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MRH Founder 18,662 posts joef MRH Founder 18,662 posts
joef

If you've been following my blog, then you know I have been discussing doing structures for the Roseburg yard area on my layout.

As I got to looking at the yard area with the idea of adding structures, I realized there are other areas of Roseburg on the layout that need work, namely the backdrop and the yard tracks themselves.

A lot of the yard tracks need ballasting and weathering, and the yard area itself needs its final coat of "zip texturing" dirt. So there's "distraction number 1" from doing structures. The wife and I have been working on the yard tracks (yep you read right - the wife is helping).

Next, the backdrop in Roseburg has never been finished - enter "distraction number 2". The original hardboard was painted a coat of light blue and then mounted in place with drywall screws. No attempt has been made to cover seams or cover over screw heads.

So step one was to use vinyl spackling to patch all the backdrop seams and to cover over the screw heads - then give the backdrop a fresh coat of blue paint. That job's been accomplished.

Next, I needed to determine where the skyline would be and where the mountain contours should go on the backdrop. To do that I enlisted the aid of Google Earth as described in an earlier blog post. Using this Google Earth info and photos from my collection, I penciled in the mountain contours on the backdrop.

Following this, it's time to get out the airbrush and the white thinned acrylic paint (I buy it at the art store pre-thinned for airbrushing - here's a link), and to lightly spray the horizon areas on the backdrop a lighter color to properly simulate the effect of distance you see near the horizon. So now, check, this step has been done.

Now I'm currently painting the backdrop - and I'm using some techniques that involve more detail than I have showed in my videos. A few places on my layout I'm taking the time to paint extra details on the backdrop - which makes the backdrop painting process take a lot longer.

 

ROSEBURG EAST END

Here's some photos of my progress so far. To help you see what's been done, I've included some before and after photos taken from similar angles.

00130_RJ.jpg Roseburg East End - BEFORE

G_2756_s.jpg 

Roseburg East end - AFTER (notice the new backdrop)

Here's the Roseburg East end, taken looking the other direction along the aisle ...

v_05-058.jpg 

Roseburg East end (another view) - BEFORE

G_2765_s.jpg 

Roseburg East end (another view) - AFTER (notice the new backdrop)

 

ROSEBURG WEST END

I'm also working on the backdrop down on the west end of Roseburg, so here's some before and after photos from that area, too.

00150_RJ.jpg Roseburg West end - BEFORE

G_2803_s.jpg 

Roseburg West end - AFTER (notice the new backdrop)

00109_RJ.jpg 

Roseburg West end (another view) - BEFORE

G_2787_s.jpg 

Roseburg West end (another view) - AFTER (notice the new backdrop)

Maybe one of these days, I can actually get to the structures!

Joe Fugate

Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Dustin Active Member 86 posts
Dustin

What a Difference

What a difference a backdrop can make. I especially like photo number 6 since the trains block the seam where the horizon meets the foreground. You can really appreciate the sense of depth here. What will you use to block the "horizon-foreground seam" when the tracks are empty? I am assuming some structures perhaps?

What a difference!

(Before and after photos are sure the way to go. I look forward to this in the upcoming magazine. Quite inspiring, actually.)

 

 

Dustin
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jappe Frequent poster 502 posts
jappe

First class......

First class modeling, like always Mr. Fugate. Love those before and afther pictures. Think we all have that same problem. You plan some things to do on the layout but before you realy can do it you have to go around some other things, before you can start doing it. lol

Or like myself today, I planned to work on some fencing but then I started fine tuning some Loksound and QSI decoders and before I knew it.................it's 2.30 am.........ouch. I wonder what's going to be done tomorow......oups, it's already tomorow.

Jappe

CEO, U.P.-Willamette Valley Sub aka U.P.-Eureka & Willamette Valley Branch

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Don't ride behind me, I will not lead you, don't ride in front of me, I will not follow you, just ride next to me and be my bro......
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Brian Clogg Regular poster 279 posts
Brian Clogg

Backdrop contours

  Nice work Joe.I notice that the contours of the hills are right.It is often hard to get these looking real.Do you freehand the shapes or trace slides or something else?

