Jump to content

Arigna Town - this week's scenery

Rate this topic


David Holman

Recommended Posts

DSCN0428.jpg

Am now at the stage where 'ground cover' is being added, so decided to start from the fiddle yard end. Hopefully the tree and garage help to hide the exit to the train turntable. Relied heavily on the writings of Barry Norman, Tony Hill and, especially, Gordon Gravett, who's new book, 'Modelling Grassland and Landscape Detailing' deserves to be the reference book of the next few years. you do need an electrostatic grass 'planter' though. Will add some more notes in my blog.

The garage is still not finished and the close ups of the petrol pumps expose the crudity of my hand lettering. However, while the Classic Commercial castings and transfers remain unavailable will have to do for now. The pumps are [like pretty much everything else] scratchbuilt and came from doing an internet search for pictures. the choice of Esso was down to the 'head' being the simplest shape, though have since found that headless examples were quite common in Britain, so presume the same occurred in Ireland?

DSCN0427.jpg

DSCN0426.jpg

DSCN0425.jpg

DSCN0424.jpg

DSCN0422.jpg

DSCN0421.jpg

Edited by David Holman
  • Like 2
  • WOW! 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantastic David it looks as it should, and you can't achieve that level of finish without hard work and using all the experience you have gained during the years. Gordon Gravett is a remarkable scenic modeller. Pempoul is one of if not the best scenic layouts I have ever seen.

 

Rich,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have been working my way along the layout, towards the station, from the fiddle yard. A couple more trees done and much fun experimenting with the electrostatic grass tool. 6mm fibres mainly, but also judicious use of postiche [artist's hair], spray lacquer and fine crumb.DSCN0466.jpg

 

Have had to adjust the colours on the backscene as the trees did not match the colour of the Woodlands scenic matting I used for the foliage. Still more work needed here as the colours are still probably too bright.

DSCN0465.jpg

DSCN0464.jpg

DSCN0451.jpg

DSCN0449.jpg

DSCN0443.jpg

DSCN0442.jpg

DSCN0438.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Humbling comments chaps. You certainly know how to make someone feel good!

 

The white, corrugated building started life as a dairy, believe it or not, but there wasn't enough room for it on the previous layout. However, you are right, it is Wills sheets, the corrugated asbestos version, which to my eye look fine in 7mm scale. The provide the overlap of sheets much better than Slaters. The building is now serving as the Arigna Town Miners Welfare...

The barn is also all Wills sheet, on a card formers. The stonework is used all over the layout and is marginally easier to paint that brickwork. The trick with the corrugated roofs is to run dirty thinners into the gullies and when dry, dry brush the ridges with a lighter shade of the top colour. See Martyn Welch bible for details.

Meanwhile, have become unhappy with the back scene behind the goods yard, middle board, so that has been painted out, pending a mark two (or maybe mark 3) attempt. Will keep you posted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Humbling comments chaps. You certainly know how to make someone feel good!

 

The white, corrugated building started life as a dairy, believe it or not, but there wasn't enough room for it on the previous layout. However, you are right, it is Wills sheets, the corrugated asbestos version, which to my eye look fine in 7mm scale. The provide the overlap of sheets much better than Slaters. The building is now serving as the Arigna Town Miners Welfare...

The barn is also all Wills sheet, on a card formers. The stonework is used all over the layout and is marginally easier to paint that brickwork. The trick with the corrugated roofs is to run dirty thinners into the gullies and when dry, dry brush the ridges with a lighter shade of the top colour. See Martyn Welch bible for details.

Meanwhile, have become unhappy with the back scene behind the goods yard, middle board, so that has been painted out, pending a mark two (or maybe mark 3) attempt. Will keep you posted.

 

great stuff and thanks for the info. looking forward to seeing more:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Humbling comments chaps. You certainly know how to make someone feel good!

 

The white, corrugated building started life as a dairy, believe it or not, but there wasn't enough room for it on the previous layout. However, you are right, it is Wills sheets, the corrugated asbestos version, which to my eye look fine in 7mm scale. The provide the overlap of sheets much better than Slaters. The building is now serving as the Arigna Town Miners Welfare...

The barn is also all Wills sheet, on a card formers. The stonework is used all over the layout and is marginally easier to paint that brickwork. The trick with the corrugated roofs is to run dirty thinners into the gullies and when dry, dry brush the ridges with a lighter shade of the top colour. See Martyn Welch bible for details.

Meanwhile, have become unhappy with the back scene behind the goods yard, middle board, so that has been painted out, pending a mark two (or maybe mark 3) attempt. Will keep you posted.

