Little Muddle

[NHY 581]

What a superb image. Splendid!

 

Rob.

[Andrew P]

Superb Kevin, Thanks.

[kopite]

Looks even better in sepia! Good recommendation. 

[KNP]

Following on from my earlier messing about with filters and some of the favourable comments I got I decided to carry on.......

 

So I took another new picture, used focus merge, added some smoke, toned the picture down and this will form the basis -

 

Original

 

 

 

Sepia 

 

 

Sepia with vignette

 

 

 

Old photo

 

 

 

Watercolour

 

 

 

Paint and ink

 

 

 

Oil

 

 

 

This in fact my favorite and is now my desktop picture (for the moment...)

 

Now, I really must get on with some work on the layout......

 

 

 

Edited March 7 by KNP

[Limpley Stoker]

 

Original

 

 

Sepia with vignette

 

 

I love the fading sepia but, with everything in focus , we can see the care you have taken with the form and shade of each tree. I vote for full fat + sepia!

Edited July 26, 2017 by Limpley Stoker

[Alister_G]

I hope you don't mind Kevin, but I couldn't resist.

 

I've changed the lighting and cropped it quite heavily:

 

 

Even at this close level, your modelling stands up to scrutiny, it's brilliant.

 

 

Al

Edited July 26, 2017 by acg_mr

[KNP]

I hope you don't mind Kevin, but I couldn't resist.

 

I've changed the lighting and cropped it quite heavily:

 

knp-little-muddle004.jpg

 

Even at this close level, your modelling stands up to scrutiny, it's brilliant.

 

 

Al

 

Don't mind in the slightest.

 

Thanks for the comment.

[KNP]

Original

 

 

Sepia with vignette

 

 

I love the fading sepia but, with everything in focus , we can see the care you have taken with the form and shade of each tree. I vote for full fat + sepia!

 

Thanks

 

They came out well and I've got a few more ideas that I will play with regarding camera effects.

These particular trees are just Seamoss painted and then sprinkled with grass scatter but what I have done here is pack them close together to get that clump effect you see when looking at a wood from a distance.

Seamoss is good but even better when in bulk......

Edited July 26, 2017 by KNP

[vulcanbomber]

Kevin

 

Just found the following article you wrote on making your trees, hope you don't mind me posting

 

http://www.railwaymodellers.com/m/articles/view/How-To-Make-Realistic-Trees-For-Your-Model-Railway-Layout

[KNP]

Thought I might as well post the final picture I took of the Pannier, just added the smoke and whistle.

 

 

 

Certainly makes the signal stand out, not sure how prototypical it would have been on a small branch line but I wanted to build one so I did - then thought well I ought to put it on the layout after all that effort!!!!

 

That in turn meant I had to bring it away from the track, so the fence had to move and whilst moving that I thought I could build a small PW area by the shed?

Funny how one job leads to many!

Edited March 7 by KNP

[The Johnster]

Signal certainly 'looks right'.  How many roads must a man walk down, no, I mean how many roads can be accessed from it?  If it is more than 2 or 3 (platform, loop, goods) then the stencil indicator is fine, but you need to be bringing trains to a stand or near stand to read them.

[KNP]

Signal certainly 'looks right'.  How many roads must a man walk down, no, I mean how many roads can be accessed from it?  If it is more than 2 or 3 (platform, loop, goods) then the stencil indicator is fine, but you need to be bringing trains to a stand or near stand to read them.

 

Yes, it felt right and inline with what I read on GWR signalling - wow is that a complex subject!!!

In my mind it had two stencil indicators - bay and main.

The idea is the train comes to a stop by the signal (from Little Muddle - to the right in this picture), this then leaves space for an area of the curved branch line leading from Encombe station to be used for shunting (hence shunt ahead signal by the bay platform - see earlier pictures) which the loco is entering now.

That reminds me I must put up a 'limit of shunt' sign approximately where the front of the loco is now.

 

Thanks

Edited July 26, 2017 by KNP

[Andrew P]

That's a great article Kevin, I need to study it in depth. Your images above are superb mate.

 

Thanks for your inspiration.

[vulcanbomber]

Kevin, what are the average heights of trees on your superb layout?

 

I'm off to the States in September thinking about picking up some sage bush.

 

Found a site on ebay that seems to selling reasonably priced seamoss

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trees-for-the-Wood-Box-Seafoam-Model-Railways-Wargames-various-sizes-/221742330251?var=&hash=item33a0df718b:m:mKLx9ly1Hel_5dnVEig_9RA

Edited July 27, 2017 by vulcanbomber

[KNP]

Kevin, what are the average heights of trees on your superb layout?

 

I'm off to the States in September thinking about picking up some sage bush.

 

Found a site on ebay that seems to selling reasonably priced seamoss

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trees-for-the-Wood-Box-Seafoam-Model-Railways-Wargames-various-sizes-/221742330251?var=&hash=item33a0df718b:m:mKLx9ly1Hel_5dnVEig_9RA

 

I bought two lengths 3 - 5" and 5 - 7" then added individual armatures to increase the density and height of the tree being worked on.

Seamoss looks a good price, I tend to buy mine at exhibitions as I can see what you are getting....

Edited July 27, 2017 by KNP

[Alister_G]

Hi Kevin,
 
As an alternative to using the seamoss, I use static grass to form the smaller branches.
 
So I take the armature (in this case made from network cable), and hairspray it, and add 10mm static grass fibres:



Then after that has dried, I hairspray it again and add 4mm or 2mm fibres:



This is then painted:



And finally, another coat of hairspray, and blended flockage as you use, for the foliage:



All the best,

 

Al.

