17 minutes ago, kitpw said:

It's a good way round of doing things, work on the rolling stock whilst layout ideas develop.  You've set yourself a high standard too:  the wagons are superb.

 

 

Thank you for the kind comment - I am generally pleased with them, but of course see all their flaws, especially when photographed this close up. It's also worth saying it is much easier to get the finish and detail I want in 7mm scale than 4mm, which I worked in years ago.

I do slightly worry about the tension between wanting to build a layout that has quite a lot of features, while also wanting to keep a consistent standard. At the moment, I'm fine with spending several weeks of intermittent free time on a wagon, as the layout itself is just a imaginings and a few notes, but I might need to work out how to speed up at some stage!

Nick.

This will be exciting to follow! I like the date, 1908, and look forward to seeing your livery choices for the rolling stock. A bit of a mix, perhaps?

What a line-up of wagons. I'm particularly taken by the weathering on the D299. Can I ask what equipment you are using for the photography?

Just now, Mikkel said:

This will be exciting to follow! I like the date, 1908, and look forward to seeing your livery choices for the rolling stock. A bit of a mix, perhaps?

 

What a line-up of wagons. I'm particularly taken by the weathering on the D299. Can I ask what equipment you are using for the photography?

 

I'll also be excited if a tenth of the things I am dreaming about come to fruition! 1908 was chosen to accommodate my late father's Dean Goods, which is in 1906 livery, but to ensure I could include a mix of wagon liveries (based on 1904 as the change from red to grey) and some of the 19th century stock that was disappearing around that time.

Wagons are my favourite thing, and seem like a good 'warm up' for passenger stock and eventually locomotives. Weathering is a slightly chaotic mix of washes and dry brushing with enamel and acrylic paints, and weathering powders. I find the more layers of different elements I add, the better it becomes, as long as the overall effect is kept in check. Usually I go through a phase of 'this is hopeless' before arriving at something I like, so I think it is important to persevere and keep playing, but only adding a bit at a time with any one technique.

These photos are done with my Fujifilm XT2 mirrorless camera and the Fuji 60mm lens, which has good close focus. The wagons are put on a sheet of white paper, and lit with ambient daylight in the room. Perhaps I should do a post on the photography, if there is interest. Shots of process are just my iPhone 12 in work light.

Nick.

Thanks for the information Nick. I don't want to distract you from modelling, but I for one would be interested in some notes on your still photography whenever you feel so inclined. When I put my models on a white background my cameras often struggles with the stark contrast, and as a result the model comes out too dark despite lots of front lighting. Mobiles of course add artificial light etc so are less of a problem in that respect, but have other drawbacks when it comes to taking photos like yours here.

48 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

Thanks for the information Nick. I don't want to distract you from modelling, but I for one would be interested in some notes on your still photography whenever you feel so inclined. When I put my models on a white background my cameras often struggles with the stark contrast, and as a result the model comes out too dark despite lots of front lighting. Mobiles of course add artificial light etc so are less of a problem in that respect, but have other drawbacks when it comes to taking photos like yours here.

 

I'll certainly plan to do a longer post on the photography side, knowing I'll have at least one reader! The trick with the contrast thing is to make it work in your favour. Get the exposure right for the model, and the white paper is over-exposed and you loose all detail in it, so you get the effect of the model on a pure white background.

To do that, you need a camera that will allow you to override the automatic exposure in some way - either with what is sometimes called 'exposure compensation', where you can dial in over or under exposure, or manual control of the settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO). Mobile phones are great because they have lots of very clever algorithms to create the 'it just works' experience, but as you say have other limitations.

I'll start planning a fuller post on the subject...

Nick.

Beautiful.

Thanks for the positive comments, Mike - they are always encouraging to hear!

It sounds like you have a good system going for your photography, so when I do a blog post on it, do please chip in with your own methods, for my and everyone's benefit.

Nick.

On 03/01/2023 at 11:45, magmouse said:

Wagons are my favourite thing, and seem like a good 'warm up' for passenger stock and eventually locomotives. 

They are for the discerning modeller. 😉They may lack the glamour of big locos and carriages but were the back bone of the railways and I too find them far more interesting to model.

On 03/01/2023 at 11:45, magmouse said:

Weathering is a slightly chaotic mix of washes and dry brushing with enamel and acrylic paints, and weathering powders. I find the more layers of different elements I add, the better it becomes, as long as the overall effect is kept in check. Usually I go through a phase of 'this is hopeless' before arriving at something I like, so I think it is important to persevere and keep playing, but only adding a bit at a time with any one technique.

I wouldn't call it a chaotic mix, more an appropriate use of all the tools available. I don't get why some people insist on being a martyr and claiming things like "I only use washes/powders/airbrush"* when they ae all different tools to be used for the end goal and each with their own nuances to help bring out an overall effect when combined. As you say, layering is very important to build up the effect.

*Other techniques available

1 hour ago, 57xx said:

They are for the discerning modeller. 😉They may lack the glamour of big locos and carriages but were the back bone of the railways and I too find them far more interesting to model.

I enjoy the variety in wagons, especially in the pre-grouping period. Carriages and locos are also characterful, as long as you go far enough back, but it feels like there is a much greater amount of effort needed to get the same pay-off.

1 hour ago, 57xx said:

I wouldn't call it a chaotic mix, more an appropriate use of all the tools available.

I certainly agree with using all the tools available. The 'chaotic' reference was more to do with the sense I don't have much of a method. I feel like I am making it up each and every time. Partly its me not being very systematic, but also that each wagon needs something different. The livery, the lettering, the imagined time elapsed since the wagon was repainted, all make a difference.

6 minutes ago, MikeOxon said:

It's much easier if you stick to an early time period.  As I pointed out once, building a 2-2-2 locomotive is not that different from building a wagon - no coupling rods or alignment to worry about  and, if you push it along with a motorised tender, it's just another 'vehicle'

I guess there were still some singles around in my time period, though I can't say I am especially drawn to building one. The earlier, smaller ones you work with would be great, but I need to stay focused in one period and concept!

Nick.