Page 1 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Scenery Making it realistic
Part 1. Hints for realistic scenery 7Part 2. Scenery Contour Construction 19Part 3. Scenery in Upper Bear Creek 25 Basic landform creation video 27Part 4. Scenery in Baynes Valley 36 Airbrushing clouds video 51Part 5. Scenery in Oakhill 58 Static Grass and bushes video 82
Page 2 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock ◀ ▶
Scenery
Making it realistic– Charlie Comstock
Version 5 - June 2013
Page 3 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Who is Charlie?
Charlie is•A model train photography nut•Superintendent of the Bear Creek & South Jackson Railway Co.•ContributingeditoratModelRailroadHobbyist magazine – mrhmag.com
Page 4 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Movingbeyondplywood ...
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When is sceneryrealistic?
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When it’s
plausible!
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Part I. Hints for realistic scenery
Hint #1. Plan for scenery while you‘re developingyourtrackplan!
•If your landform contours don’t feel real, nothing else will either!
•Layouts designed without a scenery plan almost NEVER look realistic once scenery is installed.
•Copying landform contours from prototype photo-graphsormapsisNOTcheating!
Page 8 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint#2.Thegroundisalmostneverabsolutelyflat.MillBendisbuiltonplywood,butIaddedtinyplasterundulationssoitisn’tglass-flat.
Page 9 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint#3.Terrainshouldlooklikeitwastherefirstandthetrackwasbuilt through it. Takecarewithcutsandfills!
Page 10 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint#4.Sidingsareseldomthesameelevationasthemainline.Mainlinetrackusuallyhasmore(andbetter)ballastunderit.
Page 11 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint #5. Watchoutforoversizedtextureelements.A3/4”minusgravelroadshouldn’tlooklikeit’smadeof3”diameterrocks.
Page 12 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint#5(continued).Payattentiontoballastsize. Which track has morerealisticballast?
Page 13 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint #6. Outdoors is BIG. Try to allow as much space as possible for it.
Page 14 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint#6(continued).HowbigisBIG?TehachapiontheLaMesaclublayoutqualifiesasLARGE.
Page 15 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint #7. Userealisticallysized trees. A mature Douglasfirforestshouldbe more than 40’ tall!Some of the trees in this HOsceneare24”tall.
Page 16 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint #7. Useavarietyofgroundcovermaterials.Thisscenehasstatic-grass,Silflor®,fineleaffoliage,groundfoamandballast.
Page 17 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Hint #8. Detailscount–vegetation,railrack,automobile,detailedtreetrunk,differentballasttypes,staticgrass,rocks,king-postbridge,etc.
Page 18 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Other hints ...•Mostlymodelthecommonplace–justbecausethere’soneexampleofa200’tallrockspirebetweenariverandrailroadtrackdoesn’tmeanevery curveshouldhaveone.•Use appropriate structure types. East Coast brick industrial buildings are
not commonly found on the West Coast! Glass and granite skyscrapers don’t look right in an Old West prairie town.•Keepvegetationconsistent–massivecactidon’tbelongnexttoagiant
redwood tree.•Try to match backdrop colors with the colors in the modeled foreground•Avoidtheuseofgarishcolors–checkcolorsinyourtrainroomlight-ing.Don’tverifycolorsoutdoorsorinapaintstoreforasceneinyourbasement.
Page 19 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Part II. Scenery Contour Construction
DifferentmethodsI’veusedtocreatelandform contours:•Scenery on plywood
•Sceneryonpinkfoam(mayormaynotbeonplywood)
•Cardboard mesh topped with cheesecloth and painted with plaster–themeshmayshowthroughliketheribsofananorexicsupermodel.
•Cardboardmesh,coveredwithmaskingtape,andalayerofplas-ter/vermiculite–fast,easy,noribs,anda1/4”layerofplaster/ver-miculitemixisstrongbutcanbedrilledfortreespikes.
Page 20 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Setting the contours of your landforms!Regardless of the method used to produce landform contours, take care that:•Contours are plausible for the locale you are modeling.
•Clifffaceshavesufficientclearancefromtrackssothatadding1/2”ofartisticrockcarvingwon’tinterferewithpassingtrains–especiallyoncurves.
