Would you paint a background (clouds) using an airbrush or would you use the old paint brush method? I’ve seen examples of both but would like to know others experience on this subject.
I have two walls - L shaped; one 18ft and one 14 ft.
The 18 and 14 ft walls.
My first attempt with a the bristle brush yielded
My first attempt with an airbrush (on poster board) yielded
Thanks Tom
Depends what look you’re going for, but in my opinion the bristle brush method looks better.
Ian
I use both, kind-of, sort-of, but in a different approach.
I use an aerosol can and stencils to do the clouds and background hill…Then use a bru***o “stipple” in the more foreground trees, which are still more distant than the planted trees in front of the back drop.
I have never used the brush method for it all, but it looks like it wouldn’t be difficult to do using the method outlined in the MR, Dream, Plan, Build DVD.
As for the two pics you posted…I too, like the looks of the brush painted one.
I like your brush method !
Here is how I do it and I like it. Get a gallon each of flat blue and white latex and a quart of a gray. The blue you have looks fine to me. Don’t get a pure white. Get a bone or antique white. Paint the blue from the top down and the white from the bottom up and blend them. While still white take a 2" - 4" brush with a little white and scrub a cloud into the surface. Use a touch of the gray and scrub into the bottom of the cloud. That way they don’t stand out as much. Now if you are modeling the west instead of the east coast with high humidity this may not be the way to go. But those of used to 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity need a softer looking sky.
I too like the paint brush pic. I havent started my new layout yet. Just have an ho set on 4x8. brought it with us to this new house. Need to start designing new layout after holidays. Then will probably try to paint a backdrop. Your first attempt with paintbrush looks pretty good to me. Do you contract out LOL
Both look good, but I might look at a combination. As they produce different looking clouds I might use one in one area and the other in another area and blend the two in the middle. I might also look to the airbru***o do some high sirrus clouds for effect.
P.S. - Don’t forget to blend in some of the white as you get towards the “bottom” of your sky. It will enhanse the effect of distance. Things far away don’ have as bold of a coloration as things in the foreground.
Thanks for the inputs. I had not thought about using a combination of methods, but, why not?
Since the blue was dry I was not able to use the wet-brush method to blend light to dark. Yesterday I used the air bruo accomplihis. I am going to use the bristle brush and stippling to form the clouds.
Will post pics when done.
Thanks again for the inputs [^]
Since each method has it’s strong points, and you obviously have talent, why not combine the strong points of each? You should end up with a killer backdrop.
Well, here’s the finished (almost) attempt. I still have to go back and add some highlighting and gray’s. The top of the deck will come up right in the middle of the horizon line; which I have to work next.
Looking around the walls left to right. Those wires in the photos will disappear this weekend.
Again, thanks for the good ideas and encouragement !
I haven’t had this much fun since I was a kid [:)]
-Tom
Next. Anyone used this approach before?
During a railfanning trip I took some pictures of the buildings in Taylor. The angles I took, without realizing it, give perspective on a flat surface.
Rough cutout but not mounted. I am thinking about putting some of the buildings on thin cardboard with the expectation that this will help give some depth to the otherwise flat surface. The first rail along this wall is 1.3" from the wall and straight so I think I have about 1/2" or so for buildings.
-Tom
Here’s an article on that very subject.
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/306eiito.asp
Your backdrop looks excelent by the way. Now as a show of appreciation for all the advice, you can bring your painting supplies to my house. I live at …[:D]
Thanks for the link(tip). Perfect timing. And as far as bringing my paints, well, my sister lives in Indiana, so one never knows. [:D]
As the old saying goes,…Now we’re cookin’ with gas![:D]
The backdrops are surely an inspiration to us all - certainly I’m gonna have to find some blue and white paint fairly soon!!
Ian
Okay, I’m off this week and I can’t get the electrical done until this weekend, so, rather than being a bump on a log, I decided to continue with an idea on getting a town added to the backdrop. I want to do this before any benchwork goes up and it’s hard to get to.
So, here is what I tried today. I have some photos of Taylor Texas where my yard resides. I thought, why not use photos to put the scene in.
Un-retouched photo. The truck on the left must go.
A little magic with PhotoShop Essentials and I now have a completed wall.
Take some cardstock and glue the first picture down. I’m putting two separate photos together here.
Glue the modified picture on to some cardboard. I want one building to stand out ever so slightly from the other.
With both pictures glued to the cardstock, my better half had some small adhesive dots. Perfect! Can apply and then move later if adjustments are needed.
First buildings up in Taylor Tx !
Close up. Some blending to do, trees etc and of course will need some more buildings (pictures) to fill the town out.
-Tom B
That looks really good! The only thing I would caution you on, and your other buildings and trees my address this problem, is be aware of shadows and where your lighting is placed. The overall effect you have there is very convincing, but the shadows that you have there, and I know you’re going to fix that, spoil the effect somewhat.
I will say that if the rest of your layout turns out as good as this backdrop is looking like it’s going to be, you will need to be giving all of us a tutorial on how to do scenery the Tom Bryant way![:)]