Under the weather ..

A few  images of the Skytrex Low Relief buildings  on My lenz O Gauge Layout, Alter Lokschuppen.

There is still much work to be done on these, but the background theme is now starting to take shape nicely.

Evolution of brickwork / Skytrex Low Relief Buildings

Continuing with the build of Alter Lokschuppen, My Lenz O Gauge / Spur 0 layout with the Skytrex  low relief buildings, painting and weathering.

Here's a brief look at how I go about the process of painting and detailing the brickwork.

My techniques continue to evolve, trying different application methods and indeed media.

These are the first resin type buildings I have attempted to detail and weather and am very pleased with the progress..

There is still much to do on each individual building section, however the fact that they are 'individual sections' means my technique and the final finish will differ on each and everyone.

The original resin cast parts are sprayed with a standard brick red colour :

Toned down with the application of various media, MIG weathering powders, dry brushed and rubbed on,  and also pastels using the same methods.

 At this point, I decided to actually glue the walls and the roof in situ onto this small annexe building.
It's only when the resin is painted, that the details of the brickwork and other features truly stand out.
I have congratulate Skytrex on the quality of all of these low relief buildings, they really are top class products !

 The 'mortar' pointing ingredient, you could use grey, however I have found white oil pigment to be ideal for this purpose.
It's spread liberally over all of the brickwork surfaces.

 Using downward wiping strokes with a dry cloth, embeds the pain into the brickwork joints.

 Then using the cloth left to right, the rest of the joints are infilled, and already the brickwork is starting to really come to life.

Typically, for we modellers.. its 'test posed' next to another building unit.
The image below clearly shows how the techniques above heighten the brickwork detailing from the previous brick red base finish.

 

Below: window frames and cils painted, individual bricks are picked out with my PITT pastels to add highlight areas. At this point, I also add some stains and streaks, again using weathering powders, I find the oil pigments retain the powders nicely.

 

Again, the modellers licence allows me to trial / test fit the building in its ultimate setting.

Yup, I am very pleased with this technique.
There are still many details to be added to each building section, but for the base work, I think these look fab.

Top marks to Skytrex for these !

You can find many other variants of low relief buildings here >  Skytrex

To be continued...

Setting the Scene

Filling in the Background / Setting the Scene

Having had my imagination 'fired' with the recent purchase of the Skytrex Low relief buildings, I set about trying to set the scene for my latest re-incarnation of Alter Loskchuppen, My Lenz O Gauge/ Spur 0 layout.

As these buildings are low relief, it allows me modellers licence potential to infill a large part of the back ground scenics.These Skytrex O Gauge additions allow me to set the scene with some degree of industry, effectively adding more 'purpose' to the layout.

Above: Various Skytrex O Gauge detailing items added including the barrow / forklift crossing across the tracks.

Above: As can be seen, Skytrex can supply a wide range of detailing items for any O gauge diorama / layout.

Like all resin cast items, once painted, these small detail objects will really come to 'life' when painted and weathered.

My Vision or should I say......Imagination !

In my modellers 'minds eye', I see Alter Lokschuppen set in an old industrial setting on the edge of a town, bordering countryside. As with all my Alter Lokschuppen layouts, the theme is still a 'Preservation ' one, where I can use modern vehicles, people figures, infrastructure with older Era III stock provided by Lenz.

The factory I propose, is a historical factory / warehouse structure that has long since closed..

At some time in the past it had its own sidings for goods delivery and despatch as well as by road transport.

Falling into disrepair, a developer / builder has now aquired the site, and is now in the process of extensive re-building work,and separating the factory into smaller industrial units.

This rebuilding / devlopment, will allow me huge modellers licence to display various stages of the process, and with it , enormous potential for detailing / weathering.

I have to say, I have never before painted and weathered any resin cast buildings, so this will be another challenge for me to  discover and hone new skills..and I am looking forward to it too !

As can be seen below, some items are 'recycled' from my previous layouts.

Loose fitted / trialled in situ is my portakabin, in the main factory area.

This is the builder / developers site office, where deliveries of various Skytrex  building materials are delivered / stored.

This  'mini theme' allows me even more diorama potential for detailing, and also opportunity to use some delivery vehicles and make a car park area too.

I do like options !

 

    

As the factory originally had some railway connection / sidings, at some stage my local DB preservation group aquired some of the adjacent factory land and built the lokshed facility.

More than 'just' playing trains !

 

With the imagination now fired, the scene is set and everything seems to now have more 'purpose'.

However, more importantly for me, it has many options and challenges ahead for me to discover and hone new skills with my modelling.

As I have said many times before, model railways are more than just trains.. there is huge potential for modelling as well as 'playing' with trains.

To be continued.....



Skytrex Low Relief Resin Buildings

My Skytrex Low Relief Buildings order arrived earlier in January 2011so I set about trialling where they would go on my main layout lokshed board..

The addition of various Skytrex detailing items, illustrates how one can plan the rest of the layout.

I feel the addition of these items, give the total layout more 'purpose' and a first for me, more of an industrial feel / background.

More to follow.....