Down on Beaverbrook: Scene testing…

Building a model railway in your home, and in such close proximity to your day to day life means you can always find a moment to do something with the project...

This week I've managed a little ground work (shared yesterday) between commission work during the day and in the evenings, whilst the girls wanted to watch Strictly's nightly show I have painted up a few more Modelu figures. This time I've taken some of their earlier period figures without high vis jackets, and above, the man on the ground has a wonderful red and black check coat (which I would love). This is the first time I've tried to introduce a pattern into my figure painting. The coat is Humbrol Matt 100, the black cheque is dark grey and the whole thing is washed with a dark black wash. The result is subtle and effective but wouldn't stand up to much closer viewing!

Down at the office a man is caught having a cigarette outside of the office. These sorts of 'static' poses work well on a model. Raised arms and gestures a caught in an instant on film. It's the poses we have either side of these moments that work well and Alan and the team at Modelu have a real eye for the mundane and should be applauded.

Not before too long the PEIR SDL39 is ready to leave and the scene at the Co-op feels several stages closer to completion. Looking at photographs of our work as they evolve helps us enjoy what we have created (itself generating a useful momentum) as well as showing where things can be improved. Consider this scene - its looking pretty consistent now with no bare plastic or plaster showing - the ground textures are blending well and the scene has a unity to it BUT the buildings are unweathered and the scenes 'detail' level just needs upping one notch. You want the train to steal the show, but the stage to feel 'at one' in terms of colour, palette, texture (all ticks so far) AND detail. In this case that means weathering, signage and final details on the mill itself AND some litter and a perhaps a touch of ground clutter. Until next time, more soon...

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