Background trees

The South Oakland Model Railroad Club in Hazel Park Mi. has had good luck copying and printing trees for their backgrounds. There are a number of photos on the web site and I'm sure they would give you some tips if you contacted them.

http://socmrrc.org/

Ray

Allen, Mi.

Backdrop painting

Haven't tried this, but it seems intuitively correct

An artist friend (who also refuses to paint my RR backdrop mostly due to his age and ailing shoulders) recommends that I paint the near hills black or very dark, then paint the treetops on top of that. 

I haven't had the time since he told me this to try it, but in looking at your proto photo of the near hills, I am linking up what my friend said with what I see, and could very well agree to the merits of his advice.

Matching the scenery colors

The key for the close elements on the backdrop is to make sure you match the colors of the scenic materials you plan to use. The exact colors you need to use depend on your 3D scenery. I covered this topic extensively in my usmrr blog and I suggest you take a look at this link

http://usmrr.blogspot.com/search/label/Backdrops

It is a listing of all posts related to back drops (or back scenes as our British friends call them).

Bernard Kempinski

Looks really nice!

Hi Paul - I have to disagree with your statement about not being artistically inclined.  I think your sky and clouds look perfect, and it looks to me like you've got a great eye for good Appalachian mountain shapes as well.  What you've done is better than anything I've attempted.  I like the color you chose for your most distant ranges.  I think the upper line of each range you've painted does a good job of suggesting trees, so in my opinion, you don't need to add more detail there, but perhaps just some color to suggest trees below and provide a bit more of a 3D look.

I think Milt's friend's advice is excellent.  Looking at your prototype photo, the mid-range mountains look primarily dark to me, like a very dark grey, but with green highlights that get slightly less muted as you move toward the camera.  Painting mountains at that distance dark grey, and then going over it with a technique similar to what you used on your test panel on the far right, in the round patch about halfway up, seems as though it might give you the look of your photo.  Varying those highlights to suggest shadows and valleys would be good too.  If you pick a direction from which the light would be coming (your highlighting on your clouds seems to suggest the left) and keep it consistent throughout, I think you'll be happy with the results.

Think in 3-D

Remember that all those changes in color represent highlights and shadows of individual trees.  They aren't random, so when painting each one think about the shape of the tree that is creating the effect.

I don't have any such forests to contend with on my backdrop, but as here I do have various types of vegetation that can appear in masses.  This is a juniper woodland, with denser areas similar to the tree masses you have.  Note that the light is coming from the left, and highlight colors are concentrated there.  I painted in the darks first, with a gradation in overall color from somewhat darker to lighter depending on which side of a slope I was representing.  I painted the highlights on top of that, adding more to the left/lighter sides of the hills.  The shadows are what's left of the original colors.

Note how the color blobs overlap to varying degrees, sometimes merging to form almost continuous highlights.  I notice in your experiments you seem to be attempting to keep them distinct, which may be part of why you're not liking the results.  In other places there are few such highlights, and mostly the base color shows through.

The process for the foreground trees is similar, the main difference being the choice of colors.  They start off quite dark, and the highlight colors build up.  As I get close to finishing, I paint in "holes" where the lighter background color is supposed to be showing through.

My prototype scene here had some complex vegetation, which I didn't want to mess with.  I settled on generic color masses to give the idea of the differences.  If this scene was mostly greens, it might look more like Appalachia.  Again, the basic lights and darks are painted first, and final highlights are layered on above them in one or two passes.  The highlights are mostly painted on in blobs to impart some texture and avoid covering the initial colors entirely.

The sagebrush on the foreground hill are built up from layers just like the junipers in the first photo - first the darks then a couple passes of progressively lighter colors, covering less each time.

This close-up of my lime plant sign shows how little detail is actually present in the backdrop, and how the blobs of colors work together.

