Jess Red Horse
Friendly Indian!
Here I'll attempt to show how easy it is to make a 3D back drop for any layout.
We all like a finished look to our lay outs and what better way than to add a
3D back drop.
This is a simple 3 layer back drop constructed of sheet rock, Styrofoam and plaster.
I started with the first layer of sheet rock; this layer has the nature illustrations added, textures, colors and plants.
The second layer is where I affix the buildings and rock faces too and add another layer of hills.
The last layer on the short side of the layout I added the Styrofoam hills covered in plaster, other layers include, cork board behind building illustrations and small details.
Here we can see the layers numbered,
The first two layers are sheet rock and the third is plaster over Styrofoam rock out cropping, (I still need to paint my hand carved cactus)
Here is an easy way to add onto back drop of bracing at the corners and can even be used to repair broken peaks and so on,
Using different shades of the same earth tone colors can add depth and texture.
The building faces are laminated to cork board to help them "POP" out from the back drop surfaces.
Adding roof top details such as antennas, clothes lines, chimneys, and signs and so on give the back drop even more detail and depth; the chimneys are not painted on.
Using grass or dirt to make hiking paths on the top edges of each layer gives us a place for trees, bushes, and even people for more detail options.
All cut edges should be sealed with a coat of plaster to keep them strong and from crumbling over time.
Adding Fore ground details such as this ladder, trash cans, mail boxes and such add another layer of detail,
Added details between layers such as this telephone pole give the impression that there is another street behind these buildings, we call this a between layer detail, light poles are good as well as trees with flat backs that appear to be "behind" the buildings.
To add even more fun back drop details can be powered such as this radio tower warning light that blinks red, street lights can also be powered.
(White and black wires will not be visible when connected).
This back drop is not finished until all the mountains are painted properly, and the buildings detailed by finishing the paint on them, the tree bases in my high desert area will be shaved to shape and covered with grass.
I hope you like my simple 3 layer back drop, if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them for you.
the building faces were copied out of a model train magazine that were published in HO scale and in black and white so the artist could color them as they saw fit, I made copies, added color and mounted them onto cork board before mounting to sheet rock.
I'm sure after my art skills improve I will be making the back drop more realistic as I improve, but because the layers are screwed onto the layout bases edge I can easily remove the back drop for reworking.
And I leave you with this parting shot of the full back drop that is now 80% done.
The tan strip behind the train will have foliage and brick walls attached when finished to sepreate the main street from the tracks
Happy Rails.
We all like a finished look to our lay outs and what better way than to add a
3D back drop.
This is a simple 3 layer back drop constructed of sheet rock, Styrofoam and plaster.
I started with the first layer of sheet rock; this layer has the nature illustrations added, textures, colors and plants.
The second layer is where I affix the buildings and rock faces too and add another layer of hills.
The last layer on the short side of the layout I added the Styrofoam hills covered in plaster, other layers include, cork board behind building illustrations and small details.
Here we can see the layers numbered,
The first two layers are sheet rock and the third is plaster over Styrofoam rock out cropping, (I still need to paint my hand carved cactus)
Here is an easy way to add onto back drop of bracing at the corners and can even be used to repair broken peaks and so on,
Using different shades of the same earth tone colors can add depth and texture.
The building faces are laminated to cork board to help them "POP" out from the back drop surfaces.
Adding roof top details such as antennas, clothes lines, chimneys, and signs and so on give the back drop even more detail and depth; the chimneys are not painted on.
Using grass or dirt to make hiking paths on the top edges of each layer gives us a place for trees, bushes, and even people for more detail options.
All cut edges should be sealed with a coat of plaster to keep them strong and from crumbling over time.
Adding Fore ground details such as this ladder, trash cans, mail boxes and such add another layer of detail,
Added details between layers such as this telephone pole give the impression that there is another street behind these buildings, we call this a between layer detail, light poles are good as well as trees with flat backs that appear to be "behind" the buildings.
To add even more fun back drop details can be powered such as this radio tower warning light that blinks red, street lights can also be powered.
(White and black wires will not be visible when connected).
This back drop is not finished until all the mountains are painted properly, and the buildings detailed by finishing the paint on them, the tree bases in my high desert area will be shaved to shape and covered with grass.
I hope you like my simple 3 layer back drop, if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them for you.
the building faces were copied out of a model train magazine that were published in HO scale and in black and white so the artist could color them as they saw fit, I made copies, added color and mounted them onto cork board before mounting to sheet rock.
I'm sure after my art skills improve I will be making the back drop more realistic as I improve, but because the layers are screwed onto the layout bases edge I can easily remove the back drop for reworking.
And I leave you with this parting shot of the full back drop that is now 80% done.
The tan strip behind the train will have foliage and brick walls attached when finished to sepreate the main street from the tracks
Happy Rails.
