FORUM CLINIC: Building realistic scenery

[jfugate]

David:

The other thing you can do is paint an opaque base coat of gray or some other basic rock color over the plaster and let it dry. Then stain the rock wall with a dark color to bring out the crevices and cracks, apply some very thin yellow brown, blue gray, or red-brown washes in blotches to give the rocks some variation in color and finally dry bru***he high spots on the rock face with a light color to give the rocks some snap.

The opaque color first would solve your "different colored plaster" spots neatly.

[DavidGSmith]

Thanks again. I will be working on the area today and will try your method. I usually let the plaster dry for a couple of days. theres no rush, its a hobby not a job. Im retired now and can spend as much time as I want on Model RRing.

[jfugate]

>sigh< ... digging this FORUM CLINIC out of the din ONCE AGAIN ...

[Anonymous]

ARTHILL

I was going through old RR mags the other night... the article you want is June 1969 RMC (Am I aloud to name that here)? P43 "Will the real Bill Baron". I reckon this is the best way.

While looking I also founda Sept 92 article on telephone wires (P80)... someone was asking about that recently... and a Feb 80 article on a location receiving corn syrup.

So, if whoever asked those questions is reading this...

[electrolove]

Bump!

[jfugate]

NOTE: For the latest version of this clinic, see: http://mymemoirs.net/model-trains/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=157

[Bob Hayes]

Bump

[jfugate]

With the latest crop of scenery questions, time to resurrect this thread ...

[DavidGSmith]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, having too much fun doing a lot of scenery. Your suggstion to soak the existing castings worked, thank you.
In rereading this topic I read that you use masking tape over you cardboard strips. I use screen and the add the plaster soaked towels. It does the same thing and the plaster soaks through a bit and bonds nicely. I had a cheap ( free) supply of screening now I have used it all I will try the masking tape method. Will the plaster bond to the tape or is that not really a concern?

[jfugate]

David:

Masking tape can be kind of slippery, making the initial application of the plaster sometimes a problem if the surface is sloped. If you can get the plaster to stay put, bonding to the tape as it hardens has never been an issue.

To solve this problem, paint the plaster with a coat of dirt-colored latex paint. This gives the tape some "tooth" and will help it not slide around while its wet. Another trick is to use two coats, first applying a very thin coat that is almost plaster "paint" and after that sets up, applying a much thicker coat to give the scenery shell strength.

As an interesting aside, applying masking tape to the cardboard strips, then painting the tape dirt brown can, in a pinch, give you some rough layout scenery. It's fast, and it looks a whole lot better than bare benchwork! [swg]

[DavidGSmith]

Thanks again I will give the technique a try.

[electrolove]

BUMP

[jfugate]

Just updated the opening post with the latest link to a new, improved, updated and easy-to-find version of this scenery clinic on my forum at:

http://model-trains-video.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=157

[pcarrell]

bump

[PennsyHoosier]

bump

[pcarrell]

Bump!

[Anonymous]

bump i had to bring this back it was sooooo helpful and others need to c it

[jfugate]

Actually, this is *not* the latest and greatest version of this clinic.

I now actively maintain an up-to-date version of this clinic on my new Siskiyou Line website, with lots of new photos and some more discussion. See:

http://siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?1270

Far easier than continually doing "bumps" on here.

[jfugate]

Time for a bump on this clinic, to answer some scenery questions.

[jfugate]

Here's a bit of news for those who are interested in my how-to DVD volume 4 on Scenery.

I'm finding there's so much to say and demonstrate about my scenery techniques that I've decided to split the Scenery and bridges volume 4 into two volumes. So Volume 4 will come out in the next month or so as Scenery and bridges - part 1.

Then later in 2007, Volume 5: Scenery and bridges - part 2 will come out. For more, with a photo of the new volume 5 cover, click here.

[jfugate]

For some newly updated information on my scenery how-to's, see my web site here.

[BRAKIE]

Joe,I find the best teacher for scenery is Mother Nature..Its always good to study on how to do scenery work but,Mother Nature is the best teacher that shows how things should be even with man's interference.

[jfugate]

Joe,I find the best teacher for scenery is Mother Nature..Its always good to study on how to do scenery work but,Mother Nature is the best teacher that shows how things should be even with man's interference.

From the script to my how-to video on model RR scenery -- I'm talking with newcomer Rick about the secrets to realistic scenery ...

"The first thing you need to do is learn to observe nature. Studying photographs works good too, as long as the photo is properly exposed and has reasonably good-looking color."

So I couldn't agree more.

[SBCA]

Joe, I enjoy reading your material.  Am I not following the link correctly?

Where's the new info?

Edit: It's cool to see a person in the same shot as those trees.  Wow, I would not have guessed they were that big.

Often times HO stuff looks like O stuff when you really start to model larger items.

[Bob Hayes]

Joe,

 Now that I've looked at the previews, I can't wait(don't have much choice) for the whole video.  Want to see how you hide the seam in the vinyl backdrop, among other things.

 Bob Hayes

 

[jfugate]

Bob:

DAP Vinyl Spackling, of course (seriously) ...  

[jfugate]

Joe, I enjoy reading your material.  Am I not following the link correctly?

Where's the new info?

Edit: It's cool to see a person in the same shot as those trees.  Wow, I would not have guessed they were that big.

Often times HO stuff looks like O stuff when you really start to model larger items.

SBCA:

Did you finally get the link to work? If not, send me a private message (pm - below) and I'll help you figure out the problem so the link will work.

Yes, I like to put a person in the picture to remind you how big (or small) those models really are. 

[SBCA]

I think I got it - follow the link to the video.  I thought there was something on the exact page you were linking to.

 

[jfugate]

I think I got it - follow the link to the video.  I thought there was something on the exact page you were linking to.

Actually, there's some news of interest to people who may be looking for more info about my scenery techniques on the page itself and if you want to know more, yes, there's a link to some video previews.

All of the chapters in the DVD will also eventually be turned into video PDFs for MR as part of the new Tenmile Creek series -- so you can get the video info either way -- your choice. The MR video PDF versions, since they're a chapter at a time, will probably come out sooner than the model-trains-video.com DVD since the DVD can't be produced until all the chapters are done. 

If you want to know more about the specifics, you can email me directly or can go post questions in the forum on my web site. 

[jfugate]

For those interested in more on my scenery techniques, I'm doing a series of downloadable video PDFs for Model Railroader called the "Tenmile Creek" series. Please email or pm me directly if you want to know more ... or visit my website (link in my signature).