Good update as always. I like the new hill! It more naturally follows the contours of the hill up against the backdrop so it looks more like the railroad cut through one hill instead of the tracks being there first and you building hills around it. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Bryant, I appreciate the kind words and encouragement. I'm glad I decided to do it, as soon as I took out the hill, it was instantly more of what I wanted haha. I'm excited to really get the trees worked out, I think it's close! Stay safe and be well, Sean
Thanks Pedro! I appreciate you giving it a watch, I'm honored that it's an encouragement for you. If you hav the opportunity, you should check out Part 2 released this last Saturday. I finished the scene and did a little detail work as well. I think you'll like it! Thanks for following along. Be well, Sean
Man you tore out a scene that was very good to begin with, better than most. And then you turned around and improved it! I don’t think those trees looked terrible, But I am interested to see what you do with the next batch. We use a lot of the same materials, I too have a penchant for scenic express. Have fun! My favorite part of the hobby.
Thanks for that John. I appreciate the kind words and the watch! A few of them turned out alright for sure, just need a little bit more to make them pop how I'm wanting. I still plan to mess with them a bit. I know where I went askew and think I can correct that for next time. I'm excited to get the package in so I can try my hand again. The ONE gripe I have about Scenery Express is that I just want all of it. I can spend lots of monies there. haha Be well, friend. Sean
Hey Jesse, thanks for the comment, watching, and the question! When I first started the layout, I was using the scenery dirt you can buy from Scenic Express (I use a mixture of fine and coarse) but it was just a little too brown for my taste. I picked up a bag of a beige unsanded grout from Home Depot and mixed the two together until I got a color I was happy with. It's kind of trial and error depending on your preference, lighting, region your modeling, etc. I wouldn't say there was an exact measurement, but more of a scoop, mix, scoop, mix and repeat until I found something I was happy with. I hope that helps!
I wind trunks out of wire for the main branches of the trees then glue bits of super tree pieces at the ends of the mains for the smaller branches. Using a wire armature for the main lets you create more open areas in the middle of the tree as well as define the shape and height easier. I cover the trunk and branches with latex to hide wire and thicken it as needed. It's a bit of work , but I only do it for trees that are closely visible in the layout.
Tanner, thank you for these suggestions! This is super helpful. I’ve seen a similar technique where those cheaper plastic woodland scenics trunks are used but I love the idea of using twisted wires to have more control over all aspects of the tree. I may give this a try for the handful of trees that are super close to the edge of the layout! I appreciate you leaving a suggestion and giving the video a watch. Part 2 is coming out soon so be on the lookout for that. Sean
Definitely a more natural-looking transition from country to city, Instead of ditching the trees, try giving them a misting of acrylic paint to brighten up the foliage, maybe sprinkle on some lighter fine ground foam on the top to liven them up. Some matte medium on the trunks will strengthen them and make them a bit less brittle too. Great looking modeling!
Jeff, thank you for these suggestions! I hadn't thought about misting them with an acrylic, that'll definitely be something I'm going to try in the next few days. I didn't know that about the matte medium either so that's super helpful information. Thank you for following along and leaving a comment. Be well, Sean
i soaked mine in a diluted mixture as they tell you, 7 to 1 i think, i saved the left overs in a old plaster of paris pail went better then i thought speed wise i even strung a line and got it almost level by eye
Yeah, I soaked mine as well, but I made a few mistakes along the way and tried too many things and I ended up with the results I did haha. Lessons learned. Thanks for following along.
Changes look great Sean. I have a problem with supertrees being brittle as well. I have seen a video somewhere saying you should soak the whole armature in a mixture of mod podge (or something like that) and water for a short time and then let it dry before doing the process of adding leaves. I have not tried that yet because I am just too damn impatient! But I do want to give it a try at some point and see if it reduces the brittleness. Looking forward to the next update on this area to see your vision come to full fruition! -Rick
Thanks for the comment Rick! I think being impatient was definitely part of my problem the first go-around. haha I was just so excited that I rushed it just a little. I plan to do just what you suggested for this next batch that I'm waiting on-soak them and let them dry first then tackle the other fun bits . Hopefully some better results will ensue. Thanks for always following along. Be safe, my friend. Sean
Solid armature(s). ;) The way your approach the work is so admirable-focused on making sure the details are right now rather than just pushing through things to get them done.
Well, now I know why your layout looks so great. You are picky and meticulous! Haha. Send that “garbage” hill to me. I’ll use it. Looked fine to me. Great work as always. I admire your patience and skill set.
