Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Detailing 3

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Detailing 3

2nd set of pictures, this is the completed scene (at least until section house done).






Mine in place, looking at cribbing on left.


Removable mountin in place looking towards Forks Creek from downgrade.


Forks Creek


Looking towards Forks Creek from Idaho Springs




This shot really shows the removable mountain as the train weaves through it.


Close-up




Final shot crossing Forks Creek

This has been fun, hope it helps someone in their water creation. Just remember give it a try, if you don't like result, try again, you learn more each time.

Thanks Cameron

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Detailing 2

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Detailing 2

So got 2 more work sessions in, though still limited to what I can do.













Will post the last section with mountain and mine in place.

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Details 1

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Details 1

The journey is almost over. With all the steps listed to make moving water, its time to look how details finish the scene and enhance the water effects. A note on super detailing, it never ends so don't try to force it all. Do some until you want to move to something else, then revisit later. This allows a fresh prospective and keeps you from getting stuck (analysis paralysis).

Before

Some lets see a before image: lots of items missing: track ballast, ground cover, bushes, tress, power/telegraph lines, animals and people.


Forks Creek


Looking upgrade towards Idaho Springs


Looking upgrade towards Black Hawk

Adding the details

Now the fun begins. Did some research and found my cottonwood trees trucks were too brown, so switched to tan color for bark. Color changes as they get larger.

Focusing on ballast, ground cover, bushes and trees along with a few figures for interest (they are movable). Will add power/telegraph poles tonight hopefully.


Ballast added. Narrow Gauge roads were known to use local rock, dirt, cinders and even mill slag as ballast. Here used dirt (Colorado collected, backed, sifted and iron removed) adding a little Cumbres & Toltec ballast from Arizona Rock plus a light addition of cinders (coaling stop so cinders falling out and collecting makes sense). Once coaling platform in place will add spilled coal. Ties painted with Dr Ben's driftwood with grim added in center with rail brown on rails. needs a little rust still.


Adding first cottonwoods. From what research I've seen, cottonwoods were not used for building or firewood generally due to poor strength and burning quality. Made most small as a lot of clearing would be done laying track. Original track laid about 40 years earlier (and I like trees) so added quite a few.


Adding trees upstream.


More trees, this time some fairly large. Cottonwoods grow to 50-60 ft, these are roughly 30 scale ft.


Some figures added fishing. These little surprises draw people into the scene.


More trees and brush added, car shows scale. these little details add to the water effects making the scene come alive.


Here is what it looks like when trains run over the trestle.  How many trees to add and where is a subjective decision, put them were you think they look good.


Tweaking look


More low lying trees along water.


Looking from other side of Forks Creek towards Black Hawk at the (almost) completed scene.


Final shot.

My wife helped me with trees making it go a lot faster. Will add the power poles next and some more trees on the Idaho springs side and will take some final photos.

Thanks for looking - Cameron

Rivers, Rapids and Rushing Streams

Rivers, Rapids and Rushing Streams

A few more progress photos:


The new section of creek. Water is deeper and creek wider so not as violent a flow is showing.


Close-up upstream with silicon highlighted with titanium white.


Downstream before bridge with hightlights added. Note matte and gloss streaks.


Section under bridge with more rocks sticking up and more violent flow.


Bridge (under construction) in place to give feel of a more finished scene.

Hopefully more in a few days as we start adding details to finish our water scene. Using Super Trees to make cotton woods so common on the Clear Creek. These along with other details really make the scene pop. Will try to add more light to give a better view.

Thanks Cameron

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams - Post Surgery update

Rivers, Rapids & Rushing Streams

Finally able to go out to the train room. Still somewhat limited in mobility so stuck to tasks I did not have to climb around to work on.


Here is some of the finished work on the Clear Creek in the canyon at the siding.


This is the section we are going to work on. Notice the addition of a little silicon sealer to make the rapids. These will be highlighted when dry.


A quick revisit on tools. Here is the matte gel I use. Note the pointed brush. I recommend using pointed over chisel or flat as the pointed gives a more pleasing tapering flow than the flat does.


Same here with the gloss. In reviewing the work before I notice the flat was leaving more patches than streaks of gloss, it did not look as natural.


Here you can see the pointed brush stroke and how it tapers. A little slower to put on but hopefully you will agree it looks better.


Here the matte gel is applied fully, but not dry. Note how the pointed brush shows flow better.


Here is the matte get almost dry, put on gloss the same way but just a little to add some sparkle.


Introducing a new tool in the arsenal, this is matt gel and is opaque. Used where you want to show flow and retain color.


Here is the matte opaque gel lightly added. A little is good and is easy to put too much. Use pointed brush to show taper. Light strokes to emphasis flow.

So thats it for today. May try and highlight tonight if feeling up to it.

Thanks Cameron

Mill Scratch Build Mock-up

Just a couple shots on the Mill mock-up I'm beginning to work on.

Sources of info a little on light side, best so far is The Gilpin Railroad Era, Dan Abbot, Sundance Books.

The Mill is the 50 Gold Mine Mill (also called Bobtail Mill). It is large roughly 210 by 140 feet.

There are some wonderful support builds also including Hoist House, Tram line, Boiler House and Machine Shop.

Here is a photo:


And Here is the crude mock-up at 75% footprint to verify fit.


This is right at Main and Gregory looking upgrade.


Looking downgrade.

Thanks Cameron

Still Kicking

My little feeling out of sorts turned into emergency Gall Bladder surgery.  They removed stone blocking bile duct and removed the bladder.

Got home late Monday the 5th. Guess it will be a week of so for any more updates.

Thanks Cameron