Portable Digital Routed Track

I wanted to give this layout some rock formations like one sees in the windswept desert. I made this one by molding plaster around a piece of styrofoam. While I think the colors look okay, it's certainly not what I'm imaging in my mind. In this one, I tried to "wash down the colors" by spraying the wet paint with water, but it didin't really work. I just don't have the skill and/or knowledge to accomplish it. I'd love to be able to create something like the colors of "Red Rocks Canyon" or Colorado's "Garden of the Gods." Maybe I need different base colors?




And, this track is taking a lot more time to do than I thought it would. But it's a learning experience. I've got some cool ideas for the rock formations, but let's see if I can actually pull it off.

A new section of rock formation, and I'm still experimenting with the colors. I added some "brick red" into it this time. I think, perhaps, that I'd need to start with the red as a base color? I think I added too much white this time. Perhaps when it's all done I'll repaint it all -- if I figure out a technique and colors that suit my fancy...

QUOTE (jmswms @ 16 Apr 2008, 06:44) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>A new section of rock formation, and I'm still experimenting with the colors. I added some "brick red" into it this time. I think, perhaps, that I'd need to start with the red as a base color? I think I added too much white this time. Perhaps when it's all done I'll repaint it all -- if I figure out a technique and colors that suit my fancy...

Yo Bill........Your either fishing for compliments or your becoming a perfect rock coloring crazed mad man!!!!!!!!!! They look great and really suit what you are aiming to achieve here. By the time you add the finner details such as sun baked foliage and loose rubble etc they will look even better

Bill,
You're at it again 99.99 per cent of us would be overjoyed to have results like you have... to me you have got it spot on.



Using more red would I think you are aiming more for something like this below however would this look real when done to 1.32 scale?



We all know there are only a few people that could pull this off&#8230;.. errm and top of that list is you! Can't wait to see it when you "are" satisfied with the results.
If I could do a 12 inch section as well as you do the whole track I'd be a happy man.

QUOTE (bleep @ 16 Apr 2008, 13:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Using more red would I think you are aiming more for something like this below however would this look real when done to 1.32 scale?

Undoubtedly I'm being a bit obsessive here. But yes, this is the sort of look I imagined. It's fairly easily to get a relatively realistic look to rocks, but much more difficult to create the colors in nature like these! I shall continue experimenting. In the meantime, I'm not displeased with the general look of the rocks. I tried spraying the rocks with water to get the paint to run (like you see in the picture), but was unsuccessful so far.

RallyP, I do have a "swapout section" so that I can swap out (1) a digital section, (2) a two-car analogue section, and (3) a cross-over single lane rally section. And, yes, I like the minis! They're the only real rally cars that I own.

Eye, yes, you're right. Adding the finer details (like those in the above photo) will certainly add the realism that I'm looking for. The colors of the above photo are strange to me (in a way). The pinkish-red is what I'm looking for, but looks almost unreal! I've clearly lost my mind. So, I'll just carry on.

Looking at the pics in #67 I can only think of this.
Yuor rocks have the texture of the rock type in the top picture,
but the color scheme is more the bottom.

They look like real rocks, real 1:1 rocks.
Using the color scheme you want you need some finer textures too,
which is what you will find in that type of rock.

Also, as you probably already think, the colors are too vivid for that type.
I'm trying to think of what I would add to fade them.

One thought is to add the fading content to your paint mix last and not mixing properly.
trying to get a natural blend

Not sure about that, let me think some more.

QUOTE (snowmanf @ 17 Apr 2008, 01:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Using the color scheme you want you need some finer textures too,
which is what you will find in that type of rock.

Also, as you probably already think, the colors are too vivid for that type.
I'm trying to think of what I would add to fade them.

One thought is to add the fading content to your paint mix last and not mixing properly.
trying to get a natural blendI think these are good observations by Frosty (and Drummer). I tried painting the rocks with more water mixed in with the paint. I also tried to intentionally paint more randomly to get more variation in the color. I like this better, but it doesn't match Ian's photo! This mold also has more texture to it, which is nice.

Bill,
I just went through the whole thread for the first time,it is great,fantastic,its . You have turned a reasonable simple idea in to art,although I think the scenery looks the business, I can understand that you the artist never will be happy. I look forward to see further update, and I know what I would like to do as soon asmy project gets a bit closer to the finished product, I want to do like you and if it gets half as good I'll be happy!
Per

So, the basic features of the left side are now done. I began with building the frame for the plaster/hydrocal/sculptamold using cardboard.


After the rocks were in place, I used Scuptamold to blend the edges.


Now it's time for some painting. I'm still working with the colors for the sandstone desert scene. Looks fine, I suppose, but there must be some trick to getting better/more consistent/more predictable results? Now, it's onto some detailing (and maybe more work on the colors of the rocks?).

For the general terrain, I want a sandy kind of surface so I decided to use fine "balast" like they use for model RRs. I need to do some research on desert vegetation. A little green, however, breaks up the scenery.



What the "portable" track will always lack is a background, but we can just erase the "noise" with photoshop...


or with photoshop we can have the cars racing off into the sunset...

QUOTE (SpaModeller @ 20 Apr 2008, 04:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Bill, This is really looking terrific. A very nice job done on the rocks, and I love the bridge. I remember somewhere from my modeling past reading about a fellow that went to a store specializing in indoor plants and bought some very small (and I mean-very small) cactii and planted them in those little plastic camera film containers, set down into the landscape. A drop or two of water 'bout every month seemed to keep them pretty happy, and they certainly did "look the part".

I remember those! That was in the days before Photoshop! Acutally I use quite a few of them for storing small spares.

Bill! What have you done? Turned a desert into an oasis, no less!

Now it's starting to look like something. I added the lines to the highway and the legs to the table. It's short so that you can sit down and race on it -- that is, if I ever get around to putting the copper tape on!