The Scenic Model Railroad: Creativity at Its Best; Part II

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