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the hills are alive...blog updated!

bcnPete

Entry posted by bcnPete

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Good evening,

 

Further to the backscene crisis I have been undertaking some experiments. My tinkering with GIMP and Paint was getting me nowhere. Enter, Glen, a good friend from School for over 34 years now (an ex rail enthusiast who still has a light flickering for the hobby I think) who offered his photoshopping skills, as that's one of his skills from his profession, who kindly offered to tweak the backscene.

 

Glen was briefed (from the comments made last entry) to try and keep the clouds strong but to play down the hills and below. Within a couple of hours, 6 subtle options were winging the way back to BCN for trial purposes. Today, I did an A3 test print of each (my A3 colour printed has started to include some evenly spaced lines which is annoying :angry:)

 

I have folded them and attached briefly in place and took a few comparison shots. I have placed the old station building on merely as it has a little more presence then the newer one, but once the backscene is fixed in place I can get back on to the new station building. Obviously at A3 the hills are larger then should be, but I think it gives the feel for them and you can just see the previous backscene in place at the edge by the ramp. What is interesting is that the on screen images looked a lot darker then when printed out. So here goes, a few shots of each modified by Glen and below placed in context. I would be grateful for any comments received and whilst opinions may vary, I will take a decision quite soon as I do not wish the completion of the layout to become a saga...as is often the case... ;)

 

blogentry-3290-0-46637400-1327686871_thumb.jpg

 

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Option 1

 

blogentry-3290-0-95372600-1327686929_thumb.jpg

 

blogentry-3290-0-21951500-1327686951_thumb.jpg

 

Option 2

 

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Option 3

 

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Option 4

 

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Option 5

 

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Option 6

 

 

In other news, the water has been repainted and I have now applied about 6 separate layers of Humbrol gloss varnish. I think I am happier with the effect and will keep adding the layers and then return back to the wall to dry brush some further detail and tidy up loose edges.

 

blogentry-3290-0-81774400-1327687291_thumb.jpg

 

That's all folks...

 

EDIT:

 

Further to all the comments below, this morning I test printed option 1 again, but this time on A4 paper. Despite the quality of the print, this gives more sky available and I have placed on the layout after cropping the bottom 50mm off the bottom to give more sky/clouds which results in the loss of the water. This was inevitable as keeping the water compromises the sky etc...

 

I attach the test print in place and I think I will get it reprinted tomorrow actual size (700mm long) at the copyshop, which will result in better quality.

 

blogentry-3290-0-99672600-1327845035_thumb.jpg

 

I also slid it along the length and tucked in behind the ramp...I think this goes to demonstrate that once the low level shots with rolling stock are undertaken, the backscene may disappear even further...

 

blogentry-3290-0-60832300-1327845123_thumb.jpg

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  • RMweb Gold
Revolution Mike
  • RMweb Gold

Sorry to throw in my 2p again - just back from a few days killing my liver in Munich.

 

As I said originally - my view is that what actually dominates the initial surroundings of Kyle is the sea. The photo that was linked to shows this - you see sea first, then further back (at least half a mile back?) the hills on Skye.

 

My point was initially that the shots that Pete has are actually viewed from the station bridge across to Skye where as the layout will (I guess) primarily be viewed from face on to the station ie from the old ferry slipway eg:

http://myrailwaystation.com/RAILWAY%20STATIONS/pages/KYLE%20Of%20LOCHALSH%20STATION%20%201999_jpg.htm

http://myrailwaystation.com/RAILWAY%20STATIONS/pages/KYLE%20OF%20LOCHALSH%20STATION%20Ex%20H_%20R_%201989%20_jpg.htm

 

Cheers, Mike

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  • RMweb Gold
bcnPete
  • RMweb Gold

where's Mike (Red Death) disappeared to anyway?

 

"just back from a few days killing my liver in Munich"

 

that's a long way to go to do it Mike...I don't normally get past my own front door these days to have that effect... :P

 

Sorry to throw in my 2p again - just back from a few days killing my liver in Munich.As I said originally - my view is that what actually dominates the initial surroundings of Kyle is the sea. The photo that was linked to shows this - you see sea first, then further back (at least half a mile back?) the hills on Skye.My point was initially that the shots that Pete has are actually viewed from the station bridge across to Skye where as the layout will (I guess) primarily be viewed from face on to the station ie from the old ferry slipway

 

Thanks again Mike - Herewith my dilemma.

 

The original backscene was 'cribbed' from a photo off the net...and it had both water and sky...and it looked, lets be honest...awful (I even had to stick the same photo together twice to get the coverage in length!) I just checked back and the water was covered behind the station building and ramp. For the recent makeover, Gary (Glenuig) kindly offered to take some photos and he stitched them together. I am not sure of his vantage point used, but clearly Mike, you have a sound knowledge of KoL in that you recognised them from the road bridge.

 

My problem is thus, short of finding another panoramic which has both water, hills, clouds and sky there will need to be some compromise...I also rather like Gary's panoramic shot...so I can't see a clear way forward as I seem to have dug myself a big hole :O

 

It might be time for me to get back onto the station building again!...

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Tony Simms

Pete

 

Go with the edit you've inserted into the main blog, ie more sky. It works for me anyway! :D

 

I always recall a very nice O Gauge layout, quite narrow which had a backscene about 150% as high as the boards were wide. The scene was photographic and of hills with very little sky; killed the layout...

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  • RMweb Gold
bcnPete
  • RMweb Gold

Go with the edit you've inserted into the main blog, ie more sky. It works for me anyway! :DI always recall a very nice O Gauge layout, quite narrow which had a backscene about 150% as high as the boards were wide. The scene was photographic and of hills with very little sky; killed the layout...

 

Thanks Tony - Just read this as I am about to post what I ended up doing! There is more sky in this one now... :)

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