Backdrop Painting - Terrain, Trees and River
Here is the current status of the lower deck backdrop on my N Scale layout based in northern British Columbia, Canada. I am going against the conventional wisdom of 'understated backdrops' and going for detailed sweeping scenes. It takes many hours of painting but since my layout will be fairly small it is a worthwhile approach. I would like visitors to remember my layout for the backdrops as much as the trains.
This scene will be a reproduction of the prototype BC Rail bridge across the Peace River near Taylor, British Columbia. The bridge span is kitbashed from two of the new Central Valley Pratt truss bridges. I have eight more on order to create the final bridge which consists of 5 box girder spans.
- BCRail_Andy's blog
- Login or register to post comments
>> Posts index
User login
Navigation
Recent blog posts
- Layout Tour
- From Bowser - Lew English Sr. passes away
- JL&T Railroad - Video Update #8
- Jerry's Hoboken RR
- Finally ... some more progress
- Custom HO Diesel Model Painting - Anyone Out There Do It?
- More benchwork for the G&AM
- Great Western Trunk & Pacific
- Michel Boucher's D&H Adirondack Branch
- Conference Room Shelf Layout
Comments
Nice Painting Andy makes mine
Nice Painting Andy makes mine really Blow chunks. I'm good at scratch building and super detailing but when it comes to back drop landscapes I need lots of schooling
Rio Grande Dan
Spectacular!
Spectacular backdrop and fantastic painting. You really captured the expanse and depth of the prototype and your painting will have an impact from all angles. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Art
WOW!
Fantastic! Looking forward to seeing more!
Very nice, Andy!
Hmm, looking to do any other backdrop painting, Andy?? Ever been to Saskatoon?
Dave
Working on the chainsaw
What is your layout setting and
What is your layout setting and length of backdrop?. Prairie and mountain backdrops I can do fairly quick. Another wide river valley like this would take me a while!
Calgary, Alberta
British Columbia Railway Fort St. John Subdivision in N Scale
http://nscalefortstjohnsub.wordpress.com/
Nice job
Nice job on a difficult piece of terrain to depict on a backdrop.
Unconventional wisdom
"I am going against the conventional wisdom of 'understated backdrops' and going for detailed sweeping scenes."
I've long admired Allen McClelland and often borrowed from his expertise. However, I do disagree with his backdrop philosophy of less detail is good. To me there is nothing better than a complete scene that includes a backdrop that complements the modeling and doesn't detract from it. Therefore, I say "right on" and look forward to seeing your completed scenery.
Roy Hoffman
www.royhoffman.com/pwrr The S/Sn3 Scale Penn Western Railroad - "The Standard Railroad of the S World"
I'm no master MRR...
I'm a "newbie" to the hobby when compared to many of you fellows, but it seems to me that the only reason less detail is good in a backdrop, is if one is not much of a painter. If a fellow has the artistic skill to paint a highly detailed realistic backdrop I think it makes sense to do so. If ones painting skills are more along the lines of pre-school finger painting, then indeed less is more. But that's just my opinion and mileage will vary.
Backdrops scare me. I'm no artist. I think I might be able to paint the sky blue...and maybe with some help I can put down some half decent clouds but for much more detail than that I'll have to resort to commercial backdrops or find someone who can paint it for me.
Eventually
My chainsaw, I think, will just be sky and clouds and maybe some distant hills or something simple. However, the next one, hopefully in two or three years, will be of the mountain variety.
Dave
Working on the chainsaw
If ones painting skills
Blue stop looking at my backdrop painting. we now have rembrant as a member and I'm going back to finger paint 101 to start learning all over.
Dan
Rio Grande Dan