When I first put mymountains up, they went against the backdrop.
I hated the look.
So, I took a chisel to them and carved out about 1/2 inch behind the mountains so that in the future, I can have special backlighting effects to enhance my sunset such as flourescent lights or even dark lights.
I’m using a crummy camcorder to photo this and the colors are off, but you can see the light here coming up behind the mountains. In real life the yellows are a lot brighter. I’m also going to add more orange into the backdrop.
Besides allowing the sunrise to really rise on the backdrop, the space behind the mountains actually adds to the effect of distance and 3-dimension. It’s really amazine what 1/2 inch of space can do. In no way is it wasted.
Here’s the real yellow look. 3rd wire for center rail being added. Cut my fingers sawing some trestles tonight. BB tracked a skunk but ducked the squirt.
BTW, still trying to figure out what the poem in my signature means. I saw the word “women” and it seemed catchy and had “trains” in it so what the heck. I like.
No, that will come much later after about a million other things are done.
There actually are 2 variables to control. The backlighting and the recessed (rotatable) lighting from above. That should make it very interesting!
Later I might take a picture of the lights out and the light from behind the mountain just coming up.
I haven’t permanently installed the lighting yet. I’m thinking flourescent as it evens out the light (disperses it), but incandescent can be dimmed and better approaches sunlight. However, it doesn’t diffuse out as well and adds an element of heat. Your opinions would be welcome.
And YES! Flouresents can be dimmed with a dimming ballast.
Watch BB with that skunk! My border collie (Ozzy) got sprayed in her face.
Sticking her muzzle were in don’t belong.
She didn’t seem to mind the smell but we had to take her to a pro. for a wash.
Just talking to a friend and he suggests using red, blue and green bulbs. Perhaps I could arrange them on a homemade board and place them under the layout. Would need a whole bunch of them.
That way, the lights could actually be controlled individually for color effects.
Again, the heat and expense of burned out bulbs might make natural-light flourescents a better bargain.
Another option, which I’m leaning towards, is sidelighting the layout w/Red green blue bulbs and maintaining flourescent for the backlighting effect.
The flourescent actually would have a duel purpose of not only lighting the backdrop, but also lighting the lower level. I would construct a small valence to hide the bulbs.
You can get clear plastic sleeves for the flourescent tubes. Then you can insert colored sheet gel material between the tube and sleeve. You can find this stuff at theatrical lighting supply companies.
I cannot afford to do it but my dream would be to have a backdrop made entirely of thick, clear acrylic with sections glued together, and a nice scene painted on it. Flourescent bulbs would light the acrylic from behind.
There would also be special effects like waterfalls and lit buildings like you see in some modern-day animated paintings.
It’s just a dream. I don’t think anyone will ever try it.
It would easily be do-able for a small layout, however.