Useastrategicallyplacedcameratoverifylandformswilllookrealtotheweefolkswholiveonyourlayout.Don’trelysolelyonGiant-in-the-Aisleviewpointstoverifythis.Temporarilyaddingafewsce-nicelements(trees,buildings,cars,people)willhelp.
Page 21 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
The camera I used to shoot these photos was small enough that it easilyfitinthesceneoronthetracks(photoontheright).
Q: What doesn’t look quite right?
A:(leftphoto)Thetopofthecuttotheleftofthetrainseemstoohigh compared with the top of the cut on the right.
NOWisthetimetomakechanges,notafterthesceneryisfinished!
Page 22 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Use your camera frequently as scenery progresses.
Ask yourself, “Where were the landform contours BEFORE the railroad came along?
Arethefillsandcutsplausible?
Whydidthetrackcurve?”
Page 23 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Page 24 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Page 25 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Part III. Scenery in Upper Bear Creek
Ienvisionedacreekflowingthroughthisareaofsteephillsides.Trackfollowsthecreektokeepthegradedownto2%.Rockcutsnexttothe creek and track are common. The track crosses the creek as it nearsOakhill(atthesummit).Thetrackmeanderedovertheply-woodjoistswhenIshotthesephotos.Notethecreekbedcutouts.
Page 26 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Istuffedplasticgroverybagswithwaddedupnewspaperstoapprox-imate land contours at the begin-ning of the Terraforming™ process.
These were later replaced with hot-glued cardboard mesh topped with masking tape.
Page 27 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
VIDEO:BasiclandformcreationalongUpperBearCreek
Click here to play the
BasicLandformCreationvideo
Page 28 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
UpperBearCreek-afterrock-work,basicstaticgrass,andballast(1)
Page 29 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
UpperBearCreek-afterrock-work,basicstaticgrass,andballast(2)
Page 30 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
UpperBearCreek-afterrock-work,basicstaticgrass,andballast(3)
Page 31 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
UpperBearCreek-firstvegetationandtracksidedebris
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UpperBearCreek-roughedinwaterandmorevegetation
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Upper Bear Creek - bridge scene basically complete
Page 34 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Upper Bear Creek - basic scenery completed
Page 35 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
The creek bed prepped withpaversand,boul-ders, and logs. The dam clamped to the fascia keepstheEnvirotex™wa-teroffthefloor.
MixingtheEnvirotex™–useonlythrow-away tools for this.
UpperBearCreek-finishingthecreek
Page 36 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Apapercupmixing“bowl”ishandy for pouring. I carefully dribbletheEnvirotex™intothecreekbedtakingpainstoavoidgettingitonthescenery.Anoldchopstickworkstospreaditaround.
Page 37 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
I used acrylic gloss medium to add some ripples to the water near rocks arewherethereare“rapids”.Itwillbecome clear when it sets.
Page 38 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Let the gloss medium and Envirotex™setcompletely!Before adding static grass I weathered the bridge piers with chalk and alcohol. Once the static grass is in place and the glue is dry add more scenery details.
Fine leaf foliage... Mossonthetopsoflogs...
Silflor™...
Page 39 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
You may want to add some morerocks/gravelinstrategicplaces.Somejunkordiscard-edtiesmightfitrightinun-less the Sierra Club owns your railroad.Don’tforgettovacu-um up all stray scenery bits.
Ready for the frogs...
Page 40 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
UpperBearCreek-finishedscene
Page 41 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Part IV. Scenery at Baynes Valley
I planned Baynes Valley to be in a an area of rolling hills between the MillBendflatlandsandmountainsfartherupthe2.7%gradeleadingtoOakhill.Thesceniccenterpiecewouldbeatimbertrestlecross-ingthevalleywithahighwaygoingunderit.Ialsowantedadirtfarmroadforcontrast.Thetrackswillpassthroughseveralcutsinthehills.
Page 42 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Baynes Valley area with landforms roughed in using plywood, pink foam, and cheesecloth methods.
Note the sheet of plywood under the future home of the bridge. I am obsessiveaboutbracingbothendsofmyroadbedBEFOREIcutoutapieceforabridge.IDON’Twantthebridgeendsmoving.Atall.
