How do you like your Scenery?

[Anonymous]

[8D] You know... My ma always told me the best way to learn something new is to ask questions, and listen.

[:D]I'm learning![:D]

[egmurphy]

I voted 'As realistic as humanly possible", but it would be better said in my case "As realistic as I can make it". I have no illusions about my scenery skills, but I consider scenery very important as the setting for the trains. I will try to do good as I can, and I expect that I can be satisfied with what I will eventually produce, even if it doesn't come close to what some of the guys can do.


Regards

Ed

[orsonroy]

Whether you model based on the prototype or freelance, the best layouts always lean heavily on realism, just as the best movies, books or lies are based mostly on the truth.

My scenery is heading towards a large residential area, and I'm currently digging through the 'net, looking for 1940s-1950s era photos of backyards. I've found several dozen so far, and you'd be surprised at how different they look as compared to today's flat green driving ranges. I want to make sure that my backyards and alleys look more like the real thing, and not what I see every day.

[dragenrider]

I think I'm a little more on the "good enough" side of things. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I don't want it shabby, either. For instance, a flat even green field is a little unrealistic while a hilly field with differing shades and a few bushes is better.

[Anonymous]

Not enough choices. Attitudes toward scenery are far too varied.

I'm not out to create a precise snapshot of time and place, but I'm not so wishy-washy about it that "Sort of " suggests. I agree with Ed. My attitude towards scenery is to be as realistic as I can make it, given the constraints of my talents, budget & time and by my definition of "realistic.".

How, exactly are you defining realistic? I think the scenery I've started might be realistic in that it is "representational" of the area I'm interested in. It is by no means intended to be "prototypical" and I make no effort to insure that the hardware store is on the northeast corner as it was in 1919 and not the southwest corner where it looks better on the layout..

So my vote, if the choice were given, would be "Prefer scenery to offer a realistic presentation of the general "feel" of the era & location."

Wayne

[twhite]

I'm kind of with Ed Murphy on this one--as realistic as I can make it. Since I'm modeling the Sierra Nevada, I have to be careful with the various transitions within the mountains themselves--from clay cuts in the foothills to big granite outcroppings in the higher elevations. Mix of deciduous and evergreens in the foothills, to predominantly big evergreen timber in the mountains (and lots and lots of Poplar trees to boot). I'm pretty proud of my scenery, I've been complimented on it a lot by friends who've visited the layout and people who've seen my web-site, but it's definitely not 'down-to-the-last-rock-and-bush' like some other layouts I've seen and envied. But it works for me.
Tom [:I][:I]

[AggroJones]

I aim to create the vision in my head, which is highly realistic . Usually the scenery comes out pretty close. I'm satisfied.

[Anonymous]

I like my scenery well done, thank you.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

Southern fried![:D] I voted for # 1.

[selector]

I'm with Wayne on this one. Too restricted a range in the choices. So, I voted for most realism possible, because it is my INTENT. The execution is almost always less than intended, but I have to say that generally done good.

My tunnels, trestles, and bridges came out very nicely indeed. I am waiting, as I type, for the Nu-Lustre 55 epoxy to harden on my river and lake. So far, I think it rates about 9/10.

[CBQ_Guy]

For some reason, the accuracy of the scene, (which includes scenery, of course), is pretty much THE most important aspect of the hobby for me. Ever since I was a kid I have this need to create realistic looking scenes in miniature. I have no idea why . . .

[Anonymous]

Sorry about the short amount of options...[:(]
But as of now I'm all for the realism. I wanted to see if most of you guys like scenery to be realistic so that I'd know what to do with my trains set.

Thanks everyone![:)]

[trolleyboy]

I've votedfor a realistic as humanly possible.The only way to get completely realistic is if your a garden scaler or outdoor lice steamer[:D]Mind you with all the quality scenic products WS et all and some good alternates like aggros furnace filter trees one can get some pretty darn realistic looking scenery. Mr Fugates scenery how to is an excellant place for you to learn some solid tecniques as well. Rob

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ShelterValley__Trainman


But as of now I'm all for the realism. I wanted to see if most of you guys like scenery to be realistic so that I'd know what to do with my trains set.

Thanks everyone![:)]

Go for realism if only for the buffer it adds. People who see it will consider what you're doing to be more than "playing with trains."

Wayne

[fiatfan]

I voted for A but realize that I am only human and each human has a different set of talents. I do know this human cannot match the talents of some of the others in this group, but I do try.

Tom

[Anonymous]

#1, but as was said before, "Not enough choices"

( ^_^ )

I tend to go for the ultra realistic approach.

[Anonymous]

I do my best, but scenery isn't my strong skill. Hence why the scenic side of the layout is unfinished 4 years after starting it while the "operational" side (track, etc) was finished in 6 months and has only had some minor tuning since then (Kadee magnets to replace over-powerful McHenry ones, some rewiring, installation of power bus for DCC). The parts that really worry me are my use of lichen ground cover (looks like bushes but scale out to large trees...) and my gravel roads - the gravel "pieces" are the size of a person's foot in HO!

[randybc2003]

I think I would say "realistic enough". Scenery is the "stage set" for the railway. The scenery should be deceptively realistic. If a guest can stand 2-1/2 feet from from the edge, and say "yes - I recognise that", then you've got it right.

I think scenery is something like art - romantic, realistic, abstract, or even "modern". Rember the last article on the "new" Cat Mountain & Santa Fe??

[ukguy]

I voted for #1, although as a beginner my skills are far from those of many of the people here, I constantly strive to make my scenery as realistic as possible, if only to me. I read and learn and read some more in a constant effort to reach the best, most realistic effect I can. And then after reading and looking some more I get hints and tips that let me improve further.

I have found during my first attempts at scenery that if I keep going back to an area a couple of days after I think the area is somewhat 'finished and add some more scenery detail it gets better every time, I think scenery is an area where 'more is more'. It is one of my favourite aspects of the hobby.

I am however having major difficulty painting and weathering my buildings and vehicles <sigh>. My attempts at scratchbuilding look great until I paint them and mess them up, and my DPM kits look good assembled and painted until I start to weather them. Oh well, keep on keepin on I guess, I'll find the technique eventually, probably when I reach my last structure and then I wont be able to repeat it.

Have fun & be safe.
Karl.