Ken Biles

PAINTING THE SCENERY.

When the hard shell and rock castings are in place it is time to paint your scenery. Painting the scenery is the most important step in making it look convincingly realistic. It is quick and easy to do if you use the right materials. Scenery painting is often a little intimidating to model makers who have had little or no art training. We have developed a system that works and will give you professional quality results even if you have never held a brush in your hand. Just use the recommended materials and follow the steps below.

Before you begin painting, consider the lighting conditions under which your scene will be displayed. Colors appear many times darker in artificial light than they do in sunlight. They also look different under incandescent light than they do under florescent light. Whenever possible it is best to paint your models under the same lights that will be used for displaying them.

We do not agree with the common school of thought that suggests that rock work should be painted with flat latex wall paint or opaque spray paints. These paints are designed to be washable and to resist stains; they really are not an ideal primer coat for coloring model scenery. Colored, opaque latex wall paints are definitely not suitable for finishing model rock castings. Instead we recommend priming your rock castings with white artist’s acrylic gesso. Gesso is designed specifically to accept paints and stains with ease, subtlety and control. It is what artists use to prepare a surface prior to painting a picture. There is very little difference between the inexpensive house brands of gesso and the more expensive name brands. Gesso is available in art supply stores or by mail from Bragdon Enterprises.

Apply the gesso full strength to the rock castings with an inexpensive stiff brush. Gesso is not http://www.bragdonent.com/gfi11.jpg"height="240" src="file:///C:/Users/Zoltan/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" width="320" />needed on the bare hardshell areas that are to be finished with ground cover. As the gesso begins to dry, brush it out of any deeper pockets where it tends to accumulate in your castings. You will need a thin, even coat. Be careful not to cover subtle details in the rock castings with a thick layer of gesso or they will be hidden. Allow the gesso to dry thoroughly before continuing to paint your scenery. Clean your brush with soap and water. Fig. 11

Full size rock outcroppings in nature are large enough to create deep shadows and strong light and dark contrasts. Your miniature rock castings are too small to do this without some help. There are several ways of creating the illusion of shadow in miniature. One commonly prescribed method is to first color the rocks and then spray them with a mixture of rubbing alcohol or water and India ink. The ink wash collects in the deeper areas and crevices and makes the detail stand out. The drawback of this method is that the ink darkens everything and is hard to control. You won’t know the final shade and darkness of the rock color until the ink dries.

A better, more controllable approach is to create the shadows first with black powdered tempera paint, before the other colors are added. Dry tempera (sorry, no tempura) is available from Bragdon Enterprises and in some art supply stores. Dry tempera is the same material that is mixed with water to paint signs and decorations on store windows.

Using a stiff one inch brush touch the tip of the bristles in one color, getting only a small speck of paint on the brush. Then dip the brush in the water. Brush it randomly onto a rock casting. The acrylic colors will combine with a little of the black tempera giving a pleasing, slightly grayed look. If the color looks too intense, brush on more water. The idea is to apply very, very thin washes of transparent color. Use several or all of the colors applying them randomly. Allow them to bleed and overlap somewhat. This first thin coat should dry before continuing. Add several layers of very thin, transparent washes in the same manner. Use several different colors on each wash coat. Greater depth, subtlety and realism is created by building up the color with layers of washes rather than with on or two heavier coats of color. You cannot put on too little paint because you can always add more. Allowing the paint to dry between layers gives you more control.

Vary the colors as you apply them over previous layers. In other words do not put yellow over http://www.bragdonent.com/gfi15.jpg"height="240" src="file:///C:/Users/Zoltan/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg" width="320" />yellow or brown over brown. Which colors you use, and in what order does not really matter with the first couple of coats as long as there is some variety. When you apply the third or fourth coat think more about the final colors that you want and begin to define strata, streaks and other details. It is important to keep in mind that each layer of color is making everything darker; be conservative with the intensity. By applying the color in thin transparent layers the rock work will take on a luminosity, richness of color and appearance of realism that cannot be achieved in any other way! The color can be lightened by washing it with rubbing alcohol. If you do not like the colors that have been applied, the scenery may be re-coated with gesso and painted again.

It is not difficult to master these coloring methods with a little practice. We recommend learning on a small section of scenery or on a small diorama. Practice until you are satisfied with the results. The thin film of color that you add to your model scenery is the most important single aspect of making your miniature world convincing to the viewer.

FINAL DETAILING.

When the paint is dry and finished to your satisfaction it is time to add ground cover, trees, water, figures and details. If you have left areas of the foam hard shell without a covering of rock castings you can give them the appearance of bare earth or grassy hillsides by sprinkling granulated ground covering materials over a white glue or acrylic matte medium coated surface as described at the end of the section on making the hard shell. For tall grasses and weeds glue down any of the variety of model grass mats that are sold in hobby shops or individual tufts made from natural plants or fiber rope. For bare earth and aggregates nothing beats the real thing. Some loose earth, sand and gravel in appropriate colors may be collected in the wild in your area. A wide variety of ground cover and aggregate products are available in hobby shops.

