... great............ go find some desert sands and fine blow sands and put it down. Only people in the west will understand the last sentence.
see ya
Hi team,
I am new hear and have been reading/absorbing the material on the forums. Building a 16x6 feet HO freelanced layout. This is my second layout- I tried a 8x4 first but it really was too small for me.
I am not electrically challenged ... But VERY artistically challenged it seems, and now that the tortoises are humming under the table and Phase 1 track laying is done, I can not avoid scenery!
So, a couple of questions:
1. Trying to model relatively sparse vegetation with grass underbrush as seen in Central California. What base color for the ground (using latext paint on extruded foam) should I use?
2. Any suggestions for making farms. Links would be really nice.
3. What material should I use for unpacked pathways? Wanted to put a couple of "trails" in.
Thats probably too much for now, looking forward to your responses.
Neeraj