Study any photos in B&W

What I like to do - and Photoshop makes this really easy - is to study any reference photos in black & white using high contrast to bring out the light-dark patterns. Here's your reference photo done this way:

Notice the light and dark form patterns - first there's the rolling hills pattern that I'd paint in first with some dark colors, then there's a ripple pattern between the trees that's especially visible in the closest hill.

After painting the broad mountain terrain ripples, I'd next grab a sponge and do a series of lighter colors to create the overall fine texture, then finally I'd come in with some dark and then lights to create the tree-group ripples of light and dark.

I've found that if you try to copy the ripple pattern of the tree shadows and lights as closely as possible from a reference photo, you start to get something of a rhythm going, and then it's just a matter of repeating the learned rhythm across the mountainside. Practice on scraps first, and try to copy carefully what you really see - not what you think you see.

Replies:

Once again, MRH readers show just how great they are. Every response is appreciated!

Milt - I thought of that dark background thing with highlights on top too. On one of my trials way too much of the dark background came through, so I scraped it thinking I was barking up the wrong tree. That was probably due to my uncertainty as a fledgling backdrop artist. Sounds like I need to try that again. At least this time I'll know I'm heading in the right direction, and just need to work out the actual technique.

Bernard - I agree that the backdrop colors should match the actual modeled scenery. I ordered a starter kit of Super Trees so I'll actually have the colors in hand, and can use them to match the color for the last strip on the backdrop. I appreciate the link to your blog. Lot's of info there I'll have to mull over and sort through. I really liked the Tree Test 9694 picture. That tree look just in front of the engine is precisely what I'm shooting for. Care to share with me a little more detial on how you did that?

Joe - Always nice to have a good friend who comes in with an encouraging word just when you need it most! Thanks buddy! I agree with your assessment on the blue/gray distant treeline. I didn't feel that needed anymore detail either. Just the closer foreground mountains. Your comments seem to make good sense to me. I can picture doing all that you said in my mind, but the hands seem to have a hard time carrying it out. I'll keep practicing though. My confidence is increasing as at least now I'm starting to feel like I'm on the right track! I had to laugh at your comment on the cloud lighting though. To be honest with you the issue of lighting on the clouds never even came into my mind. Ignorance is bliss, huh? You're right though, the lighting does seem like it comes from the left. So I'll keep that in mind now as I try to tackle the trees! Glad you pointed that out. 

Rob - My hat's off to you. Not only are you a superb modeler that's extremely gifted, but you really go out of your way to help the rest of us aspire to reach your level! I know you've tried to help me before on this issue, thanks for taking the time to help this remedial student again! I'll study your pictures and descriptions intently, then hit the practice boards some more before trying to tackle the actual backdrop. After reading your comments I think I may have been trying to do too much as I painted. It seems sometimes less is more.

Joe - That's a really cool idea with the black and white photo analysis. Guess that's why you're Da Man! I like the way you break the issue down into basic components, then tackle each of them to get a realistic whole. That was really helpful. I'm heading back downstairs now to give it a go! Thanks for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to share your modeling expertise!

Paul Krentz

N&W Pokey District, Sub 1 3/4

My method

First of all, what you have done so far is great. I have to say I disagree with your wife though. I don't believe in trying to paint tress on the backdrop. I'm much more content with just the silhouettes  of mountains. In my mind the backdrop hills are supposed to be distant and even the closest range would be distant enough that your eye would not pick up much detail. Leave the depiction of trees to 3D scenery and keep the background in the background.  This is why I'm not a fan of photo backdrops in some cases. They work great for the shelf layouts but on deeper scenes, they look too detailed to me. My final step on backdrops is to take a rattle can of flat white paint and very carefully apply a light light mist of it to the entire backdrop. This makes a nice atmospheric haze and you be surprised how good and distant it makes things look.  It takes a bit of guts to do at first because you're nervous about spraying too much on your beautifully painted scene but the effect is nice. My philosophy on backdrops has always been "less is more"

Michael

Scenic Haze

Michael,

Thanks for giving me a little bit of ammo to show my wife. Like you, I too kind of just liked the silouette look. I may be wrong, but I got the impression that's all Joe Fugate did on his Scenery DVD, and we all know how great his layout looks! 

