Mann's Picture Frame Diorama

[Sokramiketes]

[Chris333]

You couldn't work Tom's head into that some how??  :

[Sokramiketes]

You couldn't work Tom's head into that some how??  :

Cut and paste doesn't come until chapter 2 of "Photoshop for Dummies" but I'm ready to progress after having practiced the pencil tool from Chapter 1.

[nscalesteve]

...I have something too I would like to say !



those stones in the corner have the wrong color ! there are no dark rocks or soil on top from where those rocks did fall down... ! just a thought...

...beside that - top notch, as always (I'm actually getting tired to laud and praise your work every second day man(n)...) 

[John]

Steve .. you "crack" me up

[sirenwerks]

Is this a case of "the grass is always greener"? The tufted grass  on the left side of the riverbed is green, while the "grassy knoll" appears to be just dead. And unless the latter spot had recently been cleared by man(n) or fire, shouldn't the two grass varieties have jumped banks and co-mingled ala poopin' birds spreading seeds, at least some? Maybe a few tufts of green on the right bank, close to the shoreline? And you'll need some greenery, grass and maybe a cottonwood or two, very close to the riverbed. Is it a generic western scene (is there such a thing)? High or low dessert? Colorado plateau?

[tom mann]

Thanks to David, Robert, and Chris for getting me set up with code 25 rail and track laying materials.  I admit, I had a really hard time laying the code 25.  Kudos to David for all of his work with this small rail.

The water is Magic Water with a layer of gloss medium to create ripples.

[DKS]

Tom, congratulations on your foray into Code 25! It's "lots of fun," isn't it? But it looks great--hard to tell what scale you're looking at. Well done. Did you solder, or use CA, or both?

I'm embarking on my first Z scale turnout as I write this; having done one in N scale I have some idea of what I'm in for...

[Chris333]

Love the photo!

Your a picture taken freakin genius 

[JR59]

Very nice picture Tom! Can you show us more of them?

[tom mann]

Very nice picture Tom! Can you show us more of them?

Thank you...this is the only one that actually turned out.  

The high F stop on my camera (F36) allows for the big depth of field this close.

[tom mann]

A few more photos and some "tips".  In the first photo, you can see the shore line looks wet.  This is a base coat of gloss medium before the Magic water is poured.  It keeps the Magic Water from wicking up the banks.  John Cubbin thought of this.



Water close up.  The bubbles are no way in my water, they must be real fish in there:



It is difficult to make bubbles if you gently stir the Magic Water, but easy to create bubbles with strippling the gloss medium.

That gel like crap at the top is caulk...once I figure out how to do the falls it might look good:

[Pray59]

Looking good! 

[DKS]

That gel like crap at the top is caulk...once I figure out how to do the falls it might look good:

One of the things I learned about getting clear caulk to simulate moving water effectively is to work with it on a sheet of waxed paper or scrap plastic until it starts to set. Just smear it around with a small spatula or flat stick, and when it gets starts to feel like taffy, then start smearing it in place on the layout. You have to work quickly, and it takes practice. Also, after teasing it into shape, dry-brushing on gloss white paint helps give it character. Applying it straight from the tube to the layout often results in that jelly-like stuff.

[tom mann]

David,  I'll have to try that.  The nice thing about caulk is that it peels up fairly easily.  I think I'm going to lift an idea from Harold and mix white non-sanded tile grout in it for white water.