Happy February! Last week I finished up the last structure for my WW&F Albion module, part of the Portland Canning Companies cannery. The cannery and "shucking houses" were located across the road at the end of the yard in Albion. They were not really so close to the station but I've run out of length on the module and thought that the industry was important enough to add the scene. The only industry I was not able to incorporate was the Besse tannery, for which the WW&F did haul a significant amount of bark and hides for. The sawmill output is represented by loading boards at the team track.
While the structure does look rather out of place all alone, I'm hoping to develop some backdrop painting skills to better blend it in. I figure poor painting skills are better than none? We'll see.
Albion looks like a busy scene. Regretfully, I think I need to work on the backdrop before completing more scenery. It really needs some grass, weeds, and small trees.
While it would be time of year dependent there is a photo of a crew sitting on the ground shucking corn for the cannery.
ReplyDeletewith this module you may want to try a photo backdrop since the backdrop is not all that long. instead of a commercial printed photo backdrop you could try just printing photos to use, maybe using photoshop to match the edges and erase stuff you don't want. if you can't use photoshop Mark Chase might be able to help. one idea I always wanted to try was to take photos of models and print them to use on the backdrop, that way they don't look so different. one issue I find with photo backdrops is that they can make the models in front of it look even more like models. one area that might be interesting to try is to take a photo of that "one-legged" lumber shed model, mirror the image, print it and glue it to the backdrop to match the model of it.
ReplyDeleteOverall view looks great. Agree that a backdrop is needed. I've gone the Bob Ross way.....paint in enough "greenish/brownish" keeping a low horizon. Backdrops tend to disappear once operating begins.
ReplyDeleteGiven the funkiness of the canning shed.......it may look better to turn it 90 degrees and lengthen it a bit. As it stands now it draws the eye right to it (and it's "funkiness"!). Don't know how you are able to model Maine and Arizona!!! at the same time.......and do it so well......
Tom,
DeleteYes, it does "draw the eye" and turning it would look better. The large cannery was in the background. I thought of building a "flat" but it would be too close. I might try something along Jeff's idea of photo's? Put the cannery in the background? I just don't know if I have the skill set or desire to figure it out.