I like your idea of the light mist. In fact I tried that. Not with a spray can though. When I was first painting the sky on my backdrop and wanted to fade in a light horizon I tried a spray can and ended up with white overspray dust over everything in the layout room, which also happens to be our tv area. Not good. So I tried to give my mountains a light mist with a very diluted wash of titanium white. Unfortunately it didn't quite turn out as good as it did on my little practice run, so I ended up painting everything all over again. No wonder it takes me 2-3 times as long as anyone to make progress on this layout! But hey, it's STILL winter up here in Minnesota, so what else does a guy have to do but keep working on the RR?  

Paul Krentz

N&W Pokey District, Sub 1 3/4

The other thing I could suggest

Is using an airbrush or hobby spray gun to do the haze with. Much more control there. Even a cheapie airbrush and a few cans of propel would work if you don't have a more elaborate setup. I use a rattle can because it's more convenient for me than my airbrush but I don't have the same kind of limitations you do.  Anytime I do anything like painting inside with spray paint or pouring '"water" or anything else that might smell and irritate my lovely wife, I wait till her and the kids are gone somewhere for awhile and open a window and start to work. It's better that way because it's quieter too!

Michael

I think the far background

Update - New Trial

After reading everyone's comments and spending some time trying to digest it all, I preped my practice board (for about the millionth time now it seems) and got ready to try tackling that Appalachian mountain look I'm hoping for on my backdrop. 

Before I share this new trial with you, I have to admit that the longer I leave my backdrop up as it is now, the more and more I like it, and am almost content to let it stay just as it is.

So before I take a step that I might regret, I thought I'd let you see my last trial. As I mentioned before, I am definitely not an artist, but I think I might be starting to get the hang of it, at least a little bit. Here's the look I was going for again...

And here's my latest trial in trying to paint something like this (I'm not a photographer either, so sorry in advance for the medicore quality)...

So what do you all think? Should I go for it and try to add this kind of background detail to the backdrop, or leave things as they are? As always, your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Paul Krentz

N&W Pokey District, Sub 1 3/4

Looks great

For your foreground hills, I'd go for it Paul.  I think the added detail of the foreground trees compared to the hazy hills in the distance will really add depth to your scenes.

Definitly better!

There seems to be much more depth in your latest trial.

May I suggest something regarding the top ridge line as it appears?  The more horizontal brush strokes take away from the realism.  Some vertical swipes should easily correct that, and will give the impression of tree tops sticking up.  Don't draw out these strokes too far.  Look at about the middle left of the "real" photo, and you will see the wisps of tree branches reaching upward.

PS - Where in Minnesota?

Darker base coat

Hi there.

I think your newest trial is looking great and the technique is good. I would just suggest that you go with a darker base coat to really give it a sense of shadow and depth.  Think of it this way:  

Your base coat are all of those trees and underbrush that are hidden in deep shadow. These should be dark, dark, green (with maybe a hint of blue) almost to the point where it looks black.  

a lighter green coat of paint on top of that represents those trees that have broken out of the shadows and are reaching toward the light.  These should be painted a color of green that the modeled tree elements are painted to help blend the backdrop into the 3D scenery.

A final coat of light green with some yellow mixed in can be applied in patches to spots here and there to represent the very tops of the trees on the tallest hills.  This layer helps to bring a sense of dimension to the backdrop by simulating the rolling mountains. (It looks like you are doing this already, my only suggestion would be to apply this in a less uniform, more patchy manner)

Feel free to check out this article I wrote for my blog about painting backdrops:  http://mftrailroad.blogspot.com/2013/03/painting-backdrop.html Though I doubt it will help much because it focuses mostly on painting mountainous terrain covered in pine trees.