Theseviewssuggestwhattheareawilllooklikewhendone.
Page 43 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
IslappedacoatofcheapinteriorlatexhousepaintoverthefoamtokilltheMaryKaylookandusedspackletosmoothouttheroadsur-faces.Thearearemainedinthisstateforseveralyears.
Page 44 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
IfinallygotstartedbuildingthetrestleforBaynesValleyinDecember2008.ThetrestlewasreadyforinstallationinJanuary2009.
Page 45 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Ihateinstallingbridges.Theamountoffiddlyworkinvolveddrivesme nuts. I made this cardboard template to help me set terrain con-tours under the bridge and the heights of the piers.
Page 46 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Settingthebridgetemporarilyinplacetocheckforfitandlookforgrossproblemsintheheightsofthebents.Idiscoveredthatsome-how I’d managed to make the bridge too short.
Page 47 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Iinstalledfoundationsundereachofthebents,averyiterativepro-cess and one of the things I dislike about installing bridges. I also added a new bridge ‘abutment’ on the right.
Page 48 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Withthefoundationsyellowgluedtotheplywoodbase,it’stimetoaddterrainbetweenthem.Therearemanywaystodothis:paversand,pouringinaplaster/vermiculitemix,butIchosepinkfoam.
Page 49 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Anothertestfittingofthebridge.Itlookslikethedoublebentssup-portingthe30’plategirderwillneedsomeheightaugmentation.
Page 50 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
TracksnearbyrunthroughacutnexttoBaynesValleyroad.Irippedsomescrappineinto8x8sandbuiltaretainingwall.Imodeledacou-pleofpillarswithscraprailinsteadof8x8swheretheyhadbeenhitbya piece of derailed rolling stock.
Page 51 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
LotsofmaskingprotectsthetrackwhileIziptexturethegroundandcarvetheplasterrockcuts.
Page 52 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
MorerockfacesincutscarvedfromUSGypsumNo.1CastingPlaster.ImixfineWoodlandScenicsballastwiththeplasterforagrittytexture...
Page 53 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Ipaint/sealtherockswith a gray base coat.
Once dried, I daub stains of highly diluted acrylic paints on the rocks.Ittakesalittlepracticesincetherockslighten as they dry.
Page 54 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Rockfaceswithcoloration.They’renotdryyetandwilllightenoverthenextfewhours.
Page 55 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Iairbrushedcloudsonthebackdrop,thenover-paintedrowsofdis-tanthillsusinginteriorlatexhousepaint.Readyforvegetation!
Page 56 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
VIDEO:Backdroppainting–cloudsanddistanthills.
Click here to play the
BackgroundPainting–Sky, Clouds, and Hills
video
Page 57 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Firstvegetationinstalled.Thelineofvegetationatthebackdropistooscanty–itdoesn’tdoagoodjobofhidingthejoint.
Page 58 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Abushierlineofvegetationatthebackdropdoesamuchbetterjobofhidingtheterraintobackgroundjoint.
Page 59 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Samescene,differentangle.Vegetationincludes:static-grass,groundfoam,Silflor®,ballast,Apacherock,fineleaffoliage,supertrees,etc.
Page 60 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
BaynesValleybridgecompletedandwithadditionaldetailsaroundit.Theareastillisn’tquitecompletethough...
Page 61 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Differentlengthstatic-grass,airbrushedstatic-grass,roadsidegravel,rustyrails,dirtroadtinted.NOlargeareasofexactlythesamecolor.
Page 62 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Don’tbeafraidofsceneryexperiments–eventhoughtheydon’talwaysworkasanticipated.Forexampleoverdoingpaver-sandtrackdebris...
Page 63 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Part V. Scenery in Oakhill Oakhill prior to Terraforming™.
Page 64 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Scenery began with a hot-glued cardboard-strip mesh, a 1/4”plywoodroadupthehill,andcuttingoutthesubroadbedforSheffieldCreek.
Page 65 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Themeshwascoveredwithcheeseclothandpaintedwith3coatsofverythinplastertomakeahardshell.Afewbuildings,boxcars,andvehicleshelpsshowwhatitwilllooklikeinthefuture.
