Doughless This thread is very inspiring. The backdrops from Backdrop Warehouse was discussed in an earlier thread and I believe that'll be the way I go. All of the photos in this thread show some great scenes. I think Joe, Mike, and Rich all make good points. All of Motley's scenes are great, but I think the scenes that show a pasture or field before the mountains emerge are the most effective. The transition helps to push the mountains even further away.
This thread is very inspiring. The backdrops from Backdrop Warehouse was discussed in an earlier thread and I believe that'll be the way I go. All of the photos in this thread show some great scenes.
I think Joe, Mike, and Rich all make good points. All of Motley's scenes are great, but I think the scenes that show a pasture or field before the mountains emerge are the most effective. The transition helps to push the mountains even further away.
I agree with everything that is being talked about here.
I have spent the last few years searching and yearning for a backdrop for my Dearborn Station simulation. I have wanted to have a background that depicts downtown Chicago in the 1950s. Some of the city scenes from Backdrop Warehouse come close to being suitable, but the buildings are not 1950ish, and they don't look like downtown Chicago.
Over this time period of searching and yearning, Michael has been a constant source of badgering (LOL) but also encouraging. I finally took some action to get closer to my final objective.
For some time now, I have been drooling over a cover photo on Warbonnet magazine that captures downtown Chicago in color in the late 1950s from the Board of Trade building on the west to the Michigan Avenue hotels on the east. I was able to purchase single user rights to this photo which is of very high resolution measuring 10" H x 13" wide.
I had the photo cropped to 4" x 13" to eliminate the sky portion and much of the ground clutter keeping only the building skyline. This cropped photo is now in the process of being blown up into a 24" x 78" backdrop. I hope to get it later today, and I will share the results. What I hope for is a slightly hazing background to compliment, not compete, with the foreground.
If successful, this could be another way to go with backdrop scenes.
Rich
Alton Junction
Looks great!
My new backdrop should arrive within two weeks (again from backdrop warehouse). Hope that mine matches up half as well as yours does.
You received it, hung it up, and took these pics all in one day? And you say that you used double-sided tape. I was planning to go with rubber cement which is the most recommended method, but you have me thinking twice about it.
Yes the site is crazy- but lots of options for size, scaling, etc. Almost too many choices.
Huntington Junction - Freelance based on the B&O and C&O in coal country before the merger... doing it my way. Now working on phase 3. - Walt
For photos and more: http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/
HObbyguy You received it, hung it up, and took these pics all in one day? And you say that you used double-sided tape. I was planning to go with rubber cement which is the most recommended method, but you have me thinking twice about it.
When Michael sets his mind to something, there is no stopping him. I, too, cannot believe what he accomplishes in a day.
Regarding rubber cement, it just seems to permanent. Michael has convinced me that double sided tape is the way to go.
HObbyguyYou received it, hung it up, and took these pics all in one day? And you say that you used double-sided tape. I was planning to go with rubber cement which is the most recommended method, but you have me thinking twice about it.
I used Industrial strength Velcro. Can pick it up at Lowes or Home Depot. You'll be able to make adjustments if needed.
JC
Ya I went crazy once it was delivered, was too excited.
What I did was first used some pins to hold it up temporarily. Once I got it adjusted correctly. I removed the pins for a small section. Then cut up small pieces of the double sided tape. And placed them around the edges and in the middle. Then repeated this process from left to right, until I reached the end.
This paper is very heavy so it didn't wrinkle up on me when I removed the pins.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Since there is a lot of rich color in my backdrop, It might be a little more difficult for me to have the kind of contrast that you achieved. I figure my backdrop commands a little more. Meaning my background will have to basically have the same tone of colors with what is on my layout. If you can see that dot in the middle of the sky its a LED. I put a few of them around the backdrop to add streetlights or stars.
MotleyThen cut up small pieces of the double sided tape. And placed them around the edges and in the middle.
