Steve, that river looks amazing and those cliffs and scenery are amazing. AWSOME WORK and keep it up!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Don't laugh too hard...It's my first attempt!
- Thread starter Nazgul
- Start date
Steve, don’t be too hard to yourself. It’s not fair to compare Jeff Krakers layout to yours. I think he’s been working on it for years now, and you are still at the beginning. I think some of you guys around here are too humble 
. Dean is not a mediocre modeler (no matter what he says 
) and your stuff is not sorely lacking. You are doing a great job and if your go on like this, your layout will be absolutely awesome :thumb: .
. Dean is not a mediocre modeler (no matter what he says ) and your stuff is not sorely lacking. You are doing a great job and if your go on like this, your layout will be absolutely awesome :thumb: .
Steven, Josh, Deano
Thank you all very much for the gracious words and encouragement!:thumb: I always look forward to hearing from ya all
Kurt
thank you sir, I appreciate your very kind words. I try to be "hard" on myself, just not too hard:thumb: I never take it so seriously that that the fun is lost. I just try to use other people's superior work as a reference point to show me what is possible. Because I have never even seen a real layout, except for the unscenicked oval at the LHS and a couple of pretty sad bare bones ones at the only train show I ever attended, I have only pics of other's work to go by. Here's an example:
I thought this looked pretty good:
Until I saw this!
Easy Ceiling Tile Rockfaces
Seeing that lead to this:
Different method but my final product is vastly superior to my original. It's not nearly as good as Harold's but I'm pleased with it. I know for a newbie, I'm doing pretty good and I don't really expect to equal modelers who have been doing it for years.....but I'll continue to try.
Speaking of GREAT modeling...I'm sure you all have seen this thread, but in case someone missed it...see what is possible when you are talented, knowledgeable, and care enough to share: http://forum.zealot.com/t111634/
Great job again Kurt!.....any more pics from your layout?
Thank you all very much for the gracious words and encouragement!:thumb: I always look forward to hearing from ya all
Kurt
thank you sir, I appreciate your very kind words. I try to be "hard" on myself, just not too hard:thumb: I never take it so seriously that that the fun is lost. I just try to use other people's superior work as a reference point to show me what is possible. Because I have never even seen a real layout, except for the unscenicked oval at the LHS and a couple of pretty sad bare bones ones at the only train show I ever attended, I have only pics of other's work to go by. Here's an example:
I thought this looked pretty good:
Until I saw this!
Easy Ceiling Tile Rockfaces
Seeing that lead to this:
Different method but my final product is vastly superior to my original. It's not nearly as good as Harold's but I'm pleased with it. I know for a newbie, I'm doing pretty good and I don't really expect to equal modelers who have been doing it for years.....but I'll continue to try.
Speaking of GREAT modeling...I'm sure you all have seen this thread, but in case someone missed it...see what is possible when you are talented, knowledgeable, and care enough to share: http://forum.zealot.com/t111634/
Great job again Kurt!.....any more pics from your layout?
Steve, those rockfaces look pretty good. The link you posted to the rockfaces - wow. He makes it sound so simple! I know what you mean about being hard on yourself. I try to push myself harder to get better results too
Steve: the Toronto Xmas Train show is coming up Nov 18 weekend. That will have a lot of finished layouts (and some other ones). Just bring your passport.
:thumb: :thumb: That gorge is great! Somewhere out there are some LPP rafters just waiting to try out that water! The colors/rugged rock face looks really amazing. :thumb: :thumb:
Steve, I don’t have any new pics from my layout . I didn’t work on my layout for the last three months. I need to make some decisions first, before I can go on. At the moment I am trying not ot ruin my new Mikado (you may have a look at my thread in the HO section).
