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BigLars
Engineer
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 06/30/2020 : 9:32:30 PM
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Thanks Rob and Mike. My inbound drives from the UK have now been sitting I customs in Chicago for 20 days, shipped 26 days ago. Every time I have a shipment that lands in that customs office it is a pure exercise in patience. I had a different package I ordered 10 days ago arrive from the UK in 8 days. Same size box but landed in NY. Figures crossed I can finish this project.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 11875 |
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BigLars
Engineer
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 07/11/2020 : 3:52:02 PM
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Hello all, The spud drives I need are still stuck in Customs. I have been noodling a few concepts and ideas. One idea is what to do for the back drop. I have been madly searging the internet for pictures. Not much to go off.
Can some of you please watch this video and see what you think of a black backdrop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WLLFxrQ_ZM&t=338s Ideas welcome.
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Edited by - BigLars on 07/11/2020 3:55:35 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 11875 |
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Larryc
Crew Chief
  

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Posted - 07/11/2020 : 5:11:19 PM
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The black backdrop certainly is a rather different approach. What it does do is really makes the scenery and models "pop". I know some modelers will paint their facia on the front of the layout black for the same reason. Given how excellent your modeling is; I'd say give it a go. If you don't like it you can always change it latter. Another thought is that you could hire an artist to do a backdrop per your specifications. Hope this helps.
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My current build:http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=53479 |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 616 |
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robchant
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 07/11/2020 : 5:24:34 PM
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Hi Larry,
If you need help stitching together/editing photos for a background, I am more than willing to lend a hand with the project. Not sure if this is helpful, but I have also colourized a few photos in the past, and would be willing to give that a go as well. My email is robchant64@gmail.com if you need to get in touch with me.
Take care, Rob.
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Country: Canada
| Posts: 1208 |
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brucet
Engine Wiper
 
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Posted - 07/11/2020 : 7:07:01 PM
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My layout is a 2x20 shelf. When I built it I didn't think I needed a backdrop. "Let the models be the attention getters". So I used a solid white backdrop. Oooops. That never worked. So I had to work around models to put in a backdrop. I think you may regret a solid coloured backdrop. If it doesn't work how can you replace the backdrop? Mine was a solid wall so that wasn't possible.
Maybe a dark, out of focus and no discript backdrop would work.
good luck.
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Country: Australia
| Posts: 497 |
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Hopeless
Fireman
   

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Posted - 07/11/2020 : 9:03:41 PM
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Possibly Light gray for fog and smoke with some darker gray shapes like trees or buildings in the distance.
Roland
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Country: USA
| Posts: 1922 |
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brucet
Engine Wiper
 
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Posted - 07/11/2020 : 9:23:53 PM
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Good idea Roland. That would be a great compromise.
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Country: Australia
| Posts: 497 |
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adrian_batey
Fireman
   
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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 08:09:17 AM
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Hi Larry,
Catching up on the On30 gang and wow you have been busy and doing some exceptional modelling. Ive been missing out lurking elsewhere.
A very interesting prototype also.
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Owen Pass Lumber Company HO Logging Layout in a Shed. https://owenpass.blogspot.com/ |
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Country: Australia
| Posts: 1308 |
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BigLars
Engineer
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 11:36:48 AM
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Larry C - Thanks for the feedback. Testing the black will be an easy thing to do. I always have black paint handy.
Rob, Thanks for the offer. I have been searching for pictures but not much luck so far. I will let you know if I find something.
Brucet, I have also had a white back drop, it does nothing for the models.
Roland, I like your thought process.
Adrian, Welcone back to the forum. Thanks
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Country: USA
| Posts: 11875 |
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Michael Hohn
Fireman
   

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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 12:08:42 PM
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Larry,
My backdrop is very simple, along the lines Roland suggests. The sky is a murky gray paint that I blended with white toward the horizon. I blended on the backdrop with my brush, not trying to get it too even. I mixed a gray green with a little white for distant hills and painted straight gray green for foreground scenery. I don’t paint any details. Very general. It creates a moody overcast look that shows up in photos of my layout.
Mike
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6988 |
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Neil F
Engine Wiper
 
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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 2:17:55 PM
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Hi Larry, I have operated this layout, its very good but unusual in that the track is above the black base, and the modelled area is very narrow, and the lighting is only 15 to 24ins above the rail height. I would go for a grey sky any hills would be very far off most of the area would be flat fields, I would then paint black trees in the distance coming out of low mist. Most of France is very flat compared to the UK, land rises around 50 to 100ft very slight changes in height most of the time, mountains are a lot further south than the battle areas. Villages would be sparse and only have one church tower or spire and have more trees around the village.
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Neil F in Stockport
http://sites.google.com/site/purgatorypeakmodelrailroad/home |
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Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 164 |
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CieloVistaRy
Fireman
   

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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 4:47:48 PM
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I like Roland's idea. The problem with a black background is how much light it soaks up. Too much of a contrast makes it hard for the details to stand out.
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Arthur |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 5866 |
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adrian_batey
Fireman
   
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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 7:23:23 PM
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Neil, im interested where you operated this layout. I believe one of the builders lives not far from me in Tasmania. The layout appeared at our local show one last time about 3 years ago. It was also the last local show :-(
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Owen Pass Lumber Company HO Logging Layout in a Shed. https://owenpass.blogspot.com/ |
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Country: Australia
| Posts: 1308 |
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TRAINS1941
Engineer
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 07/12/2020 : 7:27:28 PM
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Great video Larry.
Can't help you with the backdrop. I'm sure with all the help here you'll solve that problem!!
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Jerry
"And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." A. Lincoln |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 13043 |
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Frank Palmer
Fireman
   

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Posted - 07/13/2020 : 09:19:44 AM
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Hey Larry it's 1918, will the troops be coming home soon?
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Frank |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6078 |
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