[David C]

Beautiful layout superbly modelled! 

 

I'm facing making a lot of trees for my small slice of Bavaria which I am building currently. Hairspray is often used by modellers for trees, but I've avoiding using it for two reasons: my layouts get exhibited from time to time and I have worries about its "stickability" on portable layouts. Secondly, spraying the stuff on finished trees (i.e. ones with painted armatures) might result in trunks and branches with a gloss or satin finish. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

David C

 

My layout: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56402-woodstowe/

Beautiful layout superbly modelled! 

 

I'm facing making a lot of trees for my small slice of Bavaria which I am building currently. Hairspray is often used by modellers for trees, but I've avoiding using it for two reasons: my layouts get exhibited from time to time and I have worries about its "stickability" on portable layouts. Secondly, spraying the stuff on finished trees (i.e. ones with painted armatures) might result in trunks and branches with a gloss or satin finish. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

David C

 

My layout: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56402-woodstowe/

Beautiful layout superbly modelled! 

 

I'm facing making a lot of trees for my small slice of Bavaria which I am building currently. Hairspray is often used by modellers for trees, but I've avoiding using it for two reasons: my layouts get exhibited from time to time and I have worries about its "stickability" on portable layouts. Secondly, spraying the stuff on finished trees (i.e. ones with painted armatures) might result in trunks and branches with a gloss or satin finish. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

David C

 

My layout: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56402-woodstowe/

[David C]

Uh? How did I manage 3 copies of my post? Apologies for fat fingers!

 

David C

[KNP]

Hi Kevin,

 

As an alternative to using the seamoss, I use static grass to form the smaller branches.

 

So I take the armature (in this case made from network cable), and hairspray it, and add 10mm static grass fibres:

 

 

Then after that has dried, I hairspray it again and add 4mm or 2mm fibres:

 

 

This is then painted:

 

 

And finally, another coat of hairspray, and blended flockage as you use, for the foliage:

 

 

All the best,

 

Al.

 

Very effective.

Will you be trying some additional layers to build up the density.

[Alister_G]

Very effective.

Will you be trying some additional layers to build up the density.

 

For those particular ones I wanted the sparse look, but I have a load more to build for Grindleford which will need to be denser, so yes, undoubtedly.

 

Al.

[KNP]

Beautiful layout superbly modelled! 

 

I'm facing making a lot of trees for my small slice of Bavaria which I am building currently. Hairspray is often used by modellers for trees, but I've avoiding using it for two reasons: my layouts get exhibited from time to time and I have worries about its "stickability" on portable layouts. Secondly, spraying the stuff on finished trees (i.e. ones with painted armatures) might result in trunks and branches with a gloss or satin finish. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

David C

 

My layout: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56402-woodstowe/

 

 

Thank you for your comments.

 

With regard to hairspray I use a cheap unscented one with extra firm hold and though my layout is permanent I have not had a problem with the 'leaves falling' over the years. I have, on occasion, re-sprayed the trees with hairspray and given them a fresh up of scatter or to change the colour.     

In fact just before Andy Y came for the photoshoot I gave the wood in the corner another coating of scatter to smarten it up - saying that in 8 years this is only the 4th time I have done this.

I find if you build the hairspray up to much it can get a sheen but the trick is a little, let it dry then another coat and so on.

 

If I was still building exhibition layouts I would be using hairspray for trees, hedges and grass.

 

Had a look at your layout - looks great.

Edited July 27, 2017 by KNP

[KNP]

Uh? How did I manage 3 copies of my post? Apologies for fat fingers!

 

David C

 

We all do it, I once posted a blank page when responding to someone......didn't spot it until they replied asking had I anything particular to say?

Edited July 27, 2017 by KNP

[KNP]

Just to prove that it's not all photography and messing with filters, settings, post focus etc.at the moment I have just finished painting some Dart Casting figures which have just been coated with Dullcote and now waiting for them to dry.

Tend to leave it an hour or two as I have known 'build ups' to take a while to throughly dry.

 

Better get those Ikea bean bags back in the cupboard!

 

 

 

And before anyone thinks that I have modelled Miss Whiplash in some erotic scene yet to be disclosed........no, it is in fact the Colonels wife enjoying a moment of tranquil fishing in the stream, probably by the viaduct area looks favourite at the moment!!!!!!!

Edited March 7 by KNP

[KNP]

Well, to be honest still messing with filters and I promise this will be the last for now but I took my last picture of the pannier, applied the oil filter with some alterations to the many settings found in Serif PhotoPlus X7 and got a result that looks even better....this is now my desktop backscene.

 

 

 

It actually looks like a painting, well impressed with the Serif filters....

 

Promise no more.

 

Back to trying not to loose my patience in getting the laser windows fixed in my autocoach..........

Edited March 7 by KNP

[The Stationmaster]

Yes, it felt right and inline with what I read on GWR signalling - wow is that a complex subject!!!

In my mind it had two stencil indicators - bay and main.

The idea is the train comes to a stop by the signal (from Little Muddle - to the right in this picture), this then leaves space for an area of the curved branch line leading from Encombe station to be used for shunting (hence shunt ahead signal by the bay platform - see earlier pictures) which the loco is entering now.

That reminds me I must put up a 'limit of shunt' sign approximately where the front of the loco is now.

 

Thanks

 

N.B.  No such thing as a Limit of Shunt board/sign on a single line, it would be a logical impossibility.  If however the line is unidirectional then it's a different matter.