Colour is key in model making. Too often the colours are overstated or the palette is too wide. Pull it back and just stick the occasional curveball in to keep them on their toes.

Thank you for a thoughtful and thought-provoking post.  I can see very well how your carefully selected palette contributes so much to the final result. 

As it happens, I have recently been exploring a similar theme in my photography, though not yet applied to the railway context.  I have, however, noticed how muted tones help to make a back-scene look more realistic, and my 30-year old layout has naturally 'weathered' to a more realistic look than when it was new! 

Perhaps we should 'mature' our layouts like vintage wines

Colour is key in model making. Too often the colours are overstated or the palette is too wide. Pull it back and just stick the occasional curveball in to keep them on their toes.

I agree with your comment. But it is also difficult to keep a colour palette in mind when you have not made a visual colour palette. Working with just 6 or  7 colours is a real challenge.

Thank you for a thoughtful and thought-provoking post.  I can see very well how your carefully selected palette contributes so much to the final result. 

 

As it happens, I have recently been exploring a similar theme in my photography, though not yet applied to the railway context.  I have, however, noticed how muted tones help to make a back-scene look more realistic, and my 30-year old layout has naturally 'weathered' to a more realistic look than when it was new! 

 

Perhaps we should 'mature' our layouts like vintage wines

For my one of the main problems is printing. When you use professional photo papers form Hahnemühle or Innova every paper can give an other colour I have noticed. And I use different kind of papers for different parts of my buildings.

But for photographic purposes I think I have to set them back to black and white for the late 1950's. A have seen wonderful black and white picture from John Claridge and Frederick Wilfred. 

I tried this for the picture of Caroline Street in this post.

Interesting to see photos from your different dioramas together, Job. They illustrate your point very well. Is the top photo from a film - and if so which one?

The top photo is from Her  a 2013 American romantic science-fiction comedy drama. I haven't seen it, but like the colour palette.

Let's see what happens when I try to use a carefully selected colour palette.

 

Hi Job,

Someone recently pointed me to an archive of good quality colour photos of Birmingham in the 50s/60s. When I saw the photos I immediately thought of your dioramas. You may find some good reference shots/inspiration/colour information there. In case you haven't already come across the site yourself, here is the link...

http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/chrysalis.html

 

Alan.

 

Thanks Alan for posting. I do have these pictures in my photo-archive. But after looking again I realized that to achieve that photographic atmosphere i Have to learn how to use my Photo-program. I hope I will find some time for that in the future. For now I will concentrate my on the building of my diorama's.

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