Here's what I been looking

Here's what I been looking at for clouds:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/519-1

Make those maybe?

Maybe you could just find a picture of clouds in a magazine or some such, paste it onto some cardboard, then cut it out to make a stencil. Then you can use that $9.95 toward buying a new freight car or some such.

Chris

Using stencils for clouds.

I have looked at this approach and the problem with it is that you are recommending an HO scale product for my N-scale layout. I don't want the sky to look like there is a volcano of masive smokestack in the area.

Stencils also seem to work best if you are using a spray paint can or an airbrush. At the moment I don't want to use either even though I do have an airbrush.

Irv

Some more Options

You might try Cotton - and make the clouds almost 3D-ish?  But it's probably not the effect you want, though...

I'd almost suggest that you either put up clouds on a backing painted the same color as your walls, and then bluetaped to the walls, or no clouds at all.  The former gives you the ooportunity to put up any clouds you might like, and experiment, and move them around or remove them if you don't like the outcome; the latter is almost always perfect.  Either way, eh?

And to expand on the "it's Friday and I still haven't got anything done yet" thought, don't feel so all alone!  I have this experience on a weekly basis!!  Dream Big, Start Small...Oh shoot, the "how" is not a problem, I start small - now just "where" do I start in this massive dream of mine!!???  {Chimes in the white bearded man in the back: "Plan for the future!!"}  Ahh, hehe...So it seems MY plan for the future...is planning WHERE to start!!!

Good Luck!!

Some more Options

Cotton wouldn't be good because there is a problem with keeping clean. These things are great dust collectors. Besides, I am not looking for the 3d effect as it while most likely draw attention away from what is going on on the layout.

Clouds, I think, enhance the settings the trains will appear in. They aren't supposed to be distracting and thus they need to be believable but not so believable as to be distracting nor unbelievable because they will draw attention to themselves as well. Soi they need to be a bit understated so that you notice they are just part of the background and not the man subject of the scene. Sure people will look at them but they will look at them as part of the scenery and that is what every model railroader is after.

It's Sunday morning and I've decided to work on the layout today rather than go to the club and run my trains. I really like going there because I get more out of going than not most of the time. But I'll go next week. Besides there is a meeting next Sunday and we'll be discussing a couple of important issues and our upcoming Columbus Day Weekend show. I'll be participating in this one as I was merely a spectator for the last one. I have never participated in a club show before so it will be interesting. I would post show details but I don't know what Joe's policies are about that.

So what am I going to work on today? Cloulds and possibly on the two layout modules I already have. Last night while watching Shanghai Knights and the Tuxedo on cable I revised my benchwork plan and now I'll have to lay it out on the train room floor to see what the clearances might look like. I like doing this because the measurements of the different modules look great on paper but you never really know if these things will work unless you can visualize them in 3 dimensions. I suppose I could build a mockup in 1/2 inch to fthe foot scale but that would take both time and materials that might be in short supply over the next couple of weeks. I'll see what it looks like on the floor first and then make the decisions to do the mockup or not.

I am using the Woodland Scenics Mod-U-Rail system for my layout. I decided this several months ago when I bought a straight module and a corner module to see what could be done with them. They work nicely and even though you don't have enough materials in these modules to do a complete layout, they do form some great building blocks for those who aren't interested in doing alot of carpentry or crawling under tremendpous sheets of plywood or pink foam. The Woodland Scenics modules come in 3 types: Straight (36" x 18", Corner (18" x 36' x 36" x 18" x 25 1/2") and Square modules (36" x 35 1/2") and can be arranged in various configurations for any space in which you want to put them. You can even find planning tools on the Woodland Scenics website. And the beauty of the system is that you aren't stuck with these sizes if you have a space that is smaller than a multiple of the standard module sizes like I have. For example I have one wall that measures 12' 3" and anohter that measures 9 feet 7 inches and a 3rd that has only 11 feet of useable space. So I am going create specific modules for the using Woodland Scenics foam to bridge the 7 inch, 3 inch and 2 foot spaces I'll need.

Maybe latter today I'll post my benchwork plan so that everyone can see and comment on it. I do have a track plan in mind but I needs more refinement and that'll have to wait until I have edecided exactly what location along the Northeast Corridor I am going to incorporate on my layout.

Irv