All suggestions appreciated! I am not sure if this is along the lines of what you are talking about, but I plan on adding some ground foam in and around the taller grasses here and there. If you have ever seen photos of Bill Darnaby's HO-scale Maumee Route in the pages of Model Railroader over the years, I want to emulate the effect he has created. I am holding off on this step until I get to the final detailing phase because I am afraid I will just rub it off as I add trees, bushes, signs, etc. Jamie
ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK: Here is my first ever hand carved rock: I say "rock around the clock" not because I am big fan of the 1950s song, but because it took me 16 hours to carve. I applied the plaster at 8:00 in the evening and finished around noon the next day, setting my alarm every couple of hours (on a work night no less!) to make sure areas did not harden to the point where they could not be carved. Lesson learned: check the setup and working times of a modeling material before applying it to the layout! I'm pretty happy with the results, especially since it is the first time I have ever attempted any kind of plaster work like this. I still want to do some additional weathering and blending as I add the surrounding grass, weeds, bushes, etc. I have also created a detailed post on my blog showing all of the steps I followed in creating the rock: HOWTO: Hand Carved Rocks Jamie
Jamie, I like your results but it shouldn't take 16 hours. I use plaster of paris for my rock formations. It does setup rather quickly, so I work on areas about 1-2 feet long at a time. First I apply a thin coat of plaster over the shaped pink foam. When that hardens, I apply a 1/8 - 1/4" coat that is carved. I start carving when the plaster is a consistency of thick pudding using a four prong "afro pick" to get the strata lines. As the plaster hardens I keep raking the pick over the rock face which causes the plaster to fracture (just like real rock). I then use a very stiff toothbrush to soften the edges. By this time the plaster has pretty much set up. If necessary I use an Xacto knife to finish up the strata. When I start the next section I just overlap the wet plaster by an inch or so and blend the strata with the pick. You might need to alter the method if the strata in the area you model is different but this technique works well for the area I model along the Arkansas River. The area below was done in about 2 hours This is what the scene looks like currently Hopefully this technique will allow you to get a little more sleep. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the tip on the plaster of paris, I actually have a tub of the stuff in the train room that I planned to use for something I can't remember (maybe zip texturing?). I will definitely give this a try for the next rock project. Jamie
The scene looks very sharp. I like how you always make sure the scenery objects aren’t to big that they crowd out the train!
Jamie, Comparing those photos it is clear... the modeling of the gravel just isn't right. That third rock from the right in the prototype photo isn't correctly positioned in the model. For shame :we2-jimlad: Seriously, fantastic work! You have really captured the feel of the scene.
That really is beautiful work!!! If I can get my own layout to look half as good as yours or Jim's, I will be more than thrilled!!
Wow. Everything here works so well together. I think this is a great illustration of the advantages of prototype modeling: a copy of the real thing gives it such realism. Even if you don't recognize the prototype, you instantly think the model could be real because it has all the right elements - especially when so well executed. Time for a video run-by with the crossing gates! -Gary P.S. An obvious point, but static grass adds a whole new dimension to model scenery.
Thanks everyone! The most surprising thing about the way this scene has turned out so far is that you can clearly read the ENTIRE no trespassing sign on the layout. My goal was to just make the big letters readable, but the ol' inkjet printer and photo paper turned out much better than expected. If I can EVER get the second gate actuator hooked in to the Tortoise, I have a LOT of crossing gate material to post. I actually did some fairly advanced DCC programming with JMRI on this project; looking forward to showing how it works. Jamie
Fantastic work Jamie! I'm really enjoying your posts. What did you use for that gravel road if you don't mind me asking?