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Looking for Articles on how to use Photoshop for Model Railroad Backdrops Scenery and structures
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Prolific poster 2,875 posts kleaverjr Prolific poster 2,875 posts
kleaverjr

I don't recall seeing any articles in MRH, but i'm hoping someone has come accross an article whether in print or online on how to use photoshop to make backdrops.  I'm talking about a real detailed tutorial, including how to literally modify the landscape.  The reason I am looking for this is I have a tall viaduct (the Micro Engineering Bridge) that I have used in front of a mountain side, (see photos on bridge which has not been weathered yet) but I would rather have it cross a valley that goes into the backdrop.  Unfortunately, my original expectation of being able to go on a backdrop photo acquisition trip is not going to be next year and the following year is also very questionable.  But I have the bridge, I want to use it now, and I want to build the scenery around it. 

duct%201.jpg 

 

duct%202.jpg 

 

duct%203.jpg 


What I would like to do is to draw a "photo" template of the outline of the valley the bridge is going to cross.  I will create the scenary using that as a guide as to the slope and shape of the valley sides.  After having taking several photos in the Western PA area, literally cutting, pasting, splicing, rotating, and so on the various parts of the photo to match that outline that was drawn, making them "fit" easier.  This is more complicated than the other situation crossing a rivier as the river bank is not as tall as a 70+ (scale) foot valley side. 

This will also make it easier to create a backdrop for this bridge which is still under construction:

0Viaduct.jpg 

I still have to construct 4 more towers which will go to the bridge's left.  This bridge has 4 towers were are 16" tall, and the other 6 towers 6" tall.  Making a "valley" wide enough isn't the issue, it's matching the valley sides that is at issue. 

I am hoping Photoshop will be the "magic bullet", the "miracle worker" to solve this dilema.  Any help or ideas as where to find this information would be great.  I'm hoping to find instruction in a "model railroad" context, as we (as model railroaders) do tend to have unique requirements that other users of hardware and software don't.

Thanks all! 

Ken L.
 
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Prof_Klyzlr Moderator 7,965 posts
Prof_Klyzlr

What are we aiming for?

Dear Ken,

Happy to contribute what little I know (using PS6.0 to extend model buildings, fill in/replace bits of layout fascia in layout shots, build "backdrop building flats" from prototype images, etc),

but I'm a little fuzzy on whay you're trying to achieve.

I see a shorter bridge with basic scenery already in,

and I see a longer bridge with no scenery,

is the "scenic'd bridge" already a PS experiment?
(notice the cloning and smudging tool work in the lower foreground)

Are you looking to "improve the existing" images,

or are you looking to PS to create a "template" of the gorge for the "not scenic'd" bridge?

I find PS to be a very useful tool in my modelling,
but it's no "Magic Bullet" for lack of creative inspiration,

it's more a way of gaining confirmation that "what you can see in your mind's eye" will turn out something like you envisage when rendered in full 3d modelled form...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
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kleaverjr Prolific poster 2,875 posts
kleaverjr

Photos are from a layout that is soon to be dismantled...

The photos you see are of an earlier design for the P&A and will soon be dismantled to make way for the "new" Interim P&A.  I used Microsoft photo editor to smudge the front of the photo becuase the fascia and ground looked awful, and these photos were for a blog i was keeping about that version of the P&A. 

I am hoping to use these bridges in a totally new scene.  I don't want to do what i did with the first set of photos, having the bridge in front of a valley front.  It never looked "right" to me, and a valley for both bridges would be more approrpiate. 

How I hope to go about doing it is to to draw on the computer and print out an outline of the valley slope on a printer, tape it to the backdrop, build the scenery to that outline shape.  A few years from now, when I finally have the digital photos on file, using photoshop to create a backdrop image that matches the outline that was originally drawn so that when the backdrop photo is printed and glued onto a backdrop backboard, and installed behind the scenery (access to behind the scenery will be possible since these are removable modules/sections) the photo will just be a continuation of the mountain side. 

I hope this clarifies things.  Thanks for the suggestions and ideas!

Ken L.
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