A year ago, I came across a YouTube channel for Luke Towan (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjRkUtHQ774mTg1vrQ6uA5A). While I've been planning on scenery for my layout for a while, I've been holding off while weeding out any issues with my track since it's easier to make adjustments before things get glued down.
Anyways, while watching Luke's videos, I started getting an urge to do my own diorama to do some practice scenery on as well as to provide a nice backdrop for roster pictures of my rolling stock until I can get scenery going on my actual layout.
So I got some of the leftover pieces of styrofoam that I'd saved when building the layout as well as an extra length of flextrack and roadbed, stopped at The Train Station (http://www.trainstationohio.com/) for some scenery supplies to add to what I had leftover from my old layout at my parents' house, and got to work.
I started out by shaping the fill for the track and securing the fill, roadbed, and track to the base.
I then got to work on the scenery, painting the blue stryofoam with Woodland Scenics undercoat, ballasting the track, and adding ground foam to the fill.
I was then going to use another piece of blue styrofoam with the blank side as the background, but after finding a backdrop at The Train Station on another stop there, I decided that it looked better than just a plain blue background.
I then got to work on the rest of the scenery, attached the background, and added trees.
Didn't turn out too badly for not having done scenery work (or is it play?) since 2001.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
Very nice Kevin.
A good Scotchman will always say it like it is though.
Picture 10 11 12 somewhere in that area, you nailed it with the foam painted rock look. It was looking quite spectacular.
Sometimes less is more.
If you would have scattered around what you did a little more sporadically in the end with the ground foam coverage and left some of that earlier rock, I think you would have ended up with a Wow!
I hope you don't take offense to what I am saying. Positive, honest feedback is my best motto.
It looks good. My honest opinion is you buried some of the best efects you had and some how didn't see what you had already created.
I'm still learning too Kevin, ... we all are. Looks good, I enjoyed your post
I am very familiar with Luke Towan from Australia. He is personably likable, very talented and one of my favorites.
TF
Nice work on the diorama, but also good documentation of just how easy scenery is. It's mainly about getting over the threshold to actually make some scenery, then insipration generally follows. This is a great example of how to do just that. And you're right, it's mostly fun and feeling your creative skills come alive as you do it. For all the Plywood Pacifics out there that got track laid, then hung-up, there's really no reason to quit there as you prove.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehman Nice work on the diorama, but also good documentation of just how easy scenery is. It's mainly about getting over the threshold to actually make some scenery, then insipration generally follows. This is a great example of how to do just that.
Nice work on the diorama, but also good documentation of just how easy scenery is. It's mainly about getting over the threshold to actually make some scenery, then insipration generally follows. This is a great example of how to do just that.
Kevin, that diorama is outstanding. It looks great.
I did something similar before I began the actual ballasting and landscaping of my first HO scale layout a few years back. It gave me an opportunity to perfect my techniques, and it gave me the confidence to move forward on ballasting and landscaping my entire layout.
Rich
Alton Junction
The overall effect looks great. I had to go back to see what TF wa talking about, and I think he has a point, but still, great work. Luke Towan will be my go to as I proceed with the scenery. Dan
Track fiddler Picture 10 11 12 somewhere in that area, you nailed it with the foam painted rock look. It was looking quite spectacular. Sometimes less is more. If you would have scattered around what you did a little more sporadically in the end with the ground foam coverage and left some of that earlier rock, I think you would have ended up with a Wow!
Actually, the "rock look" wasn't what I was looking for. I painted the styrofoam on the fill to kill the blue styrofoam look in case any showed through the ground foam, a lesson learned from my old layout. :)
Kevin, You did a great job on this diorama project. The pictures of your equipment look great in this setting you made.
A+
-Kevin (a different Kevin)
Living the dream.