Page 66 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
SheffieldCreekrunsunderthewyetrackandhasbeenlinedwithpink foam. The far side of the wye has been rough contoured with pinkfoam.Theliftupaccesshatch(yellowoutline)isunderthetree.
Page 67 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Thelifthatchraisesandlowersonball-bearingsteeldrawerslides.Thesceneryaroundthehatchreceivedacoatofdirtcoloredpaint.
Page 68 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Thelifthatchcoverwithplasterrockcarvingandspackletofillinthejointsbetweenthepiecesoffoam.
Carvingfoamtopreciselymatchthecontoursoftheadjacentlandformsisbothimportantandverytricky.Don’tbuildsomuchscen-ery/roadbedarounditthatyouhavetroublereachingthehatch–untilitscontouringisdone.Sigh...
Page 69 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Myfirsthand-carvedplasterrockface.Alsosomeofmyearlystaticgrassexperiments.ThisNochgrasswastoofluorescentformytaste.Thebackdropismyfirstattemptatatreelineusinglatexhousepaint.IdecidedIdidn’tlikethecolorandpaintedoveritlater.
Page 70 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Thefirstlayerofstaticgrass.It’sallmono-colored2mmflock.Notreallyterrific,butmuchnicerthanbrownbenchwork.
Page 71 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Where’stheliftuphatch?
Page 72 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Precisecontourmatchingandalignmentmakethehatchnearinvisible.
Page 73 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
I’veover-paintedtheoldbackdrophillsandtreeswithnewones.Oakhill is ready for some serious scenery work.
Page 74 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
ThefirstrealOakhillscenerywasatB.JosefGravel.Rockcarving,morestaticgrass,andtheroadthroughtowngotpavedwithspackle.
Page 75 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Thenewgrasslooksbetterthantheoldbutit’sstillwaytoouniform.Thehillinthebackgroundisstillbareasisthecreek.Moretodo...
Page 76 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Mixedgrasses–heightandcolor,boulders,morequarrydetails,debrisunderthetree,theroadhasastripeandthedistanthillisfinished.
Page 77 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
IstartedworkontheSheffieldCreekareabytimberingthegradecrossings.TheMicroEngineeringtiesrequiredsomecontouringtofitsnugagainsttheoutsideoftherails.
Page 78 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Iwantedaone-lanehighwaybridgeacrossSheffieldCreek.Iused3rdPlanittoprintfullsizetemplatesforthetrusses,bottom,andrailings.Doublestickytapemakesiteasytoassemblethestripwoodcom-ponentsdirectlyonthetemplates.Iusedatoothpicktoapplytinydrops of yellow glue to hold it together.
Page 79 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
ThekingpostbridgespanningSheffieldCreek.
Page 80 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
StyrenebridgeabutmentsandPVCpipeculverts.
Page 81 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
MaskoffEVERYTHINGbeforegettingoutthespackleandplaster.IusedACCtocementafoundationforaspeedershedinplace.
Page 82 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Homemadelatexrubberrockmolds.Iembeddedstripsoflinenfroma nearly dead pillow case in the rubber for strength.
Page 83 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Ziptexturing,spackleroads,castandtintedrocksonhillside,andtrack ballasted, mostly anyway – the game is afoot!
Page 84 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
FinishedballastontheSheffieldCreekculvert.Thecreekisacrylicgreenpainttoppedwithmultiplelayersofacrylicglossmedium.
Page 85 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
I planted this fairly large Canyon Creek Scenics cedar tree inside the OakhillwyealongwithSilflor®,staticgrass,stumps,cedardebris,smaller trees, rail stack, wood scraps, small rocks, shrubs and weeds.
Page 86 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Anotherviewofthecedarscene.Thestaticgrassreallysetsoffthescene along with the rusty rail color and two colors of ballast.
Page 87 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
VIDEO:StaticGrassandbushinstallationalongSheffieldCreek.
Click here to play the
AdvancedGreenery:Finishing a creek
video
Page 88 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Completed creek scene.
Page 89 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Part V. Questions?
Page 90 • Scenery - Making it Realistic Copyright © 2011-2013 Charlie Comstock
Thank You – The End