All in all, it's looking real good.  I think you are on the right track for sure!

Much Better

That's getting a lot closer to having the right look.  The one distraction in the latest practice piece is the sharp highlight along the ridge line separating the two hills.  It's a hard edge instead of a lighter area of tree shapes.  That might be appropriate in the ridge crest was covered in grass, but your prototype photos don't show that.  It's not necessary to have a clear delineation there, so you could obscure the edge and viewers won't notice if it isn't there.

Replies

Joe - Thanks for the vote of confidence. After much learning and effort, I think I'm finally getting to a point where I might be able to pull this off!

Milt - You're right about the horizontal brush strokes at the top. Since this was a trial I wasn't being too careful about the edges. I was primarily focused on trying to get the tree canopy itself represented correctly. As to location, I live west of Minneapolis about 30 miles. Are you anywhere close? I'd love to have someone in the area to get together with and talk shop! 

Matt - I was thinking the same thing about the undercoats. That's actually why I tried two mountains in this trial. Would you believe the right mountain and a darker background as you suggest, and the left mountain had a light green one? There might be a very slight difference between the two, but none that I can notice at first glance. That's not what I expected, but that's why trial runs help I guess. I like your suggestion about not applying the highlight color in such a uniform manner. I think that will help give a better sense of contour, as the light hits the highest parts of the canopy. 

Irony of my response

So is it just a little ironic that I have not yet attempted backdrops other than a photo or two as a test, and here I am giving you advice?  Well, my first piece of advice actually came from an artist, the second one based on what little far-horizon line I did paint, but here's another thought:

The valley that you are implying by the light line between the two hills might be a place where you light up the canopy of tree tops with lighter green on the "near" hillside, and let more dark - black or dark green, show through on the far hill to make the delineation of the valley, rather than adding the white-ish line.  It is somewhat like what you see in your "real" photo of the farthest-back hill.  In the middle is a lighter color on one (left) slope, and the contrast with darker colors on the other slope establish a layering that implies a valley between slopes.

I COULD get off my duff and try painting, too, as the mining tailings piles are somewhat akin to mountains.

I live north of Mpls near Forest Lake - not too far for a Saturday visit one way or the other.

Hill Seperation

Milt,

I like your idea about the shading to bring out the "valley". As with the horizontal brush strokes you commented on at the tops of the hill, I hadn't really planned on that white-ish line seperating the two hills. That came as a result of trying different background colors on the hills. Looks like I might need to do another trial run incorporating all the good ideas I'm getting through this post discussion.

Also happy to hear there's another fellow Minnesotan cruising the pages of MRH! Forest Lake I think would be about an hour drive from where I am. Shoot me an email if you'd like to visit. You are welcome any time, though my layout isn't near as big as yours is. I took a look at some of your blogs. Was really impressed by the pictures of the ore dock! Also like all those ore cars. Really resonates with a guy modeling Appalachian coal! Looks like I'm going to have to plan a road trip some time soon!  

The magic of photoshop

Paul:

Here's your backdrop painting Photoshopped to include more light and dark areas to suggest hills with rolling contours and not just sugarloaf mounds.

The idea is to let light and dark areas next to each other delineate and separate - you don't need to "draw lines".

Keep in mind that darkening will cause the area to recede and lightening pulls it toward you. Almost like modeling clay with light.

Amazing!

Joe,

That is just cool as all get out! Thanks! A picture truly is worth a thousand words!

I found a Bruce Petty link on painting mountains...

that may help you.  Yes, he paints the mountains of California, but the discussion and technique applies to what  are trying to attempt. You will notice that Bruce uses highlights and shadows to create individual mountains. At first it is all one long line of base color. Then the individual mountains appear as he uses darker and lighter shades of the base paint.

I hope this helps you.

http://lariverrailroads.com/mountains.html

Den

Shading

Dennis,

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to try some more practice runs trying to incorporate this shading info, so the link was helpful.