Here’s some of today’s work. Whilst I’ve still got the exit end to work out in terms of view blocks and structures, the head shunt end is pretty much finalised.
These are Woodland Scenics tree armatures, with micro mark dark brown Poly Fiber. (EDIT : I initially wrote that this material was a Woodland Scenics product, Peter has been in touch and advised it’s actually from Micro-Mark https://www.micromark.com/Black-Poly-Fiber-12-oz_2 so apologies if any of you have been searching for this in the WS range.)
A clump of this material was given to me to try by Peter Marriott at Warley, the normal colour being a light to medium green if using Woodland Scenics. This Micro-Mark colour works really well, the tree foliage is a mix of only three colours, textures come from one being ground foam, and the other two differing sizes of scatter material.
As the trees stand there’s some shadow fall onto the back scene. However the lighting rig is yet to be designed and fitted, now I have a good idea of the volume and height of the rearmost trees. The woodland will extend the full length of the layout, so I have roughly six feet of trees to build. This technique allows forestry to be made quickly, this section taking a hour or so, so a day ‘in the office’ will see the core of the trees built. Foreground trees will be built differently with a bit more finesse and detail.
Having done this test with greens, (what I had to hand), I guess this ones going to be summertime, autumn and winter will have to wait, obvs….