| In this part, we are going discuss and | | | | can sprinkle some of the landscape |
| explain the creativity you may enjoy in | | | | grasses, turf, etc., on the wet paint |
| creating a scenic wonder land that meets | | | | before it dries. This is a time saver |
| your expectations.Now that the basic | | | | and it gives you a perspective of how |
| barren landscape has been produced you | | | | things are going to look as you develop |
| may begin the colorful creative part of | | | | the scenery. Continue this process all |
| landscaping your layout the way you want | | | | the way through changing the colors and |
| it to be. Your own creative license can | | | | materials to meet each particular scene |
| be taken from an area you have seen in | | | | that you are developing. |
| your travels or something you found in a | | | | The next step is to fill in areas that |
| magazine, book or out of your | | | | do not have enough fauna to your liking. |
| imagination.You may have made your | | | | This is done by mixing the hardbound |
| layout mountainous, rolling hills, open | | | | glue in water. Use the plastic bottle |
| plains, semi-tropical, an arid desert | | | | with the lid and poor the glue into the |
| conditions or something in between. In | | | | bottle about one third the way up. Add |
| all cases, there are means to reproduce | | | | the remanding part of the bottle with |
| exactly what you want.I am going to use | | | | water. Shake the bottle until you have |
| an example that I have done in | | | | a watery solution.Spread the media that |
| developing an interesting and colorful | | | | you have chosen over the area of the |
| landscape. First we will provide you | | | | landscape you wish to cover. You may |
| with the basic needs required to | | | | mix what ever materials you are using to |
| accomplishing your particular | | | | increase the contrast of the scene. |
| landscape.You will need Elmer's Glue or | | | | Take one of the bottles of rubbing |
| similar type glue both in a large spray | | | | alcohol and with the eyedropper spread |
| can and also Hard Bound Glue in a large | | | | the alcohol over the material. You may |
| plastic squeeze bottle; At least, two | | | | do this in steps as the alcohol will |
| plastic bottles of rubbing alcohol and | | | | evaporate quickly. Now take the other |
| two long eyedroppers; Quart spray | | | | eyedropper and draw the mixed glue from |
| bottle; Quart sized plastic bottles with | | | | the bottle. Spread the glue over the |
| cap; Hot Glue Gun; Paint of your | | | | area where you have soaked with |
| choosing. Eyedroppers can be found at | | | | alcohol.The reason you use the alcohol |
| your local hobby store.The paint that I | | | | is that it breaks down the resistance |
| use comes from any household paint | | | | where you intend to glue the material to |
| store. The cheapest way is to go to one | | | | the scene. It also helps to seal the |
| of the big home stores to their paint | | | | area so it does not come off when you |
| department. Usually you will find a | | | | are finished.The trees can be made by |
| table with cans of paint for sale that | | | | pulling out a handful of furnace filter |
| was never bought or was left over from a | | | | stretching it out about the length of |
| paint project. The cans come in quart | | | | the skewing stick. You insert the |
| and gallon sizes. They usually run from | | | | skewing stick covered with Elmer's spray |
| $2.00 to $7.00 a piece. I have found | | | | glue or the like and insert the stick |
| most of the colors I want by doing this. | | | | into the filter material. Once dry you |
| There is always an exception to this | | | | may shape the tree as needed by pulling |
| process so you may have to buy one or | | | | on the filter material and trimming it |
| two cans of paint at regular price.In my | | | | with a pair of scissors. You just |
| opinion buying scenic paints at the | | | | repeat this process until you have |
| hobby store is a big waist of money.The | | | | enough trees to get started. Your trees |
| pre-made scenic items you will need are | | | | may vary in size by cutting the skewing |
| the various types of grasses, weeds, | | | | stick to the length you want. For |
| turf, dirt, gravel, etc. Some of these | | | | bigger trees, I would use the cedar |
| things you can make your self or find in | | | | rather than the doweling. It is cheaper |
| a field, hill side, at the beach or on | | | | and you get a more realistic looking |
| river edges. However, the majority of | | | | trunk with the cedar.There are cases |
| the grasses, weeds, turf, course | | | | where buying the kit trees are |
| material and simulated types of dirt can | | | | advantageous and can save time. The kit |
| be had through different manufacturers | | | | trees are reasonable to purchase. It is |
| at your hobby store or on a WEB site. | | | | the pre-made trees that get expensive. |
| In developing these types of materials, | | | | They range from $5.00 to $20.00 |
| the sky is the limit.Trees and brush can | | | | apiece.Once the trees are made I |
| either be made or bought ready made. | | | | recommend that you use the hot glue gun |
| Fabricated trees are costly at best. | | | | to mount your trees. I've used other |
| However, the bags of course materials of | | | | methods such as Crazy glue and Elmer's |
| all shades of green, etc., may be | | | | glue with average to poor success. If |
| purchased reasonably. The trees on the | | | | you can make a small hole in the surface |
| other hand require some ingenuity. The | | | | of the landscape, without damaging the |
| best methods I know are to buy skewing | | | | surface, just large enough to house the |
| sticks, loose furnace filter material, | | | | trunk of the tree using a fast setting |
| tapered dowel, dried cedar strips that | | | | glue will work fine.In a future article, |
| can be shaped into a trunk of a tree and | | | | I will explain the use of synthetic |
| the same glue materials as | | | | water made from plastic resins. This |
| aforementioned.Shall we get started on | | | | will include the use of different types |
| project. First thing to do is paint the | | | | of rock material and other media you may |
| surface of the bear landscape you | | | | want in your stream or river bed. Also, |
| created in the Part I article. As you | | | | how to simulate a water fall or culvert |
| have many choices of landscape to work | | | | filled with water.Joy Ball has been |
| with choose a paint(s) to begin the | | | | involved in the restoration and |
| coloring process. You may blend the | | | | maintenance of a variety of Brass Model |
| paints as you are going along to get a | | | | Locomotives. Through her years of |
| natural contrast of the real | | | | expertise, Mrs. Ball has perfected the |
| environment.Once you have begun the | | | | art of train restoration often spending |
| painting process don't do the whole | | | | countless hours preserving vintage Brass |
| thing at once. Pick an area to do that | | | | Locomotives to running condition of even |
| isn't very large. I do this so that I | | | | the newest Brass Model Replicas. |