I have an area on my layout that I want to do in a southern CA look. There is a large desert type layout on ebay right now for sale. The scenery is great.I want to do some of the same type on my layout. I know to start off with a light sand color base coat of paint but any good scenery ideas or items to use from there.
Desert scenery tips needed
- Thread starter dekker
- Start date
jbaakko
Diesel Detail Freak
Pelle Solburg has a few great articles in Model Railroader on desert scenery, western Mojave like you (and I) are modeling.
http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&sort=A&output=3&cmdtext="SOEBORG,+PELLE"
http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&sort=A&output=3&cmdtext="SOEBORG,+PELLE"
desert
Yes, he does some great scenery. I have the basic concept on what to do I guess I would like it if I could get some step by step or how to's to do it. My layout as far as track, is level, it is the scenery that goes up and down. I have done a small area that has a southern desert look and I used woodland scenics items and they were the all the W/S fine grade but they still look too gravely and coarse. They do not have nice smooth look.
Yes, he does some great scenery. I have the basic concept on what to do I guess I would like it if I could get some step by step or how to's to do it. My layout as far as track, is level, it is the scenery that goes up and down. I have done a small area that has a southern desert look and I used woodland scenics items and they were the all the W/S fine grade but they still look too gravely and coarse. They do not have nice smooth look.
Yep, texture paint is just what you want. A lot of the Mojave actually has very little sand. It's mostly rock and that rock has been fused together with sand over the centuries into what's called desert pavement. There's a good article about adding silica sand to paint to get the texture you want at http://ideas.reliableremodeler.com/Article.aspx?ID=479. As Josh said, there's also a lot of plants in the Mojave Desert so, except for areas like playas, you'll probably find the texture isn't so important after you get through adding the creosote and sage bushes. There are some good pictures of desert pavement at http://geology.about.com/od/sediment_soil/ig/desertpave/. That should be the look you're after.