HObbyguy MotleyThen cut up small pieces of the double sided tape. And placed them around the edges and in the middle. What type of tape did you use? I have some heavy reiinforced carpet tape that I use for odd MRR purposes- sticks like crazy (semi-permanent). Did you put any tape along the length of the middle and bottom of the backdrop, or just along the top and sides?
I used the semi permanent Scotch brand double tape. Just add small pieces to the middle and along the bottom too.
I think the backdrops look great Micheal.
Once everything is done, I think it will really make the scene.
Thanks Derek.
I created a small hill and planted some trees to cover the hole in the wall going to the extension room.
And this is the other corner with trees now.
mike thats looks great i need to come over and see it
jeff m
jpmorrison mike thats looks great i need to come over and see it jeff m
Hey Jeff, how's it going? Long time no speak. How's your layout going? You're welcome any time to come see the improvements on my layout.
Motley And this is the other corner with trees now.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Michael,
looks fantastic.
brad
Nice work on the corners. Something that I have discovered recently is how much store bought trees can gain texture just by painting them. Real branches and leaves are not the exact same color. Over the weekend, I hit some of mine with rattle can spray paint in a variety of greens and browns from about two feet away, and the random affect from the various paint splatters hitting the trees really made them look even better. I find that a final light dusting with the lightest shade makes it look like sunlight shimmering off the branches.
- Douglas
Doughless, nice tip on the painting trees, I will try that.
Now that my new backdrops have a mountain scene, the downtown scene next to it even looks more out of place. I'm thinking of changing that one to a another mountain scene. Its 24" x 72".
Along the D&RGW Moffat route, there is a 4-5 track rail yard in Minturn, CO. So a rail yard in the mountains is prototypical, and my railyard in this scene will match that.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=365940&nseq=7
Thoughts?
Here's a section of my new backdrop, temporarily pinned up. I built the benchwork for this phase of the layout like a tank so I can move it away from the wall and finish the installation. Right now (since these pics were taken) I am working on new lighting. The Backdrop Warehouse paper is very thick so it does not want to wrinkle and how it is lit up makes a big difference. Now I am thinking of just taping it up to the wall and running molding along the edge to cover the tape and dress it up.
I am also playing around with trees to see what makes the best transition. I tried highlighting a few trees with paint but for me sprinkling a little very fine yellow turfs set with hairspray seems to give better results. Also now that I have the backdrop I can make trees for the transition that more closely match those in the background. One thing good about foam, its easy to plant trees, move them around and experiment.
Hobbyguy, that looks amazing! Really good looking backdrop you have, and it blends in with your scene perfectly. Love the trestle bridge. Good choice on the backdrop.
Yes that paper they are printed on is very thick, and no wrinkles.
Motley
While this post was running, I was starting to build a hillside separating my outside main and inside. I just wanted to show what I was referring to in terms of a lesser contrast. between background and foreground.
Joe C
Despite being in this hobby for 50 years now, I am always still amazed at how much better a layout looks with good back drops. The tree high and distance looks right. The layering of mountains is great. Amazing.
HObbyguyNow I am thinking of just taping it up to the wall and running molding along the edge to cover the tape and dress it up.
Be cautious about relying on tape only unless the installation will be accessible easily in the future. Good tape can hold for years, but even it eventually loses its grip. Anything tacky enough to stick permanently will likely mar the wall and then you probably are better off with staples or tacks.
What I did with some recent backdrops done on aluminum flashing is to either drill holes at the top edge and use small nails or use a staple gun (goes right through flashing.) Then I went over it with trim. Obviously, drilling holes in even thick paper is out, but a staple gun or tacks would work well. You can also apply tape to the back of the backdrop to give that area more strength to hold whatever fasteners you do use.
mlehmanBe cautious about relying on tape only unless the installation will be accessible easily in the future. Good tape can hold for years, but even it eventually loses its grip. Anything tacky enough to stick permanently will likely mar the wall and then you probably are better off with staples or tacks.
Most of my walls in the basement are old painted paneling. They are straight and flat but I never have found a stud behind the paneling even at the seams and have no idea how it is actually attached. Screws are about useless in the paneling but I've found that my air driven brad gun works well.