Mark, trust me, it's a curse more than a blessing sometimes. Why do you think it's taken me nearly 2 years to work on a layout that's pretty tiny. Haha Unfortunately it has already found its way to the local dump. Next time I get rid of some garbage, you'll be my first email. You can have dibs on the garbage. Thanks for the kind words, friend and always dropping a thoughtful comment. I meant to reply back to your last message but got tied up with a few things. I didn't even think twice about you picking on me during the stream. I know that it's your way of showing me some love. haha No hard feelings whatsoever! Be safe out there, Sean
Thanks for the comment and the watch Patricia! There are some of the trees that I'll definitely use, I think I'm just wanting a little bit more out of them. I'm starting the process of sprucing them up a bit (pun intended) and when I get the next batch in, the combination of the two batches should do a nice job in this area.
The 2 trees on the left look half dead or like they are in LA and have been breathing smog for their whole life. The shape is good though. Don't have any experience making trees yet. But if you have N Scale mag, way back in the 90's they ran a short series of articles on making trees match different species of trees. I think there was another series in Model Railroading mag. Now closed down. Always enjoy your updates.
Jack, I totally agree with you. I think what I'm the least happy about was less their shapes (although there's a little of that) and more the colors and how they make that whole area "feel." To me, it just doesn't work. I think I've learned from what I did wrong and I hope the next batch will be a bit better. I'm going to try a few things with these too to see if I can liven them up a bit. Thanks for the suggestion on the magazine articles. I'll see if I can track some stuff down. I appreciate you following along and leaving a comment as well. Stay safe and be well, Sean
@@TheMidlandDorchesterRailroad Thanks for your feed back. Between the 2 of us it stirred up my curiosity enough to pull out my old N Scale mags and see what I could find. It seems like the 90's were a time of tree evolution. I found 3 articles that you might find interesting. All 3 are from 1999. March/April, May/June, and July/Aug. About 4 or 5 yrs ago I decided it was time to cut down my mag collection. Started in the mid 60's it eventually took in 8 different publications. I cut them up and saved them by article type in binders. There were a lot of tree articles printed over the years and most of them were repetitive. Looking through my 1" binder I found maybe about 10-12 articles on trees. Anyway these are from Mainline Modeler July 1996 (evergreens), April 2003 ( covers 3 different species), May 1997 (birch trees). It seems the idea was to pick a tree type, get photos, and figure out how to make one. Love to say I'm an expert. Nope, hope you find some help in all this if you have or can get access to these issues.
Looks pretty good to me! Did you consider using some of the underbrush to hide the joint? Just place a big bush on top of the gap but glue a it only on one side of the gap but not the other, so you can still easily separate but the gap isn't so obvious. Just a suggestion. Cheers and stay safe.
Thanks for the comment, Maurice! I appreciate the suggestion for using some underbrush to hide the gap, definitely something I've been thinking about, but I hadn't gotten there quite yet. There are still a few things that I want to take care of before "finalizing" those gaps but once I get to that point, using some underbrush and smaller bushes was definitely top of my list so, great minds think alike. haha Thanks for following along, friend! Sean
Well Sean, I thought the original scenery looked fine but I must say improving on what I thought looked good is excellent work. As for the trees you’re not happy with I think and I haven’t made any yet, just a bit of freshening up, perhaps a little spray paint maybe some leaves. I guess you already watch Luke Towan (who doesn’t), I also watch High Eye workshop and Luke at Geek Gaming, they’re all really good at making trees, maybe just to get some fresh ideas. Cheers Sean, John
Thanks for the comment and suggestions, John! I have been toying around with how I can spruce (no pun intended) them up a bit and another subscriber suggested the same thing with a coat of paint to alter the coloring slightly. I have a few other materials that I'm going to see if I can come up with something a bit more lively as well. I think the biggest takeaway with this whole project is to just take my time the next round. I was so excited to get them "up and in the scene" that I may have rushed through a few steps and thus the results are what they are. I appreciate the channel suggestions also, I'll give them a watch for sure. I love Luke's channel and everything he does but I'm always down for watching other modelers do their thing. Especially when they're crazy talented. It's always fun discovering new modelers. Stay safe and be well my friend, Sean
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
The new hill looks good. I agree with you about the trees.. Keep up the good work..
Thanks Andy! I appreciate you watching and leaving a comment. Hopefully the next batch will turn out a bit better.
Sean
Your changes are really nice ,can’t wait for next update
Thanks Stanley! I appreciate you following along and leaving a comment.
Sean
Nice update. Changes do look great. Thanks for sharing. Dave
Thanks for this, Dave! I appreciate you giving it a watch. Stay safe and be well, my friend!
