Mann's Picture Frame Diorama

[tom mann]

Now what is the rock and sand material you are using for the riverbed under the trestle? It looks real convincing! Is it the Smith & Son stuff or Arizona stuff?

Yes, it is the Simth and Son's river rock and both fine and medium dirt.  This adds up to $35 worth of stuff that Smith and his Sons dig up in their backyard, but worth it to me since the dirt around here is gray.    I mix in a little bit of builder's sand to lighten it up around the river banks, and then add the paint to "dye" it.  Adding the paint to further create differently colored layers was something that I learned from John Cubbin.  There is a lot of variation in real life!

On another note, I am still looking for dirt from around the Tehachapi area.

[tom mann]

Noch Applicator fanboys:

The grassy knoll visible in this photo (on the right): http://www.mannresearch.com/rr/zscalediorama/dio_04.jpg shows the result of planting grass with the $100 device.

[John]

is that a blma bridge?

[tom mann]

is that a blma bridge?

No, it's by Micron Art.  The kit is nicely laid out on the frets and took only a few hours to build.

[tom mann]

A little more work on the diorama tonight, while I take a break from weathering cars.

I discovered a new trick today.  Instead of using paints to dye the dirt, I'm using chalks.  Essentially, when the dirt layer is dry, I use a soft brush and dust on some chalk powder.  Seems to work ok.



This is the honey-wheat field that is applied with the Noch Electro-Applicator:


The river bed shows more color variation using the chalk.  Earth colors for the middle, tan colors for the shore.  The dark areas are where the water will primarily go.  This picture shows the color variation that I am trying to get on the back bluffs behind the bridge.  I will try to go a little bolder with strata next (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratum).
 

[Chris333]

Could I just put my layout in a crate and ship it to you?

[tom mann]

Could I just put my layout in a crate and ship it to you?

and then I ship it back or no? ;D

[tom mann]

I decided to work on the module last night after I took the pictures to try some strata.  I did what I thought looked good, and taking advantage of the sun today, I took the following photos.  The variations in color on the back cliffs (or bluff?) are made with chalks.  Some of the AIM colors include white, yellow, light and medium earth.  I also use a tan color from Rembrandt.

I removed the bridge for clarity.



And a photo of the river bed:



What do you think?  Good or do you expect to see the RoadRunner somewhere?

[3rdrail]

Looks very good, but the difference in colors on a rock face usually follow the same lines as the striations, whether sedimentary rock of old lava flows. I see a couple of spots where the color is about 45 degrees off from the "grain" of the rock face. I joke that model railroading is the only place I've ever put my college geology courses to use!  ;D ;D

[John]

Looks very good, but the difference in colors on a rock face usually follow the same lines as the striations, whether sedimentary rock of old lava flows. I see a couple of spots where the color is about 45 degrees off from the "grain" of the rock face. I joke that model railroading is the only place I've ever put my college geology courses to use!  ;D ;D

Nitpicker ..

[tom mann]

Looks very good, but the difference in colors on a rock face usually follow the same lines as the striations, whether sedimentary rock of old lava flows. I see a couple of spots where the color is about 45 degrees off from the "grain" of the rock face. I joke that model railroading is the only place I've ever put my college geology courses to use!  ;D ;D

Ok, I think I see what you mean.  That dark line should slope upward to the the left a little, right?

[Sokramiketes]

Looks very good, but the difference in colors on a rock face usually follow the same lines as the striations, whether sedimentary rock of old lava flows. I see a couple of spots where the color is about 45 degrees off from the "grain" of the rock face. I joke that model railroading is the only place I've ever put my college geology courses to use!  ;D ;D

Ok, I think I see what you mean.  That dark line should slope upward to the the left a little, right?

Actually, if that dark line is supposed to be striation, then it should be on the rock face, and not in the dirt/falling-rock-debris pile at the base of the cliffs.   

[John]

I thnk that dark striation at the bottom of the cliff face is a streambed .. ..

[Sokramiketes]

I thnk that dark striation at the bottom of the cliff face is a streambed .. ..

Thanks, Sherlock.

I think we're talking about the second stripe up in this photo.  The bottom being the streambed, the second one up being out in the middle of nowhere.

[John]

I thnk that dark striation at the bottom of the cliff face is a streambed .. ..

Thanks, Sherlock.

I think we're talking about the second stripe up in this photo.  The bottom being the streambed, the second one up being out in the middle of nowhere.

Well Watson .. your sentence clearly stated otherwise ..  >

and not in the dirt/falling-rock-debris pile at the base of the cliffs.