David....if only I could, I'm working that, and several other, weekends coming up...I'll be there in spirit:cry:
Herc....Thank you... and LPP will definitely be on the river...someday!:thumb:
Conifer Trees.......must be fast....must be easy....must be cheap...must look great (or at least good):thumb:
A couple of months ago I was in Michael's craft store looking at the fake plants...hoping to find something that looked like a tree. I didn't find anything I liked until I found these 3 pieces on the floor. They had fallen off a much larger plant (I will find out what it's called). I never would have thought to use it if I hadn't seen these pieces separated from the larger plant. I haven't thought about them since. I wanted some small trees for the rock wall I just completed and thought of them. Here's what they look like:
I used 3 colors of paint...Black, Campground(dark green), and real green(LT green)
I painted black first, then dark green and finally the light green....here are the results:
Using the 3 foot rule...they look pretty good (even close up I've seen trees that cost a lot more and didn't look as good). These "trees" are 3 inches tall (about 22' in HO scale) so I think they would make good filler trees or back ground trees. I plan on using them on the mountain up high to give some forced perspective to simulate distance. They would make decent tall trees in N scale. If anyone is interested I will post the name of the plant when I buy some in the near future......hope they still have it
ops:. One draw back is that they are all the exact same size...but that might be remedied with a utility knife and glue.....
One thing is for sure, It can't get much faster, easier or cheaper....looks (I've seen worse)
Herc....Thank you... and LPP will definitely be on the river...someday!:thumb:
Conifer Trees.......must be fast....must be easy....must be cheap...must look great (or at least good):thumb:
A couple of months ago I was in Michael's craft store looking at the fake plants...hoping to find something that looked like a tree. I didn't find anything I liked until I found these 3 pieces on the floor. They had fallen off a much larger plant (I will find out what it's called). I never would have thought to use it if I hadn't seen these pieces separated from the larger plant. I haven't thought about them since. I wanted some small trees for the rock wall I just completed and thought of them. Here's what they look like:
I used 3 colors of paint...Black, Campground(dark green), and real green(LT green)
I painted black first, then dark green and finally the light green....here are the results:
Using the 3 foot rule...they look pretty good (even close up I've seen trees that cost a lot more and didn't look as good). These "trees" are 3 inches tall (about 22' in HO scale) so I think they would make good filler trees or back ground trees. I plan on using them on the mountain up high to give some forced perspective to simulate distance. They would make decent tall trees in N scale. If anyone is interested I will post the name of the plant when I buy some in the near future......hope they still have it
ops:. One draw back is that they are all the exact same size...but that might be remedied with a utility knife and glue.....One thing is for sure, It can't get much faster, easier or cheaper....looks (I've seen worse)
Those trees actually look pretty darn good. Never woulda thought they came off something, especially after you painted them
:thumb: Those trees look dam good. Great job on the placement too. Looks Awsome Steve:thumb: :thumb:
Yes please post the info or PM me when you come across it. Those look great and I'd love to give 'em a try. In the meantime, next time I'm in Michaels, I'll look around and see if I can't find what you did! My wife loves to visit Joann's also (scrapbooking stuff) and I'll look there too.
Steven, Josh, TrainNut, and last but not least, Deano
Thank you all for your gracious words. I really appreciate it.:thumb:
Well, I went to Joann's (didn't find anything):cry: Then I went to Michael's. They did not have the same plant.:cry: I'm guessing it is a spring/summer one.
But all was not lost. I happened to spy this little beauty:
And what do you know...It's already green! There was no plant name on the tag, but it said:
Mediterranean Garden
D03 328185
US $4.99
CAN $8.49
It is not exactly the same as the original plant but I think it will make a good complement to it. Kind of like different types of evergreens. We shall see. The plant in the picture yielded (when cut) 35 usable trees I could have gotten a few more but I left some groups together. When you figure in the tax...that comes to about 15 cents a tree US. The trees vary in size (yea!) from about 2 to 5 inches with the majority in the 3.5 range. Not too shabby. I just want to emphasise that if you are looking for super detailed trees you will probably be disappointed. But I am pleased with the overall look. However, like I said before, I've seen much worse and for 15 cents a copy....I'm not complaining!
I scattered a few on my layout to see what they looked like. I will be painting them...but not all the same. Some will get the full 3 color treatment and others a light dusting with a darker green (at least that's the plan
) I do like the original trees because the branches appear to be a bit more sparse and random but they both look good. These will look better after painting.....hopefully
Thank you all for your gracious words. I really appreciate it.:thumb:
Well, I went to Joann's (didn't find anything):cry: Then I went to Michael's. They did not have the same plant.:cry: I'm guessing it is a spring/summer one.
