The Beginnings of a Desktop Layout

[Sir Madog]

All you need to do is roughly shape the Styrofoam to get the contours you want, paint it with a dark brown acrylic paint, cover it with a thick layer of white glue and "plant " WS Clump Foliage on it.

 

Oh yeah?

 

And what about that perfectly weathered bridge, huh? What about those rock formations? With a fricking waterfall? You have created an N scale version of the kind of place couples go to make out.

 

The weathered bridge was done with weathering powder, just rubbed in with a stiff brush. The rock formations are actually toilet paper, brushed on with white glue and the waterfall is made up of two beads of latex caulk, put on wax paper and blended with a tooth pick. No magic!

 

There is a lot in the photography and lighting, I have to admit. Sometimes I think that the pictures look nicer than the real thing.

[Sir Madog]

Jeff - this how I intend to build the station module:

 

 

That beam down the center should prevent any warping.

[Sir Madog]

Added "water" to the bridge module:

 

 

I used WS "Realistic Water" for it. It took 4 layers to get it done - that stuff shrinks a lot!

[keitaro]

Added "water" to the bridge module:

I used WS "Realistic Water" for it. It took 4 layers to get it done - that stuff shrinks a lot!

 

It does and if it's going on foam make sure the foam is completely sealed over by plaster/wall filer etc. The foam sucks it up if it's not sealed over correctly.

 

I remember i had a slightest air bubble come up no more than 1.5mm in diameter and you could see the foam. Poured on the ws and you could see the foam sucking it up and even after the second layer i could see it sinking in a bit above the hole. probably wasted a good layer worth of the ws water becasue thats how much would have been absorbed by it. After a few layers it levelled out.

[The_Ghan]

Can someone give me a link for WS "Realistic Water"?

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/C1211/page/1 theres a how to video.

 

It's good but don't ever sit anything on top of it even something light like a 5 cent coin will leave a mark.

[Sir Madog]

Added "water" to the bridge module:

I used WS "Realistic Water" for it. It took 4 layers to get it done - that stuff shrinks a lot!

 

It does and if it's going on foam make sure the foam is completely sealed over by plaster/wall filer etc. The foam sucks it up if it's not sealed over correctly.

 

I remember i had a slightest air bubble come up no more than 1.5mm in diameter and you could see the foam. Poured on the ws and you could see the foam sucking it up and even after the second layer i could see it sinking in a bit above the hole. probably wasted a good layer worth of the ws water because thats how much would have been absorbed by it. After a few layers it leveled out.

 

If I had known that earlier :)

 

The Styrofoam really acted like a sponge, sucking the stuff up in no time. I thought sealing it with a thick layer of acrylic paint was sufficient, but dang, no! Luckily, the area I had to cover is really small, so there is plenty of the stuff left to do another 10 - 15 modules.

[WuZhuiQiu]

Added "water" to the bridge module:

 

I used WS "Realistic Water" for it. It took 4 layers to get it done - that stuff shrinks a lot!

 

That is very nice work!

 

I am wondering, though, is the left side supposed to look more yellowish and the right side more greyish, or is that an effect of how the light fell on the two sides?

[keitaro]

to me look like the light is making that yellow happen as the green is even slightly yellow.

[Sir Madog]

to me look like the light is making that yellow happen as the green is even slightly yellow.

 

That´s correct :)

[The_Ghan]

http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/C1211/page/1 theres a how to video.

 

It's good but don't ever sit anything on top of it even something light like a 5 cent coin will leave a mark.

 

 

Thanks keitaro.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[The_Ghan]

Sir Madog,

 

That bridge scene is incomplete - where's the fly fisherman? 

 

.... and while you're at it .... trout at 1:150 .... and I don't want any of those silly excuses!!!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

how about those tad poles?

[The_Ghan]

keitaro,

 

Now you're just making a travesty of the situation ... 

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Sir Madog]

You guys are taking the mickey out of me  :)

 

I am just an old, bespectacled bloke with shaky hands...

A fly fisherman and jumping trout - not a bad idea!

[keitaro]

while you're at it add a Goji.

 

 

 

WS also make many animal n scale figures for those interested.

 

I'm thinking of getting some deer for an area on mine.

[The_Ghan]

Hi Madog,

 

The fly fisherman was a serious idea.  The human eye is naturally drawn to water.  Genetic programming.  Our inquisitive minds then ask, "What's happening down there?  What's the story?" ... or at least, mine did!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[marknewton]

You guys are taking the mickey out of me  :) I am just an old, bespectacled bloke with shaky hands...

 

Don't sell yourself short - you're doing some very impressive work on those modules.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[cteno4]

madog

 

ill make you a crane and you can put it fishing with the fisherman! serious if you want one ill make you a pair for thanks for writing the nice jrm article!

 

 

jeff

[Sir Madog]

Folks - you are perfectly right. I was already thinking about adding some "human interest" to the bridge module - a fly fisherman would be a great enhancement, and a crane waiting to snatch the catch as well (do they eat fish?).

 

Jeff - I´d be honored to put a crane on that module!

[cteno4]

well the cranes actually like marshier areas, but your stream looked like something pretty mellow. maybe just put a couple of clumps of reeds and then he would be happy. they eat some small fish, but i think eat more inverts like crayfish and also amphibians like froggies. you will see them aournd all sorts of water though. ill work on a new batch of them!

 

btw prohobby makes a great casting fisherman set.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10110878

 

bummer oos at hs right now and hw use to be good at getting prohobby stuff!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Dani]

Bring more live to the layout:

 

Nude under fisherman

 

   

 

Now seriously: I can't stop looking your layout photos, impressive.

[Sir Madog]

Bring more live to the layout:

 

Nude under fisherman

 

   

 

Now seriously: I can't stop looking your layout photos, impressive.

 

Now if you can find those, ahem, figures with an oriental complexion, I am with you.

 

Glad you like my work - your appreciation gives me a boost to continue.

[Sir Madog]

Very little progress over the last few days. I assembled the Tomytec rural station and platform kit and temporarily placed it on the designated station modules:

 

 

 

 

Still needs a lot of work!

[The_Ghan]

Madog,

 

It seems odd to me that your platforms are not in line with the module ends.  Are they in their final positions or do you intend to shift them?

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan