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**mark_dalrymple** · 11-12-2019, 08:06 AM

Is there an echo going on in here? Thanks very much for your kind compliments Frank, Carl and Jerry!

Hopefully I'll get back out to the model room for a bit today.

Cheers, Mark.

**Mario_Rapinett** · 11-13-2019, 06:11 PM

Mark. Your approach to "compressed" scenes is the highlite of your modelling. So much in small spaces.... Looking forward to maybe catching up again in 2020.....when is the open house....( Easter ...exact date ?? )

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-14-2019, 08:45 AM

quote:

Mark. Your approach to "compressed" scenes is the highlite of your modelling. So much in small spaces...

Thanks Mario! You can only imaging the paper cutouts and kit walls moving around the layout room at the moment!

I believe the dates for Easter 2020 are Friday 10th April through Monday 13th. The guest speaker is Kathy Millatt. Registration is now open. The convention usually runs from Friday to Sunday with a special event organised for Monday for those who want to attend. The layout tours are usually spread over the first three days. Below is the link.

http://www.modelrailcon.co.nz/

Cheers, Mark.

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-15-2019, 02:48 PM

Hi guys.

Well - I've been a shuffling! Shuffling mock-ups and kit walls from one place to another, that is!

While I was doing one experiment I thought I would take a few Photos to help illustrate part of this process. The process is relatively easy and quick - which is good because it doesn't always look as good as you imagine it might!

These last two photos illustrate how leaving things out is often more important than putting things in. The yellow piece of paper in this first photo is the road and will eventually become a bridge. You can see how lovely the scene under this bridge to the curved street and shop fronts will be. No 1:1 scale visual noise. Its one thing to consider vertical shape and positive and negative detail, but you have to be careful not to cover those cameo shots.

Here you can see the wooden place filler which is about the right height and shape for the site, but will also let the viewer see the scene down the curving road under the bridge. I think it is important that after you have found a spot for something to then remove it and honestly ask yourself whether it looks better with it or without.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

**Michael_Hohn** · 11-16-2019, 04:38 AM

Mark,

Shuffling structures and scenes looks like fun. You’ve demonstrated the high level of artistry you employ.

Mike

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-16-2019, 08:24 AM

Hi guys.

Thanks Micheal! Yes - a lot of fun.

I tried some Magnuson kit fronts here and Liked them - especially with the gap between them and the structures each side. I will work on something taller and low relief behind and miking a nice alleyway scene.

And here is a Downtown Decco kit-bash placed where the Magnuson kit-bash I showed being created earlier was. Both have their merits, but I'm not yet convinced by either.

And a little more context.

And here is a photo looking back the other way. The scene is starting to get nice and deep.

More soon, cheers, mark.

**Michael_Hohn** · 11-16-2019, 09:47 AM

I like how the streets are parallel but not exactly parallel.

Mike

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-17-2019, 12:15 PM

Hi guys.

Thanks, Mike. I scaled and superimposed a nice curvy steep part of a Lyttelton street map onto my layout plan and tweaked to fit. It is therefore pretty close to reality.

Well I had a bit of a breakthrough yesterday. I took down my straight piece of 25mm (1") poly road sloping down to the end of the yard and made up a piece of 40mm (1 1/2") piece instead. I then cut this into small vertical pieces and tried a bit of an S-curve. I immediately liked this better. I put my cannery kit-bash on an angle to the backdrop and could easily imagine a large structure jutting in and out around and behind it. I also tried a combination of the Magnuson corner kit-bash idea with the Downtown Decco one. Again - I'm happier with this.

So here is the combo kit-bash idea. You can also see the one way street coming off the main road at more like 90 degrees. This means I won't have to change the 45 degree wall seams.

And here is a bit of a birds eye view showing the shape of the one way road and the angled cannery. I think I'll try playing with some Kibri factory walls for behind here.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

**Frank_Palmer** · 11-17-2019, 01:21 PM

I don't know how I did it but I kept up with all your moves.

The scene is getting better all the time.

I haven't been on all weekend, we had our special Saturday/Sunday open house at the Center and we were mobbed both days.

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-17-2019, 09:04 PM

Thanks for keeping up with those moves, Frank! It sounds like a busy and fun fill weekend You've had!

I'm torn a bit in my ideas at the end of the 'L'. I have some fantastic photos of canneries, although mostly from the US, that I think would work well. Some sort of reworking of Monterey's cannery row would look awesome along the front tumbling down into the water. This would also work in with the abundant supply of fish in Jacksons Bay and also the whitebait cannery that was built there. Then there is the idea for a gas works which has been tumbling around in my head for years. I have a wonderful book called requiem for a gas works which is based on Christchurch's gas works, but I also have some good photos from Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland and other places in NZ (along with some photos of Johannesburg's gas works - wow! That's one cool looking complex!) There are so many cool elements that could be modeled with a gas works - all those pipes and tanks and vats... Maybe there will be room for both?

Cheers, Mark.

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-28-2019, 11:44 AM

Hi guys.

Well - yesterday I got the stack painted and grouted so thought I'd better give a photo explanation as promised!

Firstly the stack was checked for any burrs etc, then washed with dish washing liquid and warm water, rinsed and dried. I then gave it a coat of grey automotive primer and set it aside to cure.

Here is the stack getting a coat of arcylic. This one was called 'bark'. I don't use any specific brand.

Mars black was then randomly blobbed on while the bark is still wet. Same sponge.

I then go about smearing the colours together into a nice swirly mess.

Once I'm happy with my mess I usually tone things down again by adding a bit more base colour in places. Once dry I then hand pick out a few individual bricks with a mixture of black and base colour.

Here is the piece of sponge I used for painting. Its called an artist sponge and is aparently made from wool.

More in a sec, cheers, Mark.

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-28-2019, 11:58 AM

Hi again.

Firstly here is a picture of the equipment I use, I fine brush to remove excess chalk - especially around details on brick walls, a larger soft brush for working the chalk into the mortar joints, fingers (not shown) to run across the brick work and use the natural oils to help fix in place, breath (also not shown) to gently remove excess chalk, a builders knife to scrap along the piece of chalk to create dust, and chalks.

Here I am after using my knife to apply chalk dust directly to the stack.

Here is the stack after the chalk has been worked in with the soft brush.

And here it is after having the finger and breath treatment. You have to keep changing fingers (and thumbs) during this procedure as it quickly seems to deplete your hands of oils. Once happy I fix with a pastel/ pencil fixative from a spray can.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

**Frank_Palmer** · 11-28-2019, 01:48 PM

Thumbs up to your mortar job.

**TRAINS1941** · 11-28-2019, 04:27 PM

That is really cool. Great job and how to!!

**mark_dalrymple** · 11-29-2019, 01:47 PM

Hi guys.

Thanks Frank and Jerry.

Well, I've been working on the fright elevator shaft and head house. As you can see I have clad the head house in Campbells corrugated iron with aluminium foil flashings. I added strip plastic to the shaft to suggest seamed metal joints.

Here is a shot of the corrugated iron and flashing work. Attached using double sided tape.

Here is a shot of the overall structure. I cut the cool design from 0.4mm sheet styrene and painted it white (rather than the blue on the prototype) so that it would stand out a bit more.

A close up from the front.

And one on an angle.

A few more things to add yet.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

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