The first scenery blob (part I)

Wither Blob?

With track and a backdrop in place, the next step was to model scenery (this was around April 2019). I wanted a ridge with a road in the back for visual interest sake since the track was dead level. I also wanted some Canadian shield rock. One of my favourite train pictures (from Signatures in Steel) is of the Super Continental passing through a rock cut in cottage country. And when my Brother, Uncle and I go fishing every summer, I spend many peaceful hours staring at rocks. So rocks.

The blob, mostly done.

I can be very Type A. This trait is not helpful when it comes to making progress because the fear of failure causes inaction. Pretty sad when we're discussing a hobby that is supposed to be relaxing.

And again, I hadn't modelled for 20 years and was starting all over again.

So how to avoid making a permanent mistake? Another complication is that with the backdrop in place, I didn't want it getting covered in plaster.

So...

I built the blob on foamboard. Foamboard is easy to cut, sturdy and lightweight. It does warp over time but this wasn't an issue because it was going to be glued in place. The blob guts are insulation foam - again, easy to cut (with the hotwire tool), lightweight and plays nicely with plaster.

For rocks I tried making castings for the first time with plaster and rubber molds. This was one of the most rewarding moments - taking the rock out of the mold and seeing the texture and detail. Colouring the rock with various tints was also very enjoyable. Although I tend to like my rocks grimy rather than the pure grey we think of when we hear "rock". As I've mentioned before, I'm not an artistic person. But the end result looked great and it was easy. Woodland scenics (and YouTube) make it dead simple.

Rather than blather about the process, I'll share pictures:

Fitting rock castings

Coloured rock castings - love the detail.

Rock castings set in place with plaster.

My train room is a little dark. Because the blob was mobile, I could paint the rocks on my kitchen island (in natural light). You may also note the aluminum oven tray used to keep things tidy. 

I put a road in (which I discuss in Part II). Once that was in place, I added scenery. The usual stuff - ground foam, dirt, foliage clumps, cotton puff shrubs, Heki static grass and some bramble. I also had to ensure that I cut out room for a bridge before setting the blob in place.

The next challenge was to blend the blob with the backdrop. I wanted to add additional height and give the road a reason for its sharp curve. 

One suggestion I had seen for backdrop transitions was to use green scouring pads to add a distant tree line. I experimented with it and the result was meh. Instead, I went back to the foamboard and build vertical scenery on it with the intention of gluing it to the backdrop. As with the main blob, this method enabled me to make mistakes away from the layout. It was also easier to attach rock molds and to create a textured tree line from foliage foam with a mobile blob. 

The method was - 1. Spraypaint the foamboard green. 2. Add castings 3. Cover the rest with foliage (including the top and sides of the foamboard). The result was a 3D blob that fit between the road and the backdrop.

Backdrop blob:

Building the backdrop blob. Note the foliage "framing"

Shrubs for the backdrop blob.

The backdrop blob in inaction. Look at those lovely True Line boxcars!

It isn't clear from my photos how long this took, but I think the blob was built between April and November 2019. I was learning and problem solving along the way, and the slow pace worked in creating an end result I was (and am) happy with.

In the next post, I'll write about adding the road, bridge and further details to the blob.