So, the tape is meant to hold the backdrop securely in place until the molding is up. I will attach the molding using my brad gun so that the brads go right through the tape and backdrop and into the paneling, hiding the tape and securing the backdrop permanently. I was going to hang masonite first and then glue the backdrop to the masonite. But I don't see much sense in that since the only way to attach the masonite to the walls is by gluing it or using the same brads.
I spent several hours working on lighting today. Everything looks much better lit up properly but the popcorn ceiling is not making the job any fun.
This thread and the other one that was running in the layout forum a few weeks ago have been well-timed. I didn't even know custom-order backdrops existed until a couple of months ago. Glad I got the backdrops now, instead of waiting any longer.
Motley Doughless, that looks amazing! Really good looking backdrop you have, and it blends in with your scene perfectly. Love the trestle bridge. Good choice on the backdrop. Yes that paper they are printed on is very thick, and no wrinkles.
Doughless, that looks amazing! Really good looking backdrop you have, and it blends in with your scene perfectly. Love the trestle bridge. Good choice on the backdrop.
Michael, don't you mean HObbyguy?
richhotrain Motley Doughless, that looks amazing! Really good looking backdrop you have, and it blends in with your scene perfectly. Love the trestle bridge. Good choice on the backdrop. Yes that paper they are printed on is very thick, and no wrinkles. Michael, don't you mean HObbyguy? Rich
Whoops nothing gets past Rich. LOL
I edited my post.
Hey its all good!
Just glad that you got this thread going, like I said it was well-timed. I placed my order only a couple days before your first post and spent at least 10 minutes going over each of your pictures when I first saw them. And I never would have thought of pinning a section up on the wall to see how it looked (well, maybe I would have.)
I was shocked when they were delivered so quickly- well under two weeks from my order date.
- Walt
Walt, I'm happy that your happy with your new backdrops. Always glad to share my experience with things like this, if it helps others here too.
I just ordered another new backdrop from backdrop warehouse. For the left wall/window section of my layout. Right now I have a downtown scene backdrop, it doesn't fit with the mountains of the new backdrop, which is right next to it. So I ordered another mountain scene, this one is 24" x 6'.
I'll post up pics here when I get it.
HObbyguyThis thread and the other one that was running in the layout forum a few weeks ago have been well-timed. I didn't even know custom-order backdrops existed until a couple of months ago. Glad I got the backdrops now, instead of waiting any longer.
Walt,
Yeah, once you start building stuff in front of where they go, things only get more difficult.
Sounds like your fastening plan is good. All it takes is some physical barrier to the tape slipping. It needn't be much, just needs to be.
mlehman Sounds like your fastening plan is good. All it takes is some physical barrier to the tape slipping. It needn't be much, just needs to be.
I am in the process of adding a new back drop to one end of my layout, and I am planning to use Scotch brand doubled sided poster tape which is advertised as "removable".
I gather from the remarks being made on this thread that something more is required like staples or molding at the top or both. Staples trouble me because they will damage the paper back drop. Molding bothers me because it will interfere with the smooth look of the paper back drop.
I could glue the back drop on, but that is really permanent.
Is there any way out of this dilemma?
I posted earlier in this thread that I used industrial strength Velcro. It is made by Velcro and it can be found at Lowes or Home Depot. The width of the tape is about 3". One side on the back of the backdrop, the other on the wall. One thing though, When putting the tape on the backdrop, draw a line with a ruler and pencil to give you a straight and even line. Once the tape is on the backdrop, it's on and hard to get off. But the result is what you want. I have had no movements or mishaps. And you can make corrections if needed.
Joe, thanks for that reminder about the Velcro. I recall it now, but forgot that you had discussed that option.
My backdrop is on matte finish poster paper from Kinko's. It is fairly heavy, and it does not produce ripples or waviness, so it will look good and stay smooth once I mount it to the Masonite backing.
How thick are the Velcro strips? I just wonder about the space between the paper backdrop and the Masonite panel.
How much spacing do you allow between each 3" wide strip of Velcro?