As I look at the great logging camps and scenes, what strikes me is all the clutter. They look nice when they are neat and simple, but better when cluttered. I have been adding clutter. I have also found it makes photography more trickey
Here is the pond with more “Stuff”. The pond is WS with one coat. I may decide on a second after I plant more grass, cat tails and trash.
Here is a small saw mill, boards and saw dust. Also a log bridge over the stream
Here are two shots of the hill side with more trees. They all have trunks but there is no underbrush yet
Looks GREAT! The tall foreground pine trees are some of the best I have ever seen. Outstanding!!!
I agree that clutter makes a scene - any scene - but particularly logging ones. Here is a shot of my Hines Lumber Company engine house. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the track under the old rusting Shay has been pulled up and there is a pile of discarded ties nearby. On my website, I explain that this loco, Shay #1, derailed and fell down an embankment. It was decided, after it was pulled back to the engine house, that it would be used for parts. The pulled up track gave room for a new split wood bin.
Details like this really bring a scene to life, as your work demonstrates also. Maybe you could share your tree techniques with the rest of us! [:p]
What struck me, both in photos and the few times I have been in a position to use my own eyeballs, was the masses of small limbs scattered all over the hillside at a cutting side. The trunks were de-limbed, the larger limbs were cleaned off and taken out, but anything less than three or four inches in diameter, or anything with a natural spiral or other pretzel shape, stayed right where it hit the ground. Leaves vanished rather quickly, but the wood apparently lasted for several seasons before rotting away.
That, of course, was before any modern forestry regulations were in force. But, then again, that is the era most of us model.
maandg, I love your wood pile. I got bored before I got very far with mine. Its hard splitting wood even in HO. The White and Red Pine are basic Caspia in holes in a tapered dowel, as per many articles. For White pine I glue the caspia pointing up, for Red Pine, it points down. For healthy trees I use the Caspia with the most foilage, For older trees I use the sparcer twigs. The left over twigs will eventually be the ground clutter in the cut zones. It is tediuos but I find it fun.
Art,
Your logging is looking great, I too use caspia but for Redwoods/Sequioa sure works great and is fairly easy. More clutter-maybe some old rusted equipment, the roller in a throw away lighter when empty looks like a geared drum winch and is almost weathered for you. Discarded and damaged wooden shipping crates, simple to make.
I know you have great ideas and maybe these will add to them. [:D]
Let me share a little secret with you…my wood pile is not all that it appears. Underneath the seemingly hundreds of individual logs is actually a huge pile of brown Sculptamold. I mix it with water, full-strength white glue and brown acrylic craft paint, then create a big mound. After shaping it, I cover it with the cut wood and press them into place. Any “holes” are filled in with additional logs until it looks natural. After the Sculptamold sets, I cover the pile with diluted white glue to secure any loose pieces. The result - a quick and easy wood pile that looks like you spent a week on it. I followed the same procedure for the split logs as well.
My logs, by the way, were cut to size on a Northwest Shortline Chopper. It’ll cost you one razor blade, but boy is it fast!!
I must have no magician’s blood in me, because I love to give away my secrets! [;)]
It’s about time, nifty photos of logging, (and by the way : Ar Thill, superb craftsmanship) ----c’mon now folks, REAL model railroading IS logging, isn’t it???
