Fort Hanover: A Commissioned Postage Stamp Micro-Layout

[peteski]

I don't care about what his profession is, whether he has skinny ankles (although I did  notice, but didn't comment), what color is his skin, or even what are his religious beliefs - the important thing is that he likes early N scale model trains.  That alone makes him a one cool dude!

Well done DKS!  I think that signature was a cool request from your client - after all, it is a work of model RR art. 

[CRL]

That’s certainly framing the shot better.  😉

Layout looks good also. It’s difficult when building something for someone else to know when you’ve met their expectations for the agreed upon price without going so far into esoterica that you ended up working for $0.75 / hour. That’s why is hard to make money custom building layouts.

[OldEastRR]

Looks nice. You weren't restricted to use only the materials available in the early '70s, which was good. Yes, lichen blobs certainly would have been hideous.

[glakedylan]

beyond fantastic! what a cool project.
DKS, you're truly an artist


sincerely
Gary

[nkalanaga]

If a real-life film producer is satisfied, you've done a good job.  They know a few things about "artificial reality", and tend to notice flaws in scenes!

[DKS]

Yes, lichen blobs certainly would have been hideous.

Guess I fooled (most) everyone? Except for two Woodland Scenics premium trees, all of the trees are just lichen blobs...





As it happens, aside from those two trees and some Silflor prairie tufts, the scenery materials are from the same era as the rest of the layout, including the Noch flocking and WS ground foam, so the layout is about 98% period authentic.

[Point353]

OK, fine. Everyone else is looking at the layout, and you're looking at my client's feet.

Perhaps it was due to some subliminal effect induced by a random banner?

[Doug G.]

I am particularly impressed by the vegetation along the creek and the little scene with the doghouse. SO realistic!

Doug

[EmdFan]

That is an awesome layout! The mini scenes really make it. Gives me some ideas for my upcoming small layout build.

[GimpLizard]

Very impressive. I especially like this shot. Kind of reminds me a scene you might see in a late 60's/early 70's TV show.

[robert3985]

Very well done DKS!  Meeting customer wants/needs and repressing our own more detailed tendencies was probably the most difficult part.  The biggest non-retro feature I noticed was the flat-finish on the figure paint.  Actual early N-scale figs were always shiny...which made me cringe...and still does.

And, not a single turnout!

I had an art professor at the University of South Carolina who emphasized to me that every drawing had a unique relationship to its format, even if the sheets of paper I used during class were exactly the same size.  The overhead views show your thoughtful and artistic use of the track never being parallel to the sides of the layout, which when viewed from a lower angle isn't obvious, but still pleases the human eye.  I'm sure that most people who view it won't understand one of the main artistic elements of your design, or why they mysteriously like it so much.  Just excellent!

If the customer is happy, then that's what counts!...and he's got a signed, DKS original.  Very rewarding of him to notice the fact that it IS art!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[DKS]

Very well done DKS!  Meeting customer wants/needs and repressing our own more detailed tendencies was probably the most difficult part.  The biggest non-retro feature I noticed was the flat-finish on the figure paint.  Actual early N-scale figs were always shiny...which made me cringe...and still does.

Thanks for the upvote, Robert! High praise indeed.

Re: figures, I've purchased at least one, and in many cases several, of every set Preiser ever released, and they have used flat finish paints since the very beginning; indeed, the majority of the figures on the layout are 60s vintage releases. IIRC, it was Bachmann that insisted on using gloss paints on their (vastly inferior) figures. Still do, I believe.

 

[nthusiast]

Great project. Great thread. I’m so glad you shared it.

[chicken45]

DKS, as always, amazing stuff.

Someday I'd like to commission you to visit Pittsburgh and help me *do anything* with my layout!


You can even sleep in The Murder Room! @tom mann slept there, too!

[Bob]

Just superb!  Your client must be thrilled; such attention to detail!  Thanks for the great photos!