Earth Formula Rediscovered

A couple of months ago I needed another area covered with the standard earth formula, but it seemed that the original recipe did not work anymore (9,5g plaster+0.5g burnt sienna+2g orange+0.3g black). The main problem is that the estimated 0.3 grams of black dry pigment weren't that accurate - main reason was that the electronic scale's unit was 2 grams, so no way I was able to see 0.1 increments - so those 0.3 grams were actually an approximation. The big trouble with the black dry pigment is that even a small amount over the right quantity will make the formula too dark. So I dedicated a couple of hours to tests as to get a new accurate formula worked out.

The final formula is seen in the first photo, on the sheet to the right. The base is simple: 5 plaster spoons + 1/5 burnt sienna + 4/5 orange. The black pigment is not so easy to quantify, so I've taken photos with each quantity of black pigment added each time. An approximate amount of 8 times of what's seen in the second picture were added. Just so I don't forget, right now the final formula is stored in a jar labelled with 3, so for the next batch of "earth" I'll be able to have a reference while adding small amounts of black pigment.

Of critical importance to a homogeneous result is a shaker, a medium sized container, that can be closed shut and shaken to make sure all the dry pigments blend together. The one used in this case is seen in the first photo.

This post might look a little creepy, but had to be written since I'm planning to throw away the sheets of paper that were used 2 months ago for this test, sheets that contain the details of the composition they sported and I don't want the next time I'm sifting the earth formula to begin wondering why isn't the color right.

Painting Blades

The hill on the corner of PT is starting to look ok. The telegraph pole turned out nicely (with minor issues when airbrushing the insulators, but nothing a small brush won't fix). The reason there's two apparently identical photos is because on the top one I've tried something that was long due: touching a few of the grass blades with brown paint, something that's being done in an effort to make everything look more real (even Faller does it on their Klingenberg station box cover). Not sure about the outcome on the front green grass, and even though I've tried touching up the yellow blades too, somehow they look just the same as in the other photo.

More is still to come though: weeds, plants, a couple of flowers, some grass around the telegraph's poles and hiding the infrared detector (you can see it just right of the telegraph pole, on the top of the hill).

Same old Helicon Focus used to stack the individual photos, somehow I don't remember the watermark being so annoying - anyway, it gets the job done so far. Click for the close-up.

Telegraph Poles

A couple of telegraph poles are to be installed on the PT segment, since they're definitely going to add some detail to the scene. Faller manufactures a nice set of 20 - item no 130955, complete with wood texture, insulators and even wire for the cables. They aren't painted, but this is even better. I've started with 2 coats of Tamiya Red Brown (XF-64) - first on the left - added some dry brushing with Woodland Scenics Concrete - middle photo - and then used some black Noch weathering powders for some touch-up - 3rd image. The top beams also need to be painted in the same way, and then the insulators are going to be sprayed in 2 coats of Tamiya White (XF-2). Click for a detailed view.

Hills

In-progress work on the hill right next to the pre-tunnel segment. Click for full-view.

Retaining Wall - Take 3

The technique discussed last time was varied a little, and so the final black wash was no longer applied to the whole area, but instead just a few zones, as well as the drybrushing, slightly more powerful in some parts, medium in others and none sometimes. The idea was to brake the "monotony" of the bricks, that was still there even after color randomization, black wash and concrete drybrush.
The photo is taken under natural light, the "land" is actually the first test board, while the Noch retaining wall was placed in the back (right now, even it's not visible in the photo, it's already curved, in preparation to setting it up on its final spot on the big board). A small patch of miniNatur summer ivy was used (936-22S), while the dining car is an ancient PIKO WR ge, built in the 80s.

For that detailed close-up look, just click.

Retaining Wall - Take 2

A new section of Noch retaining wall was weathered, as follows:

- 3 washes with the same ratio of colour to water (3:2) were used: Woodland Scenics raw umber, stone gray and slate gray

- random stones were picked up using the washes

- a black wash (1:16 black to water) was used over the whole area to "blend" the colours together

- drybrushing with Woodland Scenics concrete was applied

The last 2 steps were only applied to the right half of the wall, as to be able to see the various intermediate steps. The photos were taken using an ordinary lamp pointing towards the subject (PIKO sleeping car DR WL AB 4 ge), then stacked together in Helicon Focus to produce the resulting image (a small "halo" is visible, but for now it'll just have to do). Click for full-sized photo.

Closeup of Weathered Brawa Signal Phone

Viewed from the back. The process for weathering this little item were already discussed in detail here. The novelty is the use of a 105mm Nikkor lens with the Nikon D3100 to take the succesive shots, using variable focus, that were ultimately "blended" together in Helicon Focus. The 105mm lens however is an old acquaintance, that already made some very special photos possible. Click for full-sized photo.