The Broken River blob* continues its pathetic treck forward.
On Saturday I undercoated the area of the backdrop that was expected to be visible above the mountains and then followed that up with some 'Utah Sky'. Alas there were no 'Avoca Sky' test pots left in stock at the local hardware store. Close enough for a base I feel.
The next step was to put in some landforms so it will look like we're making some progress here. My intention was to use some of the various bits of NZ wire netting that have been under various layouts since the Casseolithic period becasue I like the way you can cut shape and fiddle with the stuff in real time to get the terrain you want. Unfortunately while this has always worked fine in the past for larger hills, on these small narrow cliffsides it was just making me grumpy, so I thought I'd give that cardboard lattice trick a try. Strangely enough, I don't think I've ever done this before.A quick raid on the recycling bin uncovered some corrugated cardboad boxes and some lighter manila folders that might do the trick. These were cut up into strips approx 2cm wide.
The electric glue gun (what a marvellous invention) was then fired up and I quickly started sticking vertical mountain bones on, with the odd horizontal bit weaved in for good measure near the cliff top although I'm not sure they really added much value.
After some strips of the thin card were placed on the tracks to protect them from drippage, the hardshell went on. This job used to be pretty messy before before that Woodland Scenics plaster cloth of unknown flamability entered the market.Suddenly things are starting to look partially half-arsed. I would have liked the cliffside to be taller, so I might nudge the track closer to the edge at the left side of the centre tunnel to allow that.
*bloody layout operational block
2 comments:
I like using cardboard strips covered in paper mache as a way to make hillslopes.
If you want a fenceline, put a piece of foamboard vertically on its edge along the line of the fence, and trim the top edge parallel to the ground surface. Then put in sewing pins to mark the ends of the fence and build the hillslope over it. Fence posts can be pushed in along the fenceline with the foamboard providing a foundation.
Foundations for tall trees can be provided for in a similar fashion.
0-4-4-0T
yes a hot glue gun and supermarket boxes cut into strips are a marvellous combination, but hot glue burns very painful and being messy I find it hard to avoid them.
Woodland scenics plaster impregnated cloth... being cheap I use torn up old sheets and a sack of bunnings plaster. I notice the new Terrace End bookshop has a Woodland scenics selection of cloth and also foliage materials. But I'm thinking of freezing dyed foam rubber bits from an old cushion and grinding them to little pieces in a food grinder.
Must remember to wear my glasses so I dont mix up my meal. Not being as adept as Herr Druff at barbecue-type skills, I wont be able to taste the difference I fear...
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