  Brian Clogg

 Cariboo Western Railway

Brian Clogg

British Columbia Railway

Squamish Subdivision

http://www.CWRailway.ca
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joef MRH Founder 18,662 posts
joef

I use Google Earth and photos

Brian:

I use Google Earth and photos ... check out my blog entries here and here. From these references, I just trace what I see onto the backdrop by eyeballing it.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Lillen New member 2 posts
Lillen

Wow!

What a beautiful backdrop. Very nice and still not overwhelming like some backdrops that are to busy. Superb and inspiring work.

 

Magnus
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Bruce W. Regular poster 183 posts
Bruce W.

WOW those pics almost makes

WOW those pics almost makes me want to go back to HO, but I realy like the big trains better. Maybe next layout will be Hirail/scale oriented.
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ratled Frequent poster 926 posts
ratled

Thanks for the update!

Always like seeing more of the SL.  Your blog is my 1st stop at MRH.  Great work as usual! I do have 2 questions for you though

On the backdrops, do you sometimes give a light white mist after the most distant mountains are painted in to give it even more depth?
Are you using the 50/50 blend for the yard ballast?
 
Thanks for sharing
Steve
 

http://klamathline.blogspot.com/

 
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CSXDixieLine New member 16 posts
CSXDixieLine

Great looking backdrops!

Joe, The backdrops look great--the detail you have added is very convincing and certainly up to par wth your other outstanding work on the layout. I am curious however--why did you decide to add more backdrop detail at this point? I am in full blown backdrop mode right now (drywall mud from earlier today is on my arms and clothes as I type) so your post is quite timely to me. I was going to do just an "abstract" background like your previous work, but after reading a few backdrop books, I really think I am going to go for more detail including--gasp!--clouds. Jamie

CSX Dixie Line in N-Scale
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joef MRH Founder 18,662 posts
joef

It depends on the depth of the prototype scene

It mostly depends on the depth of the actual prototype scene. A lot of western Oregon scenes are closed in where you can't see much past the ridge right next to you, so just a hint of distance hills here and there works most of the time.

But in a couple of places - most namely Roseburg and Camas Valley - you're in a more open valley with hills forming the backdrop. Because I don't have unlimted depth in my narrow, high shelf scenes, I'm electing to do a more detailed backdrop.

It's the good enough principle - why spend a lot of time on the backdrop when in most places the lack of detail doesn't really matter? This leaves me the time to do a more detailed backdrop in the few places where it really matters.

Even with the extra detail I'm adding, it's still more impressionistic than photographic. The focus remains the trains, not the backdrop.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Joe Brugger Prolific poster 1,014 posts
Joe Brugger

Also note that because Joe is

Also note that because Joe is modeling a specific area, he can work from photographs and adapt real features to his backdrop.  Scenes might be stretched or compressed, but he draws on real world features and doesn't need to invent anything. If it turns out badly, it can be partly or completely painted out and redone. Also, because the Siskiyou Lines are an operating railroad and not a museum diorama, the background will generally play second fiddle to the railroading.
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D. Regular poster 109 posts
D.

Awesome, as usual

Joe,

your new backdrops are awesome. I think they have the right amount of detail to depict the area, yet they don't draw too much attention. Again another great modeling work.

And yes, the "before and after" photos are great.
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ChrisNH Super User 1,267 posts
ChrisNH

Backdrops

I like how those came out. I have continued to work on backdrop skills. I have the new book by Mike Danneman on the way, I am hoping that helps me out. In particular I want to capture the patchwork shading of different foliage and clearings in Vermont I observed on my prototype research trip (or, from my Wife's point of view, Antique and King Arthur Flour Shop trip..) this weekend.

Any chance you will put up a short video of your tecnhiques as a MRH monday movie?

Chris

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.”           My modest progress Blog
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