Heavier accumulations of loose materials collect as tallus piles at the base of cliffs or as screed on steep slopes. You can also prepare stream and river beds with loose gravel, small stones, twigs and other debris. An under coat of glue or matte medium alone will not hold all of the loose material in place. Spray over all of these areas (after the undercoat of glue is dry) with a light spray of “wet water” - a mix of a pint or so of water and a drop of liquid dish detergent. This will penetrate and dampen even thick accumulations of the surface soils. Next spray with a mixture of approximately 30% white glue or matte medium and 70% “wet water”. This will soak in and when dry, hold everything down with an invisible bond. This same procedure can be used to hold track ballast in place but be sure to protect turnout points and moving parts from the glue spray.

If you are planning to add “water” this is the best stage at which to do so. There are many choices available for modeling water. Regardless of what material you choose be sure that the water’s bed is completely sealed to prevent leaks. For deep water such as streams, lakes and harbors we suggest using casting resin. Either polyester or epoxy resins will work. Polyester casting resin is the least expensive and the easiest to use but it has a foul odor that lingers for several days. It is best to pour it out of doors or in a very well ventilated room. Epoxy resin does not have the smell but costs more and most brands yellow slightly with age. Either are available from craft and hobby suppliers. Most casting resins shrink a little as they cure so it is best to pour several thin layers. Limit the pours to one quarter inch or so rather than thicker ones which may develop shrink cracks. Dyes added to the resins are generally not recommended because these colors are difficult to control and results are often unnatural looking and unpredictable. Better control is maintained by painting the bottom of the stream bed or pond allowing the color to show through the clear resin. Paint the bottom of deeper areas darker and feather the color with lighter shades toward the water’s edge. Puddles and shallow water are easy to model with artist’s acrylic gloss varnish. It is water base and air dries rather slowly so is best when used for shallow water. Acrylic gloss varnish is also great for representing rapids and waves because it holds its shape without settling flat after it is brushed on. It can be applied over your thicker pours of casting resin to create texture and also to seal in the odor released by polyester resins. After it dries the high points may be dry brushed with a very small amount of white paint to represent white water or foam.

Geodesic Foam Scenery™ is all plastic so it is waterproof. Real water may be used. Paint colors should be sealed with a clear waterproof varnish. All electrical wiring must be protected from the water.

Using realistic miniature trees is important to create a convincing landscape. Quality models are enhanced when they are in settings with natural looking trees and diminished when the trees are toy-like. Excellent deciduous trees can be made in a wide range of scales from kits called “Forest In A Flash” by Jane’s Trains. These kits come in an assortment of colors and styles and use a soft, tough preserved plant with tiny “leaves” and delicate looking branch structure and they are easy to assemble. Several branch and leaf pieces are bundled together and the stems are coated with white caulking to represent the tree trunk, surface roots and bark. When the caulk is dry the trunks are painted. These are very nice trees and surprisingly durable.

Realistic evergreen trees can be made from “Finescale Forest” kits and materials from Bragdon Enterprises. These have tapered and bark textured trunks and unique natural branches. Evergreens look even more realistic if a few dead branches are added below the green growth. Dead wood is easy to represent by gluing small plant roots to the trunks. The roots should first be cleaned and painted gray. A few dead and dying trees, trees with double tops and burnt out trunks will all help to make a miniature forest even more believable.

Clutter, details and figures are very important in creating interesting and convincing scenes. These small details are fun to add and to change as long as you have your railroad. Detail parts and clutter and figures are available from a very wide range of sources. Most detail parts and some structures can be held in place with a repositionable glue such as Aleen’s “Tack-It Over And Over”.

Geodesic Foam Scenery™ is fast, easy and fun to make. Not only is it stronger than traditional plaster scenery but it is so light that it should give new freedom to module builders who want to make massive, realistic, mountain railroads that are light enough to transport effortlessly. Model builders making “permanent” layouts can reduce the mass and weight of the scenery support structure and will be able to move layouts in sections and reassemble if the need arises. Best of all the results look great.

We are happy to give technical assistance by phone between 8AM and 7PM PST. (530) 333-1365.

In addition to our stock of Geodesic Foam Scenery supplies and molds we have two informative, one hour, all color instructional videos which will make your modeling easier and more enjoyable. Both are very reasonably priced.

#FF-71 CREATING GEODESIC FOAM SCENERY. The methods described in the preceding instructions are demonstrated. We begin by making the hardshell and covering the benchwork and contours to create mountain forms. Next rock castings are made and placed on the hardshell and castings are blended to form a rock face. Finally the painting and finishing steps are covered in detail.

#FF-72 RTV MOLD MAKING AND RESIN CASTING FOR THE MODEL MAKER. This comprehensive video demonstration will teach you everything you need to know about silicon RTV mold making and producing finished parts from modern, user friendly plastic resins. One piece molds, two piece molds, gang molds, split molds and large molds are all demonstrated. Casting solid, hollow and foam filled are shown as well as casting with inclusions such as metal tubes, rods or wood dowels. All of the techniques are easy to learn and require no expensive equipment.

The following are brand name trademarks belonging to BRAGDON ENTERPRISES: Geodesic Foam Scenery™, Super Scenics™, Sierra Super Scenics™, Cast Satin™, Black Shadow™, Finescale Forest™, Weather System™,