Yesterday I was buying a couple of structures from a Craiglist contact. He said something that made sense, but I thought I would run it past this group for validation. The comment was this – When painting a structure, especially in N scale, the color should be muted from the desired color because of the “distance effect.” The theory is that when we look something in the distance, the colors are muted by the distance. Since the structures are already in the distance by the very nature of being 1:160 scale, the color should be muted. He said to always add a little grey to desired color. Was he on to something or just on something?
No, he was correct. Artists use that little trick all the time. Colors are muted when viewed from a distance, especially a great distance due to the effect of atmospheric haze. And that brings up the question of just how much haze one would encounter. Here in the southeast U.S. with it’s high humidity I’ve long noticed how much more indistinct and grayed the color of objects, natural such as trees, and man made structures are. A few days later, those same objects on a day of low humidity (when we’re that lucky) are more crisp and brighter colored. A small touch of grey would do it so would a very small amount of white. And I mean small.
Is it worth it the added trouble for the average modeler? For some yes but for most I wouldn’t think so.
Jarrell
The other option is to air brush the building after it is finished with a gray wash. This also tones down the colors.
I have heard of folks using white or light gray rattle cans to mist their backdrops. I would think it would work similarly to the above post if you don’t have an airbrush.
Good luck,
Richard
This trick is used in scale model building, especially with model airplanes. I don’t think everyone does it, but I have seen articles, etc on doing this very thing to the “standard” FS colors to mute them down a bit. The preferred method is to lighten the base color before painting, not by overspraying the finished model.
The idea is to replicate the experience of seeing a full-scale prototype at several hundred feet. In real life, before the image reaches your eye it has to go through several hundred feet of water vapor droplets, dust particles, and other microscopic stuff in the air that diffuses the light and makes the “apparent” colors seem more muted than if viewed up close. To take this a step further, in smaller scales the color should be toned down even more (because the “apparent” distance from your eye to the object is greater if it’s a smaller model). So if you apply this to model railroading, an HO model should have slightly bolder coloring than an N scale model.
I’ve never personally tried this, as I don’t think my model building skills are good enough to make it noticeable. It’s like the difference between me using Ping golf clubs and Wal-Mart golf clubs - if I can’t play golf that well to begin with, I don’t notice much of a difference [:P]
That’s a standard technique for forced perspective (trying to make forty scale meters look like four hundred.) The greater the distance, the greater the muting. Works best when the scale size of the buildings is reduced as well. HO track, TT building, N scale building, Z scale building - with foliage texture reduction and muting to match.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - selectively compressed)
Years ago I read about a “trick” for backdrops, which I used (IMO) successfully for the previous and current layout’s backdrop…
After painting and satisfied with what you have, take a quality can of flat white spray paint and standing 2-3 feet away, give the backdrop a light over spray. It really makes a difference, taking hi-def details and giving them a realistic muted effect.
I have not done this on structures, but I imagine it would do the same (but I would be very careful in doing so)…
Something I learned in Art Class and have used in dioramas. Hope this is of some use.
Hello Richard,
Must say, your question is harder than it first seems. I think this topic is more art than science, with all the subjectivity that implies. I guess what I’m thinking is how our eyes see colors, distance and depth a littler differently between people.
The old standard tactics for forced perspective can be tricky, and difficult to get the best effect. I recall seeing a photo of Paul Declos (spelling?) B&M layout where he used an N scale farm house and fencing to get a really good effect on his HO layout, but these items where set quite a ways back. I’ve seen photos of other layouts where they tried this and it was awfull looking, whith the N scale building looking like an elaborate playhouse or doghouse rather than a distant building. Then again, the camera sees differently than someone’s eye.
Color is another tricky item. The old use of lighter, faded colors on distant hills or woods works well, if the jump from dark green to light green isn’t too abrupt. I had to keep backing off from my own backdrop to look from a different angle and distance to finally get what I wanted. And then my eye is different than the next guy’s and he might think I got it wrong.
Lighting is a big factor too. A car that looks good on your layout might look different on someone else’s railroad because of the lighting. I recall a local fan who used actual GN paint for his passenger cars, right from the car shop, and it looked terrible on his basement layout. And how many debates have there been over matching prototype colors?
Good question, but a tough one. Guess the best solution is try and see. When you like it, it’s good.
Regards.
Benny
We have all heard the term that an artist is his own worse critic. I guess it’s a matter of what you want to present and what you like, as Benny explained so well. Fuzzy is better in the distance. Just makes sense.
Now if I could just make a background that I could live with.
Ron out
Yes, muted colors and a bit hazy. To crisp of detail makes things look closer.
For some odd reason when I paint something it always looks better far away than close up! [(-D]
Pete