Mchowisko in 009 and minimalism…
We often marvel at model railways where a real feeling of space has been created and then continue to fill every square inch with interest and cameos on our own projects. I have long practiced restraint, and counselled on an artful approach - and this has been never more important than on my latest Mosslanda...
Mchowisko is 55cm wide and barely 10cm deep - yet I wanted to feel the expanse of the sugar beet fields in winter. In my previous introduction to the layout I shared that the composition was in flux, and I thought I would re-introduce some of the thinner trees at each end of the scene.
Well I have, in less quantity - but more than that, I've given the layout a single solitary detail.
Just the one.
No cliche. No platform. No ramshackle structure. No car.
No, just a sign.
Created on my Mac, printed on lightweight cheap paper and superglued to 10thou styrene it does the job of placing us in Europe. It's form, above, echoing the letter box of the layout. Together with the tree they provide a focus, neither quite centre mind, all a case of tweaking and adjusting position. I also painted a very low horizon on the bottom of the back scene. This has removed the uncomfortable sight of the static grass overlapping the sky. Subtle but important details.
There are a few more things to tick off - whilst I'm generally happy with the trees I think there is more variation in ground texture required, perhaps some brown micro-fibre? Then a question of a touch of colour, subtle but that suggests human life - I've got something in mind, it can wait until next time. Until then, more soon...
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Dear James,
ReplyDeleteDo you still have the garden railway in your garden?
The Dyfrdwy Tramway still exists. It’s being slowly destroyed by the puppy! The LGB based layout was at my childhood home which Mum sold many years ago now - so that is long gone (but the website still exists - the EJKLR.blogspot.co.uk)
DeleteSuperb, as ever. This really is a fine-art. When I’ve finished cramming far too much onto my desk-side micro, I hope my next layout will demonstrate some restraint!
ReplyDeleteHi Jonathan, thanks that’s very kind, it’s come on further from these photos - I’ll share more on Tuesday.
DeleteWhat a great inspiration, James! It immediately made me want to dust off an old Jarocinska KD idea again…
ReplyDeleteNot sure of it‘s a matter of size or perspective - but I‘d recommend scaling up the station sign a bit. Maybe my East German childhood memories are deceiving me, because I was smaller then and things were bigger in proportion. But I think that the station sign should easily reach up as high as the white belly band of the Lyd2. I‘ve found some comparative examples here: http://bit.ly/4jIKG7Q
Thank you Mathias. You might be right about the sign, I made it 12” tall, and then mounted it on styrene ‘poles’ that felt right. Not based on ant prototype as such, but the font chosen inspired by photos of stations on the Polish narrow gauge.
DeleteAdmittedly, I have no idea about the standards in Poland. In East Germany standardised signs were a Mosslanda tall 😉 and 150cm wide. I don't know whether the post height was also specified. In Prussia the post height requirement for a free standing sign was 197cm. This may have continued where PKP took over. However, I guess the overall idea was that a seated passenger should be able to spot the sign comfortably from the train window.
DeleteMinimalism. Restraint. There's a lot of modellers, some quite feted, that could learn a thing or two from this post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Paul.
DeleteJames this is a lovely shelf layout. I do like 009 scale and you just produce these lovely layouts in such a small space. Excellent modelling as always James.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kevin, that’s really ever so kind of you.
DeleteI'm awaiting your book of model railway companion to arrive from rails and I have managed to source a graham farish OAA open wagon in railfreight.
ReplyDeleteThat's great news Kevin, I'm sure Rails will be glad of the business. More books to come this year... I've just picked up some more N gauge to play with too - it's addictive!
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