The Sheep Chronicles. A Sheep dips his hooves in various bucolic backwaters.
jonte
Western Thunderer
They look like a great start, Rob.
I’ve yet to make my first tree, but perhaps you might permit me to make a couple of suggestions that I’m going to try myself when time permits?
I’d guess they need sealing somehow, and after that maybe dress the tops with thinned-out seafoam to represent the thinner branches found at the ends? A guy did this on a video I saw to enhance plastic armatures to great effect (although it takes time, you can remove the seed-ey bits until you just have thin stems left, which are glued onto the ends with super glue).
In relation to colouring, a light spray of dark grey to the trunk and lower branches, followed by a dark brown to the upper branches makes a great base for the top colours of: raw sienna, yellow ochre and light grey acrylics, mixed with matt medium to provide different shades, which are then dry-brushed onto the trunk and branches.
As I say, just a suggestion, as you will probably have your own (better) ideas in mind to relieve the natural brown of the roots (weathering powders?).
Good luck!
Jonte
I’ve yet to make my first tree, but perhaps you might permit me to make a couple of suggestions that I’m going to try myself when time permits?
I’d guess they need sealing somehow, and after that maybe dress the tops with thinned-out seafoam to represent the thinner branches found at the ends? A guy did this on a video I saw to enhance plastic armatures to great effect (although it takes time, you can remove the seed-ey bits until you just have thin stems left, which are glued onto the ends with super glue).
In relation to colouring, a light spray of dark grey to the trunk and lower branches, followed by a dark brown to the upper branches makes a great base for the top colours of: raw sienna, yellow ochre and light grey acrylics, mixed with matt medium to provide different shades, which are then dry-brushed onto the trunk and branches.
As I say, just a suggestion, as you will probably have your own (better) ideas in mind to relieve the natural brown of the roots (weathering powders?).
Good luck!
Jonte
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Morning Tony,
The lighting for Sheep Dip (L/H layout) is located on a piece of 18mm MDF which forms a solid roof. It also provides additional support for Bleat Wharf 's fiddly yard above, as well as housing the lights for SD.
The fascia above Bleat Wharf and the fiddle yard attached to BW is common to both it and SD when one or the other is exhibited. Mutton, which is currently stored in the attic has its own fascia, all but identical to BW's. Both fascias project out by 50mm so as to illuminate the front of the layout. (See below image)
This modular approach means that either layout is literally 'one lift', when assembled, as the fiddle yard stores in the fascia for travel. It is a push fit between two battens,on top of the fascia, added just for that purpose.
For home use however, it makes for a nice display of the layouts. I'm not sure where Woolney ( next layout) will fit in though. There is room to the left, under the shelf but it will be cosy.
The above image is of Bleat out and about early last year, being operated by Messrs Farmer and Maddocks whilst I grabbed a sandwich.
Rob.
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Chris Veitch
Western Thunderer
I'm sure it's well-known and blindingly obvious which is why no one else has asked...but how did you do the mist effect? It's great!
Thanks for posting this - it's probably just because I'm incorrigibly nosey, but I love seeing other people's layouts and work spaces in their home environment. It often gives me ideas for thinking outside my rather self-constrained box that wouldn't occur to me otherwise and this is one of them. I tend towards narrow gauge in larger or smaller scales so (rather surprisingly) don't have a hands-on idea of the size of smallish 4mm standard gauge models but this gives great illustration of what can fit into a small space, which is great for someone like me who has - how shall I say it - difficulty in maintaining focus on a particular scale, gauge or prototype. The idea of overlapping layouts above each other has certainly got me thinking and this morning might be spent doodling in O14...or 2mm Western Region...or HO German industrials...or EM gauge LNWR, etc. etc.
Incidentally I always see this thread as a great example of the harmony, variety and good humour of this forum which seems to embrace such a wide range of talents and interests. It's a notable contrast to at least one other I'm in (no, not specifically that one) where it seems that a catty and bad-tempered flame war can develop over the mention of two flies crawling up a wall, and a vocal minority seem determined to use it to voice their unwanted opinions rather than nurture modelling talent.
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Morning Chris.
The mist effect is courtesy of the photo editor I use. All the photos of the layouts I post are taken on my mobile phone. These images are then edited using a photo editor called 'Snapseed'. This a free to download and use app which I would recommend.
I'm pleased you may have gained a degree of inspiration. Whilst my interests are predominantly standard gauge, within that my tastes are quite eclectic. The forthcoming Woolney will take me into the world of ex- Great Eastern branchline territory. Not somewhere I am at all familiar with. As such the small 'modular' layout thing allows me to quickly build self contained layouts and scratch the itch as it were.
As for the thread, glad you enjoy it. It does pleasingly rattle along at times.
Rob.
The mist effect is courtesy of the photo editor I use. All the photos of the layouts I post are taken on my mobile phone. These images are then edited using a photo editor called 'Snapseed'. This a free to download and use app which I would recommend.
I'm pleased you may have gained a degree of inspiration. Whilst my interests are predominantly standard gauge, within that my tastes are quite eclectic. The forthcoming Woolney will take me into the world of ex- Great Eastern branchline territory. Not somewhere I am at all familiar with. As such the small 'modular' layout thing allows me to quickly build self contained layouts and scratch the itch as it were.
As for the thread, glad you enjoy it. It does pleasingly rattle along at times.
Rob.
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Evening all.
A table has now been added to what has become known as the Room of Doom.
This was originally a coffee table from IKEA, now deconstructed and adapted to produce a little work bench. Its 3ft by a smidge under 2ft and is quite sufficient.
As a bonus, it provides a nice perch from which to operate Sheep Dip from and the back of the chair can be utilised in the style of a shooting stick when operating Bleat Wharf.
Rob.
A table has now been added to what has become known as the Room of Doom.
This was originally a coffee table from IKEA, now deconstructed and adapted to produce a little work bench. Its 3ft by a smidge under 2ft and is quite sufficient.
As a bonus, it provides a nice perch from which to operate Sheep Dip from and the back of the chair can be utilised in the style of a shooting stick when operating Bleat Wharf.
Rob.