But all was not lost. I happened to spy this little beauty:
And what do you know...It's already green! There was no plant name on the tag, but it said:
Mediterranean Garden
D03 328185
US $4.99
CAN $8.49
It is not exactly the same as the original plant but I think it will make a good complement to it. Kind of like different types of evergreens. We shall see. The plant in the picture yielded (when cut) 35 usable trees I could have gotten a few more but I left some groups together. When you figure in the tax...that comes to about 15 cents a tree US. The trees vary in size (yea!) from about 2 to 5 inches with the majority in the 3.5 range. Not too shabby. I just want to emphasise that if you are looking for super detailed trees you will probably be disappointed. But I am pleased with the overall look. However, like I said before, I've seen much worse and for 15 cents a copy....I'm not complaining!
I scattered a few on my layout to see what they looked like. I will be painting them...but not all the same. Some will get the full 3 color treatment and others a light dusting with a darker green (at least that's the plan
) I do like the original trees because the branches appear to be a bit more sparse and random but they both look good. These will look better after painting.....hopefullyvariety is the spice of life?
Steve,
Ain't Michael's great? I love strolling the craft store aisles for model railroad potential. Anyway, have fun with planting trees. Look again to photos of the NW, if that's the regional look you're going for. Many conifers and evergreens, but also hardwoods and deciduous trees.
Oh, and the silflor stuff can be found at the scenic express website:
http://www.scenicexpress.com
Also, I updated my thread with a sketch of the space I have (or will have) available in the garage.
Galen
Steve,
Ain't Michael's great? I love strolling the craft store aisles for model railroad potential. Anyway, have fun with planting trees. Look again to photos of the NW, if that's the regional look you're going for. Many conifers and evergreens, but also hardwoods and deciduous trees.
Oh, and the silflor stuff can be found at the scenic express website:
http://www.scenicexpress.com
Also, I updated my thread with a sketch of the space I have (or will have) available in the garage.
Galen
Gougers!
At almost twice the US price, I will not be buying any from them in Canada. :curse:
Nazgul said:
At almost twice the US price, I will not be buying any from them in Canada. :curse:
Galen
I haven't forgotten deciduous trees but these presented themselves...I'll be looking around:thumb:
I'm guessing I should get the sample pack of ground cover from Scenic express?
David
I have no idea why it is so much more in Canada....I don't blame you for being:curse:
Tonight I painted about 30 or so trees. I painted with just the dark green but I varied how much I put on each tree. I then placed them on the mountain to see what would look best. This what I came up with. Painting was easy...."planting" trees and making it look right is HARD!
Nothing is glued in and of course more trees (conifer and deciduous) are needed and also ground cover.
Let's start in close and work our way out.....
And one last gratuitous photo of the train going in the tunnel
I would be interested in suggestions that anyone has to help make this look better.
Thanks:thumb:
I haven't forgotten deciduous trees but these presented themselves...I'll be looking around:thumb:
I'm guessing I should get the sample pack of ground cover from Scenic express?
David
I have no idea why it is so much more in Canada....I don't blame you for being:curse:
Tonight I painted about 30 or so trees. I painted with just the dark green but I varied how much I put on each tree. I then placed them on the mountain to see what would look best. This what I came up with. Painting was easy...."planting" trees and making it look right is HARD!
Nothing is glued in and of course more trees (conifer and deciduous) are needed and also ground cover.Let's start in close and work our way out.....
And one last gratuitous photo of the train going in the tunnel
I would be interested in suggestions that anyone has to help make this look better.
Thanks:thumb:
Steve, Great Job!!!
I just can't get over how feakin cool yourmountains look. Evertime you post pictures of them, it makes me more and more want to make something like that. It just looks sooooo realistic and AWSOME!!!!!! GREAT JOB, YOU REALLY DO DESERVE A PAT ON THE BACK FOR YOUR INCREBABLE MOUNTAINS!!!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
I just can't get over how feakin cool yourmountains look. Evertime you post pictures of them, it makes me more and more want to make something like that. It just looks sooooo realistic and AWSOME!!!!!! GREAT JOB, YOU REALLY DO DESERVE A PAT ON THE BACK FOR YOUR INCREBABLE MOUNTAINS!!!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Steve, they (the mounains) do look awesome, just like Josh said. Those trees you "made" do look really good, especially with the mountains. I think you should put ground cover down first, then work up to the trees. This way you don't have any gaps in the ground cover from the trees blocking it