Good update as always. I like the new hill! It more naturally follows the contours of the hill up against the backdrop so it looks more like the railroad cut through one hill instead of the tracks being there first and you building hills around it. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Bryant, I appreciate the kind words and encouragement.
I'm glad I decided to do it, as soon as I took out the hill, it was instantly more of what I wanted haha. I'm excited to really get the trees worked out, I think it's close!
Stay safe and be well,
Sean
You motivate me to go to my mancave and work on my N scale version of the New York Central Westside line.
Thanks Pedro! I appreciate you giving it a watch, I'm honored that it's an encouragement for you. If you hav the opportunity, you should check out Part 2 released this last Saturday. I finished the scene and did a little detail work as well. I think you'll like it!
Thanks for following along. Be well,
Sean
Looks great 👍
Thank you! Appreciate you following along.
Sean
Man you tore out a scene that was very good to begin with, better than most. And then you turned around and improved it! I don’t think those trees looked terrible, But I am interested to see what you do with the next batch. We use a lot of the same materials, I too have a penchant for scenic express. Have fun! My favorite part of the hobby.
Thanks for that John. I appreciate the kind words and the watch!
A few of them turned out alright for sure, just need a little bit more to make them pop how I'm wanting. I still plan to mess with them a bit. I know where I went askew and think I can correct that for next time.
I'm excited to get the package in so I can try my hand again. The ONE gripe I have about Scenery Express is that I just want all of it. I can spend lots of monies there. haha
Be well, friend.
Sean
Curious in learning more about your dirt mixture! Incredible work once again!
Hey Jesse, thanks for the comment, watching, and the question! When I first started the layout, I was using the scenery dirt you can buy from Scenic Express (I use a mixture of fine and coarse) but it was just a little too brown for my taste. I picked up a bag of a beige unsanded grout from Home Depot and mixed the two together until I got a color I was happy with. It's kind of trial and error depending on your preference, lighting, region your modeling, etc. I wouldn't say there was an exact measurement, but more of a scoop, mix, scoop, mix and repeat until I found something I was happy with. I hope that helps!
Nice update progress video.
Thanks Heath!
I wind trunks out of wire for the main branches of the trees then glue bits of super tree pieces at the ends of the mains for the smaller branches. Using a wire armature for the main lets you create more open areas in the middle of the tree as well as define the shape and height easier. I cover the trunk and branches with latex to hide wire and thicken it as needed. It's a bit of work , but I only do it for trees that are closely visible in the layout.
Tanner, thank you for these suggestions! This is super helpful. I’ve seen a similar technique where those cheaper plastic woodland scenics trunks are used but I love the idea of using twisted wires to have more control over all aspects of the tree. I may give this a try for the handful of trees that are super close to the edge of the layout!
I appreciate you leaving a suggestion and giving the video a watch. Part 2 is coming out soon so be on the lookout for that.
Sean
Definitely a more natural-looking transition from country to city, Instead of ditching the trees, try giving them a misting of acrylic paint to brighten up the foliage, maybe sprinkle on some lighter fine ground foam on the top to liven them up. Some matte medium on the trunks will strengthen them and make them a bit less brittle too. Great looking modeling!
Jeff, thank you for these suggestions!
I hadn't thought about misting them with an acrylic, that'll definitely be something I'm going to try in the next few days. I didn't know that about the matte medium either so that's super helpful information. Thank you for following along and leaving a comment.
Be well,
Sean
i soaked mine in a diluted mixture as they tell you, 7 to 1 i think, i saved the left overs in a old plaster of paris pail went better then i thought speed wise i even strung a line and got it almost level by eye
Yeah, I soaked mine as well, but I made a few mistakes along the way and tried too many things and I ended up with the results I did haha. Lessons learned. Thanks for following along.
i just got my n scale super tree starter kit, i love mine
Yeah, I think I they'll definitely make a difference once they're in there!
Changes look great Sean. I have a problem with supertrees being brittle as well. I have seen a video somewhere saying you should soak the whole armature in a mixture of mod podge (or something like that) and water for a short time and then let it dry before doing the process of adding leaves. I have not tried that yet because I am just too damn impatient! But I do want to give it a try at some point and see if it reduces the brittleness. Looking forward to the next update on this area to see your vision come to full fruition! -Rick
Thanks for the comment Rick! I think being impatient was definitely part of my problem the first go-around. haha I was just so excited that I rushed it just a little. I plan to do just what you suggested for this next batch that I'm waiting on-soak them and let them dry first then tackle the other fun bits . Hopefully some better results will ensue. Thanks for always following along. Be safe, my friend.
Sean
Looks good I use long shadow model trees on my layouts
Thanks! I love Bob's work, he does a fantastic job.
