24" X 14" Diorama project

[wombat457]

Evening all,

Currently, I am awaiting the arrival of a couple of items to complete my "wife's" layout so, in the interim, I decided to make up a quick, small 24" X 14" diorama out of my scrap materials.

Essentially, this is going to be a portion of track with a road and river following it in a mountain environment. Fairly common and probably a little boring.

My focus on this will be the scenery and getting it as realistic as I possibly can using some of the new products I am trying out from Scenic Express, Micro Mark and Blackbear Construction Company. This is very much an experimental project.

In the past, some people have asked for "step by step" progress pictures so that is also what I am going to be doing. I begun this project about an hour ago and have got the basic landscape shaped in with foam and have it covered with Plaster Cloth to hold it together and create some idea of the shape of the completed landform. The landform proper will be created (in detail) using Paris of Plaster.

These are a couple of pictures of the foam in place and another with the plaster cloth:

As said, not all that interesting as such, but may (perhaps) help some of the newer people with putting the basics of their scenery and landforms down.

 

[gseritt]

hey thanks for this. Gave me some ideas for the scrap cut foam that i have laying around.

 

[wombat457]

My pleasure ... glad it helped at least one person in some way

 

[FM C liner]

Tony,
Looks great!!! Keep the updates coming.

Scott

 

[wombat457]

Scott,

Thanks, although I'm not sure if I would describe as "looking great" - not at the moment anyway

 

[Bruette]

Thanks for sharing your project Tony!

 

[wombat457]

Thanks Louis, just something to keep me busy and for practice and experimentation.

 

[wombat457]

Just a quick update on this project.

A couple of changes to the landform with the addition of the road tunnel (yet to be covered), the forming of the river and the inclusion of a driveway running up to where a property will be situated.

This project "loosely" follows the area in which I live and what I see every day.

Next will come the addition of plaster to finalize the landform followed by the coloring of it and placing of the track bed.

Although this is small and a little boring, thanks for following along.

 

[Bruette]

Hey Tony,

I really enjoy threads like this one. Its almost like buying a how to book, but its free!

 

[wombat457]

They are definitely informative Louis and can provide ideas that perhaps others may not have considered. Most of what I now do has been achieved that way - looking at the work of those people who "actually" know what they are doing and trying to incorporate their ideas into my own work. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

This project is one of those types of projects, where I get to try different things, make mistakes and mess things up then try something different and hopefully learn from those screw ups so I don't make them on the actual layout. It is a test bed if you like.

 

[wombat457]

Morning,

Last night I put the finishing plaster touches to the road tunnel, road, driveway and general terrain. As soon as the plaster fully dry's I can sand the rest of the roadway and start doing the base coloring.

The last three shots are suppose to show some of the detail, hopefully they will and that detail will be better seen when painted.

 

[Dudepants]

Awesome! Great idea for the left over track and supplies Wombat. Are those Atlas track pieces? ;-) Be cool for displaying a loco, etc.

 

[FM C liner]

Hi Tony,
Looks like it is coming along great. I am want to do the same thing some day so I look forward to your updates.

Thanks
Scott

 

[wombat457]

Dudepants,

Thank you and it also keeps me out of trouble. I'm not sure what I will do with it when I finish it though, it will probably end up out in the shed and out of the way unless I can find a place for it elsewhere; in the interim though, I'll use it to photograph loco's etc - maybe. Yep "left over" Atlas track pieces, notice the lack of turnouts

Scott,

Tonight I'll start the painting and detailing etc so hopefully there'll be some more shots tomorrow.

 

[wombat457]

For those interested, one more update on the Diorama.

Have gotten the track bed, track along with ballasting completed and the base scenery (vegetation) in place. Have begun laying the foundations for the main road and dirt track drive way, neither of which have been completed obviously.

The next step of the build is to do the river and that will be done today sometime, probably along with the commencement of a scratch built farm house front and garage (maybe). After that, I will be adding tree's, bushes, weeds etc etc etc.

All comments and any constructive criticism is welcome.....

 

[photoman475]

Are you planning on painting the rails? If so, Testor's has begun releasing the old Floquil rail brown pen again under the Testor's name. My son saw it at Hobby Lobby. I'd think any LHS could order it if they don't have it on hand.

Photoman475

 

[wombat457]

Photoman,

No I hadn't considered painting the rails; however, it is food for thought and thanks for the tip.

 

[logandsawman]

Lookin good, Tony,

Have you thought about incorporating this into a future layout? I am doing the reverse, cut up my old layout and saving a couple salvagable sections and will be putting them into the new one where possible.

lasm

 

[wombat457]

Lookin good, Tony,

Have you thought about incorporating this into a future layout? I am doing the reverse, cut up my old layout and saving a couple salvagable sections and will be putting them into the new one where possible.

lasm

Thank you LASM, and no I hadn't thought about any future projects actually.

The prospect of building another layout is a very tempting one, believe me, if only I could do two things:

1. Find a place to build one, and
2. Convince my wife to let me build another one - and that is the harder of the two challenges at the moment. Perhpas once I complete her layout, she may allow it

 

[FM C liner]

Great job Tony!!! I like what you are doing with it. Looking forward to your progress. I was wondering if you are using foam for your base?

Thanks
Scott