Adding Figures

[Kamiyacho]

Personally, i think scale figures add a lot to a scene.  For example, I've added some Showa figures to my rural village as shown in these photos.  I've begun adding some others to the downtown Tokyo area but haven't made a big push yet as I need to do a lot more signs first.

[Bernard]

Curt - What manufacture's figures do you use on your layout?

[Kamiyacho]

What manufacture's figures do you use on your layout?

 

Mainly Tomytec, although I have some Kato and a few TGW as well for variety.  Inside some of the buildings I've used the less expensive figures from China, and in a couple of places I have used ProHobby figures.

[David]

Currently outfitting my E127s with TomyTec figures now that they have decoders and lights. Lots of tiny legs being cut off. Also, either the cab is very cramped, or the TomyTec drivers have way out of scale arms.

[Bernard]

Currently outfitting my E127s with TomyTec figures now that they have decoders and lights. Lots of tiny legs being cut off. Also, either the cab is very cramped, or the TomyTec drivers have way out of scale arms.

 

David - Do you have any photos you can share?

 

Curt - Are you gluing down the figures (if so what type of glue) or putting them on clear plastic like the ones used for windows in buildings? (in case you want to move them latter) 

[David]

Currently outfitting my E127s with TomyTec figures now that they have decoders and lights. Lots of tiny legs being cut off. Also, either the cab is very cramped, or the TomyTec drivers have way out of scale arms.

 

David - Do you have any photos you can share?

 

Curt - Are you gluing down the figures (if so what type of glue) or putting them on clear plastic like the ones used for windows in buildings? (in case you want to move them latter) 

 

I've only just started - I did all the electric work, and installed the first few figures to get an idea for how they looked (I had to figure out a good way of judging what the "floor" of the Kato car actually corrisponded to height wise. However I've already hit a set back thanks to KenS in the Microace thread, his pictures of the E231 reminded me about painting the interior. This should be interesting, as Kato used plastic that is the same color as the seats for the E127 models, so I think I have to paint the floor instead. That's going to be a challenge with the motor car (not always clear what is a seat and what's just a bump) so I'll be using some reference photos to figure it all out.

[Kamiyacho]

Are you gluing down the figures (if so what type of glue) or putting them on clear plastic like the ones used for windows in buildings? (in case you want to move them latter)

 

Mainly I use WS Scenic Accents Glue, which allows you to move the figures later if you want.  The key is to be patient and let it get a bit tacky first.  If you are too quick to put then in place they will topple over.  If you move a figure after positioning it there may be a bit of glue left behind, but usually you can get most of it off with just your finger.

 

On the JRM layout, which gets moved a lot, I added a bit of full strength white glue after the figure was in place.  But white glue can be hard to hide on a smooth surface. Fortunately, on the JRM layout my figures were in the countryside.

 

Jeff has put some figures on thin clear acetate, which to me is a bit shiny.  However, the concept is good so I am looking for a more matte version as I have a couple of areas (like an underpass beneath my Shinkansen station) where that might be the best approach. 

[Bernard]

On the Kato structures it is easy to put figures on different floor levels because they are built up, but what about the Greenmax, Tomix, Tomytec, Vollmer, etc., buildings where it is just a shell. How would you go about adding figures to lets say the 3rd floor of a building?

[cteno4]

I did the figures on the acetate to use on the jrm layout when we use to tear everything up. we were not doing any figures, but for the first cherry blossom festival we did i wanted a cherry blossom festival on the layout for the cherry blossom festival. i agree they are shiny and i would not do this on a more permanent layout. from a few feet (the crowd is held back a couple of feet from the layout due to too many finger and we keep the layout low for kids to see better) you really dont see the acetate, but if you get up close its shows up and also in photos with flashes. fun if you want something quick and dirty for a short thing like this...

 

http://japanrailmodelers.org/photos/_sakura/pages/page_5.html

 

http://japanrailmodelers.org/photos/_sakura/pages/page_13.html

 

http://japanrailmodelers.org/photos/_sakura/pages/page_14.html

 

http://japanrailmodelers.org/photos/_sakura/pages/page_15.html

 

i agree with curt, i like the more rubbery scenic accents glue, sort of a cross between rubber cement and white glue.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Kamiyacho]

Don't forget to man your heavy equipment.

[Scaper]

adding people brings a scene to life.

 

I wonder can you get a person in those Cats?

[cteno4]

take a closer look there's one in there!

 

jeff

[Bernard]

take a closer look there's one in there!

