Dave's new backdrop

[logandsawman]

My layout is about a year old and I have been holding off on the backdrop until the bulk of the track work and buildings are done. I have used commercial products in the past, as well as painting on plastic sheeting which actually turned out pretty nice.

This time I will be using 48" x 100' Kraft paper, purchased from Amazon, cost about $40 I think:

I got 100' because I plan on using some for practice before I get to the final version. I cut it into a piece about 9' long, which I can handle also work on in my train room

I used blue spray paint, white spray paint, and a little gray, to make some initial sky and a few clouds. I did this outside, this is a practice piece

Plain acrylic hobby paints for the landscape. This initial scene will be behind the sawmill and worker shacks so it is meant to be a cutover area and uncut trees going off towards the horizon, as well as a road going into the distance as well:

I took some tips from the internet, white near the horizon is just the unpainted area. I like that effect. Those are stumps in the foreground and will be adding them to both sides of the road, will be standing timber behind the stumps

The clouds and sky were compromised some so this is good for practice. I rolled it up while it was still a little wet, I did this when it was 52F outside and the temp was cooling off quickly so I couldn't wait. Where the blue paint dried, it made a good finish.

Will be suspended from the ceiling is the plan.

Stay tuned....Dave LASM

 

[Old 97]

Looking good Dave! Excited to see it finished.

 

[logandsawman]

I made some big progress on the backdrop, we had a very warm day so I was able to paint some new clouds on a couple 4' x 9' pieces of Kraft paper:

The green gets painted next, I touched up the clouds a little, too

I added some detail to the bottom, stumps and background trees (not very evident)

This is where it goes:

It is going to cover the window and go around the corner

There are 4 pullys holding it up, it is hanging from the ceiling. I ran duck tape and #4 wire along the top

One more photo of this section, I have another section in the works:

I plan on finishing the other 9' section that I painted in the top photo then maybe take a break from the backdrop and play more with scenery for a while.

Thanks for looking!!!! Dave LASM

 

[BigGRacing]

It looks awesome Dave!

 

[migalyto]

Dave-Backdrop looks great!

Nice job on the clouds. That's something I just cant get the hang of painting. Yours turned out very well!

 

[Old 97]

It looks awesome Dave!

It really does!!! Great job!

 

[Snowman]

Dave: I sent you a PM. Take a look.

And keep going!

 

[santafewillie]

Nice job on the clouds. That's something I just cant get the hang of painting.

I had trouble at first, but I got the hang of it quickly. The nice thing is that it's really easy to cover mistakes and start over.

 

[NorthBrit]

Dave. (and others doing the same) See what you see and not what you thought you saw.

The sky looks really good. It is not 'a summer's day'. Something is going to 'happen'. Not sure if a storm is beginning to 'brew' or what. Well done.

The green. The further away it is the more hazy it looks. Hence the saying 'Fifty Shades of Green'. Look at any fields, trees and hills there are shades of blue, grey and greens. No black, but in places it looks like there is. Look further and see a little white, more yellow and the tiniest of red. Oh yes!! Little red flowers. Just a small bunch; nothing more.

Trees and Bushes. The further away they are, the less you see. The closer they are, more detail can be seen. Though they look the same, each tree (like a person) is different.

Be Different. Dare to do something 'that is there' and rarely (if ever) modelled.

 

[Bruette]

Outstanding, I love it!

 

[logandsawman]

THANKS for all the comments! I got the other half put up. This paper strip is hanging from the ceiling using some hardware pullys, my wife said I should have painted the wall, but this was much easier I think

Here is a wide view and a couple scenes:

each section is a little over 9' long, about all I could handle

I painted in two birds (above)

showing stone cutting mill (above)

Thats all for now with the backdrop. I have the entire train room clean and will be doing some scenery, track painting, etc. for a while

Dave LASM

 

[BigGRacing]

Turned out near perfect, makes the layout pop!

 

[NorthBrit]

The weather and nature are wondrous things. They can keep us wondering what will happen next. It is not all sunshine and everything is perfect (in our eyes). Both the weather and nature can (and does) turn in an instant. A grey cloud appears. A breeze blows the dead leaves. The grassy ground is 'not a lawn' and so on.

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Lovely scenes, Dave. The last one is a touch of magic imo. The beginning of a sultry looking sky, the small hill with an excellent mix of browns and the groundwork a mix of browns, greens and stones. Will it rain or pass over? Is it the beginning of a storm? Whatever! Magic. I love it.

WELL DONE

 

[logandsawman]

The other half of the backdrop is finished! here is a little of the process:

This is the same roll as the other half. Totally painted this part with rattle cans: Dk blue, Lt blue, moss green, deep green, metallic gray, white, brown. A few drops of sweat. The actual painting taking less than 1 hour. Prep, cleanup add 2 hours.

Went up a little at a time and attached to the 6 -2 x 2's I used a much easier technique this time.

Took all day (6 hours) to get this in place. After this photo was taken was still several more hours till clean up was done

Here is the completed installation by the water tanks:

And here is how it looks by Groningen:

I learned a lot from the first go around.

Thanks for looking!! Dave LASM

 

[BigGRacing]

Thanks for looking!! Dave LASM

Incredible artistry!