Solid armature(s). ;)
The way your approach the work is so admirable-focused on making sure the details are right now rather than just pushing through things to get them done.
Thank you very much!
Well, now I know why your layout looks so great. You are picky and meticulous! Haha. Send that “garbage” hill to me. I’ll use it. Looked fine to me. Great work as always. I admire your patience and skill set.
Mark, trust me, it's a curse more than a blessing sometimes. Why do you think it's taken me nearly 2 years to work on a layout that's pretty tiny. Haha
Unfortunately it has already found its way to the local dump. Next time I get rid of some garbage, you'll be my first email. You can have dibs on the garbage.
Thanks for the kind words, friend and always dropping a thoughtful comment. I meant to reply back to your last message but got tied up with a few things. I didn't even think twice about you picking on me during the stream. I know that it's your way of showing me some love. haha No hard feelings whatsoever!
Be safe out there,
Sean
Trees look great , I would be more than happy with them - I must be missing something . Maybe the pines are out of place ?
Thanks for the comment and the watch Patricia! There are some of the trees that I'll definitely use, I think I'm just wanting a little bit more out of them. I'm starting the process of sprucing them up a bit (pun intended) and when I get the next batch in, the combination of the two batches should do a nice job in this area.
The 2 trees on the left look half dead or like they are in LA and have been breathing smog for their whole life. The shape is good though. Don't have any experience making trees yet. But if you have N Scale mag, way back in the 90's they ran a short series of articles on making trees match different species of trees. I think there was another series in Model Railroading mag. Now closed down. Always enjoy your updates.
Jack, I totally agree with you. I think what I'm the least happy about was less their shapes (although there's a little of that) and more the colors and how they make that whole area "feel." To me, it just doesn't work. I think I've learned from what I did wrong and I hope the next batch will be a bit better. I'm going to try a few things with these too to see if I can liven them up a bit.
Thanks for the suggestion on the magazine articles. I'll see if I can track some stuff down. I appreciate you following along and leaving a comment as well.
Stay safe and be well,
Sean
@@TheMidlandDorchesterRailroad Thanks for your feed back. Between the 2 of us it stirred up my curiosity enough to pull out my old N Scale mags and see what I could find. It seems like the 90's were a time of tree evolution. I found 3 articles that you might find interesting. All 3 are from 1999. March/April, May/June, and July/Aug.
About 4 or 5 yrs ago I decided it was time to cut down my mag collection. Started in the mid 60's it eventually took in 8 different publications. I cut them up and saved them by article type in binders. There were a lot of tree articles printed over the years and most of them were repetitive. Looking through my 1" binder I found maybe about 10-12 articles on trees. Anyway these are from Mainline Modeler July 1996 (evergreens), April 2003 ( covers 3 different species), May 1997 (birch trees). It seems the idea was to pick a tree type, get photos, and figure out how to make one. Love to say I'm an expert. Nope, hope you find some help in all this if you have or can get access to these issues.
Looks pretty good to me! Did you consider using some of the underbrush to hide the joint? Just place a big bush on top of the gap but glue a it only on one side of the gap but not the other, so you can still easily separate but the gap isn't so obvious. Just a suggestion. Cheers and stay safe.
Thanks for the comment, Maurice!
I appreciate the suggestion for using some underbrush to hide the gap, definitely something I've been thinking about, but I hadn't gotten there quite yet. There are still a few things that I want to take care of before "finalizing" those gaps but once I get to that point, using some underbrush and smaller bushes was definitely top of my list so, great minds think alike. haha
Thanks for following along, friend!
Sean
Well Sean, I thought the original scenery looked fine but I must say improving on what I thought looked good is excellent work. As for the trees you’re not happy with I think and I haven’t made any yet, just a bit of freshening up, perhaps a little spray paint maybe some leaves. I guess you already watch Luke Towan (who doesn’t), I also watch High Eye workshop and Luke at Geek Gaming, they’re all really good at making trees, maybe just to get some fresh ideas. Cheers Sean, John
Thanks for the comment and suggestions, John! I have been toying around with how I can spruce (no pun intended) them up a bit and another subscriber suggested the same thing with a coat of paint to alter the coloring slightly. I have a few other materials that I'm going to see if I can come up with something a bit more lively as well. I think the biggest takeaway with this whole project is to just take my time the next round. I was so excited to get them "up and in the scene" that I may have rushed through a few steps and thus the results are what they are.
I appreciate the channel suggestions also, I'll give them a watch for sure. I love Luke's channel and everything he does but I'm always down for watching other modelers do their thing. Especially when they're crazy talented. It's always fun discovering new modelers.
Stay safe and be well my friend,
Sean