Posts Tagged ‘Realistic’

Take all the guess work out of setting up the perfect model railroad layout. Easy to follow action steps to quickly and easily get your model train layout functioning right.

Technorati Tags: Build, Layouts, Model, Realistic, Train

Working on an architectural model and looking for cars that are Z-scale to purchase. Not train, but auto cars – new style (not antique) are best.

Technorati Tags: 1220, Cars, find, Look, Model, Realistic, Train, ZScale

Creating a realistic layout for the N Model Railroad starts with taking the time to carefully plan out the desired scenery for your railroad setting. You may want to start by taking a pen and notepad with you when you are attending model train expos or shows. Jot down any of the ideas you see which inspire you to create your own layout.

After have gone over the ideas you have taken notes on, start making rough sketches of how you want your layout to look. From here you will get a better idea of what you can and cannot do in the space you have for you N Model Railroad layout. You will find some ideas will have to be eliminated while others take their place.

One of the first hands on projects you can do in an effort to have a realistic layout is to “weather” your N Model Railroad train. When you first obtained the train it came out of the packaging looking fresh and new. Real trains rarely look this way. It takes very little time before a train becomes quite dirty. You can use paint, dirt, motor oil and automotive grease to dirty up you train and give it a more realistic look.

One you have decided on the types and amounts of buildings you want to have in your lay out it is time to do a little research. If possible take photos of the types of buildings you are going to have in your layout. If this is not possible, try obtaining some photos online. The reason for this is you need a visual reference to guide you as to how best decorate these building for more realism. Plus, these photos can assist you if you are purchasing buildings from stores offering N model Railroad layout supplies or hobby stores, which carry model, sized buildings.

You may not find the right building you want for your layout in train accessory stores. If pre-made buildings in hobby store do not meet your needs you may want make your own buildings. This can be done with simple light wood kits or Styrofoam kits available in hobby stores. There are also more elaborate building kits you can use which come with epoxy molds. These might be more suited your needs if there are specific building you are looking to have replicas of in your layout.

The time of year your layout will be set in is another factor you will want to consider when creating a realistic layout. You can purchase trees and other landscaping replicas from model train store, hobby stores, and even dollhouse stores. Paints can be purchased in small containers from a hobby store so you can mix colors to paint the trees and other scenery the appropriate colors for your layout. Purchase items such as aerosol snow to spray on the landscaping if you are going for a winter layout.

No matter what scenery or season you choose for your layout the most important thing is that you have fun and enjoy creating this world for your train and imagination to travel through.

Technorati Tags: Creating, Layout, Model, Railroad, Realistic

If you’ve ever marveled at realistic looking rock scenery on model railroads and wondered how they were created, this article describes in detail how you too can easily achieve the same results.

These are the items you will need:

· Newspaper
· Masking tape
· Plaster of Paris or Hydrocal plaster
· Acrylic paints in burnt umber, raw umber, raw sienna, white and slate grey colors
· Art paint brush and craft sponge brush
· Assorted items for shaping plaster, such as spatulas and plastic knives
 
The first step is deciding where you want that rock face, outcropping or rocky hill will be on your railroad layout. 
Unless you’re modeling a section of the Grand Canyon, bear in mind that rock structures usually emerge from areas of foliage and greenery. And it is precisely this contrast that makes the scene look interesting and real.
 
Before you proceed any further, cover any areas on your layout near the section you’re planning to work on. Wet plaster drips and tends to get on everything no matter how careful you are. Whenever I work with plaster, I tape over my railroad tracks with painter’s masking tape and cover larger areas with cling wrap or aluminum foil. Aluminum foil is also great because, for this purpose, it’s reusable. 
 
Once you have decided on the placement of your rock scenery, make up several wads of small pieces of newspaper. On my HO scale layout I use sizes varying from 2 to 4 inches in length, in varying thicknesses.  Use a size that you think is best for your layout scale.  Larger wads will create bigger outcroppings on the rock face.
 
Using masking tape, attach the wads of newspaper to the area where the rock outcroppings will be. Cover the wads completely with the masking tape. Try to go for a layered arrangement that looks random and not man-made. Don’t worry, it will look much better and come together with a very natural look after you complete the next few steps.
 
Mix up some Plaster of Paris or Hydrocal plaster following the instructions on the packaging. Hydrocal is very lightweight but considerably more expensive than Plaster of Paris.  Plaster sets quickly so mix up smaller quantities and work with it in small batches. Be sure to thoroughly rinse out the mixing container and spatula between batches as any dried residue plaster will interfere with how the new batch sets up. 
 
Now comes the fun, albeit messy bit.
 
Using a spatula, apply plaster over the newspaper and masking tape wads. Remember to keep the texture random — smooth in some areas, craggy in others. Use a plastic knife to add more detail to the rock face with vertical or horizontal striations. Notice how the newspaper wads beneath the surface give the rock a three-dimensional look. 
 
Stand back, admire your handiwork and let the plaster dry overnight.
 
Adding color to our rock is the final step to complete scenic realism.
 
I usually choose a combination of raw sienna, raw umber, burnt umber and slate grey acrylic paints. The colors should be diluted with water to a thin wash so that we are not actually painting the rock but staining it.
 
Using a paint brush or sponge brush, apply the washes in a random series of spots of burnt umber, raw umber and raw sienna. Go easy on the darker colors as they tend to dominate and, if overused, can make your scenery look somewhat somber. Then, apply a very dilute wash of slate grey over the whole rock face and over the other colors. The grey wash unifies the other color combinations into a very realistic look.
 
Finally, very sparingly dry brush undiluted white acrylic paint in areas for highlights and to create a sun-bleached effect.     
 
As you can see, it doesn’t take exceptional artistic talent to create realistic looking rock on your model railroad layout. But use these ideas as a starting point and feel free to experiment with ideas of your own. Try different materials and coloring techniques. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you may come with.
 
And don’t forget, as scenic modelers we must constantly observe nature for an infinite supply of new ideas.

Technorati Tags: Create, looking, Model, Railroad, Realistic, Rock, Scenery, Structures