How do you decide on what the scenery of your layout will look like and where do you start on your scenery

taking a photograph of one's work, either ongoing, or if considered finished, can do much to hilite where improvements can be achieved, or what actually doesn't look right.

As an example, I have retrieved one of Chris Nevard's outtakes....[I hope he doesn't mind????] posted on another thread herein.......now, I am in no way knocking the modelling of others.....but am using this as an example to work from, so I hope they don't mind or become offended.

concerning the backscene.....the painted-on buildings , fine though they are as a whole, really could do with blending in a bit more with those excellent low-reief buildings in front.
specifically, look at the backscene windows?

The low relief buildings' windows have been done very well.....the builder getting the right idea regarding how a glass window appears from outside?

namely, black?

[although curtains/screens may show up].......this needed to be carried over to the backscene windows......ie black rectangles, with perhaps window bars/sashes shown up as white[ish] lines?

This alone would ensure uniformity of appearances in a confined area.

Other comments I would add.......the bus? It is VERY rare that the front, steering wheels can actually be got into the straight ahead position.....a little judicious bending of axle/wheels [try to keep steering angles uniform....don't want the bus to appear undriveable?].....gives a better impression of the vehicle actually being driven..instead of plonked there?

same comment concerning the Riley[?] behind?

Tiny flats filed on the bottoms of the vehicle tyres give the impression of weight, and rubber tyres? The tyre colouring is about right though.....

details I would add?

the traffic island with the tall light.....the keep left sign has been placed, showing effort.
However, the actual kerb is unmarked....in this era I recall kerb stones being painted black and white.....noticeable even when dirty?

I would question the presence of those telegraph poles?

[creosoted timber planted close to where people walk by??]

Another observation I note....the vehicles, and people seem to be frozen in action?

Yet the trains will not be so?

In this respect, I don't feel the scenic details compliment the trains.

A solution to this problem is, simply to avoid frozen life.......and aim for still life instead?

ie, position vehicles, and people in poses which do not imply frozen action........but do imply they're likley to be there some time?

vehicles actually in parked poses, for example?

People simply sitting around, or in repose...or better still, largely absent from the scene......??

capturing a moment in time is all well and good........but must include all other aspects, including the trains...which rather defeats the original object?

short of continually moving and removing vehicles and people, I feel it is better to leave out things, so the scenic details compliment the railway as a moving entity?

in other words, less is more?
I can take the brickbats,no fears...

QUOTE but is the sky about right for what I want.

Firstly..your backscene/skyboard.

I think what everybody's advice is, to eliminate those sharp corners...on the sky board

This is achieved by curving round those sharp edges, both inside corners as well as outside corners.

Use your current skyboards as supports for the skyscene/backscene......cover them with a nice long sheet of something like thin card, bending the material into a gentle curve to negotiate the right-angled corners of the skyboard.
[I would have been inclined to initially make the skyboard out of something like hardboard or thinnish plywood..this can have vertical grooves cut into the back [non-visible] edge to allow a smooth curve to be adopted around what would be sharp corners.]

However, given you have already started.....I suggest the covering method.

As for the appearance of the sky itself.......are you referring to Chris Nevard's photo?

if so...what do you think?

do you like it? Or, would you prefer something perhaps a little more subtle?

what DOES sky look like?

Can you visit the general geographical area you intend modelling?

If so, have a good look at the sky there?

Different parts of the world have different general lighting conditions......as an example, the clarity of light generally available around Newquay area in Cornwall is responsible for the huge artistic community locating there.

which is not to say,that when enduring a winter's storm, Newquay isn't just as depressing as Bolton!

The sort of sky you'd be after is also influenced by the general season you intend protraying via your vegetation.....[and intended timetable of operations??]....your sky is essentially the frame to the picture you are creating...the railway....therefore your choice of mood regarding the sky, will reflect on the ambience imparted by your models.

or...do we now have 5 seasons in the year...namely, winter, spring, summer, autumn and Hornby?

remember to avoid idealisation of scenery.......create what you see, not what you think is there..is thecommon theme of advice herein

Seeing as it is my first night shift of the week and the family are out for the day at the in-laws I decided to get on with some bits on the layout.

I started by making the supports that will hold up the girder bridge sides and also join the road base to the girder sidings ready for when the supports are dried and ready to accept them.

as you can see there is a piece of wood with the wood glue bottle on top to give it some weight to make sure it dries as it should. I know I haven't painted the girder sides as yet as I was thinking of doing it once the sides are connected to the road base support and the glue has dried.

I've also sprayed some of the backboards with a little white spray paint as well to make the background stand out but I still have a lot to do with it by smoothing the edges possibly by using tubes cut at angles so that the edges are smooth and uniform.

I've been in the shed this evening and finished the other bridge section to go over my lines as well as adding an extension to my scrap line to do under one of the bridges to where the backscene is going to go.

The pictures will make it more explainable.

I've also added some plaster of paris to the layout for the depot area to give the effect I used on the old layout.
I have made sure this time the concreted area is at the right height all over if not a little overheight so I can sand it flat once it's dry.

As you can see from the picture below I have already put the building in place and started ballasting as well for the 3 lines in the depot area.

Yes I know it looks rough at the moment but after I've done some fettling to it then it will be ok.

QUOTE (harkins77 @ 3 Sep 2008, 10:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I've been wondering with regards to the front of the layout and whether or not to put a high backboard to the layout or even a half size backboard or even none at all.

What do you think?

What would be the pros and cons to each idea?

Kain,
If you add more backboards to the front you might end up continually peeping over them to get any enjoyment from the layout, an area left open will add interest.

Live with a while and dont finalise the front scenic until your settled either way, thats one way to get it right to live with it or move things around building a layout, then make a decision.

Good to see your making progress though