Easy Restoration Project

[Bonhoff]

Hi all,

 

Think this is the first time I've put anything in here...

 

Helping my dad with his 009 railway at an exhibition so I thought I'd busy myself with doing some scenery work.

 

This is a scrap Airfix Matador that has been placed on a piece of styrene, weathered, scrap items and tarp on the load bed and then planted.

 

 

 

KR's

 

IanJ 
 

[Badder]

Hi Ian,

Welcome to the Dioramas Forum. We're all nutters in here, but not as nutty as model railway scales.

I have no idea what scale 009 is, but I'm guessing it's tiddly.

 

With that in mind, I think your 'salvaging' of the Matador is great and it will add some nice detail to your father's layout. I particularly like the weathering, very effective at such a small scale.  I also like the tarp and scrap on the load bed.

 

The weeds growing around the Matador are fairly good, but there's a couple of issues that I personally would sort out because I have OCD when it comes to getting things to look 'right'. First, all of your 'plants' are of the exact same colour and form, and so appear to be the same species. This would not be impossible in nature, but it does look a bit odd, so I would add a bit of variation. I would dab individual plants with dilute PVA first and then sprinkle them with crushed Dill Tops or Basil. The herbs are already crushed, but I would crush them further. Alternatively, I'd apply different hues of green with light brushing/airbrushing/spattering.

Finally, the bushy plants on the bonnet don't look right at all. Plants need soil to grow in, and there's none on a vehicle bonnet. Moss could grow on there,  slowly over time, and creepers like ivy could take root in the ground below and climb their way up there as well, so if it were my model I'd remove the bushy stuff and go for the moss and ivy look. For the moss I'd just use green paint, as a wash and also stippled on, and for the ivy I'd think about using crushed herbs again, but this time applying individual 'leaves' to the model with a toothpick and gluing them on in an ivy-leaf pattern.

 

Of course, I'm being VERY fussy for something so small, but I always offer such advice in the hoping that someone may find it useful now, or in the future.

I'm sure your father will be/was delighted with your contribution and any future ones.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

Badder

[Bonhoff]

Thanks for the feedback @Badder- I had to work with what I had to hand at the time but will hopefully be able to improve on the piece next weekend at the next exhibition. 

 

KR's

 

IanJ 

[dcrfan]

I have no idea what scale 009 is, but I'm guessing it's tiddly.

 

00 scale is 1/76th scale.  '9' means 9mm gauge so represents around 2 ft 3inch gauge but generally accepted to represent prototypes from 2ft to 2ft 6inch gauge.

 

Nice preloved Army truck.  Veterans just gently rust away.  

[Paul821]

20 hours ago, Badder said:

Plants need soil to grow in, and there's none on a vehicle bonnet.

Not 100% tree, there are many locations where Buddleia plants have established themselves in cracks in brick walls etc, all plants need it water, sun light and nutrients  I have some pictures, albeit of rail vehicles which match @Bonhoff 's model. In most cases  the growth has started in the soil under the vehicle and, looking for light, has made it's way up through a small gap - then producing foliage such as that seen in this diorama.  I do agree with @Badder that variation on colour would help but as you say you were working with materials that you had to hand.

 

Fine outcome anyway.

[Badder]

8 hours ago, Paul821 said:

Not 100% tree, there are many locations where Buddleia plants have established themselves in cracks in brick walls etc, all plants need it water, sun light and nutrients  I have some pictures, albeit of rail vehicles which match @Bonhoff 's model. In most cases  the growth has started in the soil under the vehicle and, looking for light, has made it's way up through a small gap - then producing foliage such as that seen in this diorama.  I do agree with @Badder that variation on colour would help but as you say you were working with materials that you had to hand.

 

Fine outcome anyway.

Hi Paul,

I totally agree with you that trees and bushes do sometimes grow in odd places, apparently on bare rock, half way up walls etc. And yes, if they were to grow anywhere 'odd' they'd need their roots in soil/nutrients. There aren't enough nutrients on a bonnet, so the 'bushes' must have rooted beneath the vehicle and 'grown their way up there' (like ivy would) All well and good. But the point I was trying to make was that whilst it IS possible, at the end of the day IT LOOKS ODD and really, the most believable, more common 'look' is usually the best option.

 

Rearguards,

Badder