 

jeff

 

Yes....but where are the other guys at the site "drinking coffee?"  

[Claude_Dreyfus]

It must be 'Golden Week' or such like in Yamanouchi Oshika, as there are currently only about 20 people on the whole layout. Fortunately a fellow club member, with expensive tastes(!), has donated about 15 boxes of Preisler figures to boost the population. Combine this with a small selection of Kato and Toytec figures, and we should have a decent number...

 

As the layout does get moved about at lot, so I tend to use superglue to fix figures down. As the contact area is pretty small it is not impossible to remove the figures if needs be.

 

Slightly off topic here...our club's chairman runs a small cottage industry making model railway figures...mainly in H0/00 and 0. I have yet to convince him that N Gauge is the way to go...he has come up with the excuse that as the masters are all hand-carved, his range matches the limits of his eyesight! 

[Bernard]

Nice donation by your club member!

 

On eBay there are some Chinese/Hong Kong companies that sell lots of 100 figures. They're not very expensive and can be mixed as background figures or in buildings to give the impression of a busy area.

 

 

It must be 'Golden Week' or such like in Yamanouchi Oshika, as there are currently only about 20 people on the whole layout. Fortunately a fellow club member, with expensive tastes(!), has donated about 15 boxes of Preisler figures to boost the population. Combine this with a small selection of Kato and Toytec figures, and we should have a decent number...

 

As the layout does get moved about at lot, so I tend to use superglue to fix figures down. As the contact area is pretty small it is not impossible to remove the figures if needs be.

 

Slightly off topic here...our club's chairman runs a small cottage industry making model railway figures...mainly in H0/00 and 0. I have yet to convince him that N Gauge is the way to go...he has come up with the excuse that as the masters are all hand-carved, his range matches the limits of his eyesight!   

[cteno4]

Claude,

 

cool, nice to get people! i find that the white glue holds about as well as the super glue does, but you can always remove it from both surfaces with a drop of water to soak it off. super glue on many styrene surfaces will leave a permanent mark (ie on your sidewalk). the accent glue actually holds as well as the other glues, its just if they get knocked into they may end up bent over at 45 degrees. the little cherry blossom festival on acetate sheets has put up with many moves and ends up sliding around in the container they are stored in during transport a lot as well as the acetate flexing when you pick it up. amazingly no one has come loose, just a couple at 45 degrees now and then, but they can get bent back...

 

the chinese figures work best as curt and bernard have mentioned in larger crowds and inside buildings where you just make out the shapes. in crowds put the nicer figures on the outside where there are viewpoints and the cheaper ones behind to mass things up. miniature world uses thousands of these to create their big crowd scenes. i really wan to do some sort of park scene with a big crowd, maybe like 1000 or so people, that would really get some attention. when i ever get the castle built that could have some good crowds around it as well!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Kamiyacho]

Thought I would share some photos of what people are doing over on the Unitram set. I took this set to an outdoor Obon festival in the summer and the heat encouraged some of the figures to do the 45 degree lean, but I am getting it corrected. 

 

I need to work on my close-up photography skills, but it is fun nevertheless.

[Bernard]

Curt - I love that you don't just place figures on your layout but you set up a situation. You tell a little story in each scene.

[Kamiyacho]

Adding drivers is fun.

[Bernard]

Curt - Do the drivers fit in easily into the trucks?

Also do you also add passengers to your trains? If so, how do you get them to fit in?

[Kamiyacho]

Do the drivers fit in easily into the trucks?

 

It is pretty easy as there are just two plastic clips holding the cab on.  Sadly, amputation of his lower legs was required.

 

I have not added any to the passenger trains yet but it is on my list of things to do.  Probably I will focus on a particular train, like the Super View Odoriko, and try to do a really good job.  At the moment I am adding little things of different types here and there around the layout for visitors to notice.  I'm in no rush to get it all done. 

[Kamiyacho]

And don't forget the buses.  This is also easy, although legroom is again an issue.

[cteno4]

curt

 

what about all those driverless cars! start amputating!

 

question, what are you going to do with all those chopped off lower body parts? feed them to goji?

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

 

question, what are you going to do with all those chopped off lower body parts? feed them to goji?

 

jeff

 

You are seriously warped Jeff!!!!     

[cteno4]

hey i just had this picture in my head of the little pile of amputated N scale legs on curt's worktable...

 

never want to throw out extra parts, there usually is some use down the line! now these may take a while to come up with a good use for... ok i am seriously warped...

 

cheers

 

jeff