Hamamachi Station

[serotta1972]

That looks awesome, Grant! I just rode the Inaho Limited Express from Akita to Niigata and a great portion of the route is on the coast of the Sea of Japan. Your module reminds me of many parts of the route going out of a tunnel with the mountains on your left and the sea on your right and then in a tunnel again.  

[Grant_T]

Thanks all. Here is the progress from the last week. In addition to painting/refining various things, I made a trip to the local hobby shop for ground foliage and static grass. The benchwrok also got a coat of black low sheen paint. I was going to cover the fascia with a thin sheet of mdf but decided to sand and paint the sculptamold surface to see how it looked. It is acceptable and actually has a very interesting surface. Anyway, your really not meant to pay any attention to the fascia and when the lights are turned on and you are standing at viewing distance you can hardly see it anyway. Next up (probably this weekend) is more painting/washes/dry brushing of the dirt, concrete and rock surfaces, and then once this has a good chance to dry it is onto the ground work, at which stage there should be a very dramatic change. Thanks for following!

 

[Sheffie]

This looks really promising. I mean, it's already impressive. As someone who's spent a fair amount of time in and around boats, and the shore, and the sea... this works. It has the call of the wild about it.

 

Are you planning to put end panels on, in the sky color? I think they will add something, if so

Edited April 10, 2019 by Sheffie

[Kiha66]

Looking good!  I really love how the washes are already making the rock and plaster work stand out.

[Grant_T]

On 4/10/2019 at 2:55 PM, Sheffie said:

Are you planning to put end panels on, in the sky color?

 

I probably won't as the layout in a box effect you sometimes get isn't something I like the look of. At a good viewing distance you don't really notice the lack of back scene there, and there will be trees on those hills eventually.  I had thought about having a curving backscene but decided not to go that way.

 

I spent a good few hours yesterday painting the layout.

[Grant_T]

Finished with the colouring I think. I'll let this dry and then its time for greenery.

 

 

I've been watching Railfan aunz's videos on Youtube for inspiration, which they offer plenty of.

 

 

[valkyriepm]

That's looking really really great! 

 

Martin

[Martijn Meerts]

Going to look great with some greenery in there.

 

My only criticism would be that you're progressing too fast and making me jealous, since I'm hardly progressing at all 😄

 

[Grant_T]

Put in some long hours this weekend. Here is a bit of a mock up. But there is a long way to go before this is done. 😪

 

[disturbman]

I am really in awe of your skills and how quick the layout has been coming together 🙏

 

You seem quite used to this kind of work.

[Keith]

This is really a piece of art, and in such a short space of time.

[lighthouse]

It looks very nice 🙂 good job!!!

 

[Grant_T]

Thanks guys. On the weekend I'm going to head to the local hobby shop to grab some more of the Heki foliage to fill in the hills a bit more. I might also look for some suitable trees for the middle-ground. I am tempted to finish the hills and take a bit of a break from this and pursue some other things.

[Grant_T]

On 4/14/2019 at 9:05 PM, disturbman said:

You seem quite used to this kind of work.

 

This is my 7th or 8th layout I think, and I've been developing my ideas and techniques through all of those previous layouts. I've never been entirely satisfied, but I think I am getting close to building the "real" layout (i.e. the one that takes twenty years and fills a room).

[sealegend]

I am very impressed!

[Jimbo]

wow!! is all I can say just wow

[Grant_T]

I've added some trees and more static grass and Heki bushes to add depth to the greenery. This is getting to the point that the basic background canvass is done and I can concentrate on the fine modelling for buildings and scenes. 

 

 

In the pictures I find the Tomix Toyota is a pretty amazing model. It is so tiny. 

[cteno4]

Stunning work again grant!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

Wow, the greenery really makes it come alive!  Also really makes the exposed rocks stand out.  Excellent work as always!

[Grant_T]

I'm not sure how much progress on this I will make in the next few of months. We are heading into winter and I have a lot of work coming on, and honestly I feel a bit worn out. I have 10 days in Japan lined up at the beginning of August though, so perhaps that will be an opportunity to get motivated (and hit the shops!).

 

Grant

[beakaboy]

7 hours ago, Grant_T said:

I'm not sure how much progress on this I will make in the next few of months. We are heading into winter and I have a lot of work coming on, and honestly I feel a bit worn out. I have 10 days in Japan lined up at the beginning of August though, so perhaps that will be an opportunity to get motivated (and hit the shops!).

 

Grant

We need you in Tauranga for a few months! The expanded NZ120 Show layout needs your scenery skills! Terrific work Grant. Heading to ChCh at Easter 2020 for the Convention. Would love to see this if it could be arranged.

[Martijn Meerts]

I always have problems staying motivated when you're up to detailing things. When you just start, you really notice the progress initially from laying the track, then seeing the first trains run. Then you start working on landscaping, which has some very visible changes to the layout, and things are really starting to look the part. Even the first layer of grass, trees and shrubs still makes things look completely different. However, then the detail work starts, and while there are still a lot of visible changes, it's usually only on small areas of the layout.

 

This is generally why I have multiple projects going on (probably a bit too many in case ;)), so I can switch between them. And sometimes I don't feel like doing anything train related at all, in which case I build a Gundam kit, or play some games, or just relax. 

[Grant_T]

16 hours ago, beakaboy said:

We need you in Tauranga for a few months! The expanded NZ120 Show layout needs your scenery skills! Terrific work Grant. Heading to ChCh at Easter 2020 for the Convention. Would love to see this if it could be arranged.

 

I intend on being at the convention, hopefully with this layout. Might see you there.

[beakaboy]

15 hours ago, Grant_T said:

 

I intend on being at the convention, hopefully with this layout. Might see you there.

I had better get my A into G then and start my convention model for the competition!

[Grant_T]

I added several different layers and colours of static grass to give it more depth and variation. I also finished the rice fields with a slightly different mix of static grass. I also added a few more trees. I'm starting to think about the buildings. I have the Tomytec buildings I posted earlier, but I'm now wondering whether I can do better by scratch building some of my own. Some new pictures.