 

Taking Irish scenic modelling to a whole new height and showing what can be achieved in a small space. I am a great fan of the Will's Scenic sheets, the effect seems to be even better in 7mm Iain Rices book on making the most of the kits has been my bible for over 20 years and I am still learning http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0906867711/ref=olp_pr_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While some way from being finished yet, I very much hope the layout will make its debut at the Chatham show, at Gilingham leisure centre in June next year. Assuming all goes well, will then be open to invites.

Main tasks still to be done are 50% of scenics, a triple armed signal, display boards/fascia, plus another small tank and a few more wagons. Reading that makes me sometimes wonder if I am on schedule, but hey winter approaches which is very much the modelling season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have tried to follow my own advice in last week's blog by returning to the 'little and often' approach.

The problem I have with scenic work is that the first application [on top of previously bare boards] seems to make such a difference, that I either then try and go on to do too much, or think it is ok and don't need to do any more. In the first case, it definitely helps to let paint, glue etc dry [seems obvious but have far too many of those t-shirts in the drawer], while for the second, a return visit, even an hour later soon shows how much still needs doing.

When applying ground cover, you only have to look at nature to see how varied everything is. Hence my scenic work is built up in layers. The basic sequence is:

- scatter foam on a bed of PVA glue, then wet with water/dilute PVA and apply a layer of static grass straight on top.

- this is when it pays to wait for things to dry!

- after out with the postiche/scenic matting and spray lacquer to add layers of weeds, brambles etc

- alternatively, use the static grass for a second layer

- additional detailing then comes by planting previously made nettles [horse hair dipped in crumb], dry grass etc

These last few jobs can be done quite quickly and are very satisfying in terms of seeing things build up. Beware over doing though! Equally, a trim with the scissors can soon restore order.

Hope you like these latest pictures. The 'end' board is now nearing completion, though every time I go back to it, the list seems to get longer - mainly in terms of stuff still needed for the garage. Am hoping a shopping trip to the Reading Trade Fair in December will help.

DSCN0516.jpg

DSCN0514.jpg

DSCN0510.jpg

DSCN0508.jpg

DSCN0507.jpg

DSCN0502.jpg

DSCN0501.jpg

DSCN0499.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

David,

 

Can i say two things - please get a moderator to merge all the threads, just so i can rate the thing 5 stars. Secondly, the quality of the photography is astonishing. It picks out the detail, gives you a sample of what may beyond the layout, and i'll be mighty upset if none of the big three publications come knocking on your door. Thirdly - i lied - i robbed some books from wrenneire last week and your railbus was expertly shown in one of them. I was astonished at the accuracy and finish. Your 4mm cousins, myself included need to up our game. Just bloody gorgeous....and as for the buildings, perfectly vernacular, the Shaffreys would approve. So well captured, particularly the choice of building names, the arrangement around the rail head, and the backscene.. god it's good....richie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you again for the kind words.

No idea re the moderator thing, advice anyone?

 

Must admit to being pleased with the pictures. Believe me I am not expert, though an eye for composition perhaps helps. I mainly use a fifty quid Nikon Coolpix, set on auto and lowest resolution for the website. Only adaptation comes from using the Microsoft Works 'crop' tool in the photo editing bit. The other thing is to mostly go for low angle shots, putting myself on the same plane as if looking at the real thing. This can really help hide stuff you do not want seen and improve overall perspective. Taking pics is also like doing a proof read of your modelling. Sometimes they show up stuff that really needs improving, other times you can get a nice surprise. Guess which ones I share!

 

25 years doing fine scale modelling, mainly in 7mm scale has helped me gain the skills I now use. However, there is so much fine stuff available commercially now That I really do feel it is well within anyone's ability to produce an effective layout. For me it I'd the scenics that can make all the difference and what I do is very much thanks to the writings of John Ahern, Barry Norman, Iain Rice, Martyn Welch, Tony Hill and Gordon Gravett. They have done all the hard work and then shared how they achieved it.

Am wary of repeating what they do, but will try to put something on Workbench to show my interpretation of it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the merging BosKonay, am guessing I stick to the same thread in future. A bit slow, but I get there in the end. Bit of a butterfly mind too...

 

Re the grass, Barl, 'tis incredibly easy if you possess one of the wonderful static grass machines. Whether the cheap, tea strainer one [Freezinghall Models], or of the more expensive type, they are the poodles' privates for scenic work. Mine cost me £75, but has been worth every penny. Also use the Noch puffer bottles too, which are great for tight spaces. My local model club invested in one & is be loaned out. Nice idea if you don't want to splash out yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use