Erie Railroad Mahoning division HCD

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The yards... give me time man! 

No.

We have become accustomed to a certain speed of progress from you, Chris.

[wcfn100]

Yeah, what Dr. Hotballs said.  With all the other awesomeness, you're never going to be taking pictures at that spot.

Jason

[wazzou]

I agree with Dr. Hotballs and Jason.  It's a scene divider not a railfan location.

[Chris333]

No.

We have become accustomed to a certain speed of progress from you, Chris.

lol after at least 8 months of nothing...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well yeah. 8 months of nothing, then 8 days until completion.

I swear you've built an Nn3 layout (with all scratch built everything) in a weekend before...

[Chris333]

Ah well took a pic of a random car in that area. I can see the how the blue in the background might get in the way.


And then filled in with some trees. The struggle is real!


Have to spray the whole mess with matte medium to form a single mass. This is why I hate trees, they are so delicate.

[mcjaco]

Much better.  One tree should be enough to distract the eye.

[sirenwerks]

OK, I gotta be the one that points out... How often do you see a forest growing up behind a working steel industry? 


Keep in your mind that you're talking at the guy that hated the movie No Way Out based solely on the fact that Costner got off at the "Georgetown" Metro station, and I like spy flicks.  Background for non-Beltwayers, there isn't a Georgetown station, which is a major thorn in the side when taking out of towners around DC, who always want to go to Georgetown, even if it is a snore.

[Chris333]

How often do you see the sky end behind a working steel industry?

The little rock cut is supposed to be one of those scene separator thingies. 

[Mike C]

Are those SenicExpress trees ? What do you use for the leaves ?

[Spades]

Well yeah. 8 months of nothing, then 8 days until completion.

I swear you've built an Nn3 layout (with all scratch built everything) in a weekend before...

The quality and speed of Chris work always impressed me.

[Chris333]

Are those SenicExpress trees ? What do you use for the leaves ?

Yes Super Trees. Used "Super Leaf" on them. 2 shades each mixed with some other fine ground foam. I also sprinkle the super leaf around the brush because it sort looks like... leaves.

https://www.google.com/search?q=scenic+express+super+leaf&num=30&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ9fPsm6jLAhWH2B4KHf3SBA8Q_AUICCgC&biw=1280&bih=637

[sirenwerks]

How often do you see the sky end behind a working steel industry?

Well, I'm not exactly a glass half full type of guy so...

[OldEastRR]

Do you catch your eyes being drawn to the end of the backdrop? Thats what my worry is. Not at the final scenery stage yet but I do time to time find myself looking at it.

This is what I was talking about.

[OldEastRR]

OK, I gotta be the one that points out... How often do you see a forest growing up behind a working steel industry?

I don't think Chris needs a complex solution here. My thought when I first saw that picture was the backdrop/sky is 2D, sticking any 3D stuff onto it will just look funny. Leave the smokestack alone, don't glue trees against the end. You need a 2D solution.
I suggest painting a vague factory-ish image from the model building (so it looks like it's behind the model) to almost 3/4 of the way around the curved end of the backdrop, then paint green tree-ish shape the rest of the way around the curve. Make it look like the painted tree is obscuring the end of the painted factory. Then put a really tall tree right up against the backdrop where it's painted tree-ish. Make the painted factory features vague and hazy (lighter colors) like it's at a distance behind the smokestack and the steel works; no clear defined features, just the building shape w/ lighter-colored rectangles to represent windows. Draw a tall stack on the painted factory and smoke coming out of it, if you like.