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 As far back as I can remember, I enjoyed working with my hands. From
Lego Building Blocks to Lincoln Logs, from Erector sets to Electronics, I
was always working on something. Constructing, modeling, shaping, and
inventing were ongoing processes with me. It was only natural that, as I
became older, I learned of, and become interested in, building Model
Dioramas for hobby shop displays. Model Dioramas are plastic model kits
assembled and placed in an action environment scene. I had to build a few
of these at first, at my expense, as samples of my work, to distribute to
the stores near my home.
Once convinced,
several hobby shops gave me all the work I could handle. I received great
experience at modeling and scenery building. As a bonus I was able to
build all kinds of model kits for free.
Yes I gave
the completed models to the store when I completed them, but I received
great satisfaction from seeing my work displayed in the store's window,
sometimes with my name beneath it. One of the most valuable benefits from
my efforts came from receiving advice from professionals regarding the do's,
don'ts, and creative model building tips. If you are interested in
pursuing a model building hobby,
ask your local hobby center professional about similar programs they may
offer.
Eventually,
I worked my way into model railroading and scenery building. Sculpting and
creating a wide variety of landscapes proved to be a great challenge, but
also very rewarding. I spent countless hours envisioning and creating a scene,
sometimes only to tear it down and start all over again. I know it
sounds strange, but this was also worthwhile for me. Starting over allowed
me a new
beginning, with the added advantage of new knowledge. Everything wasn't
easy though. At first I struggled with the electronics to make it all run.
It seemed very complex to me, but obtaining a job that included electrical
training gave me the skills I needed to make it easy and simple to
understand. I have since completed several layouts for other people and hope
to build the layout of all layouts for myself.
Scenery
sculpting allowed me to work with my hands and see something
evolve out of a few basic materials, giving me many rewarding moments. Whether
sculpting mountains, hills, valleys,
rivers or plains, watching it grow before your eyes is truly amazing and
it's really not that hard to do.
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Here
are some guidelines to follow if you are interested in Model Railroading
as a hobby. You will need:
-
A
suitable place to construct your layout such as a workshop or a
basement
-
A
picture of a scene (or a good imagination)
-
Some
scrap wood for bench work and scenery support
-
Chicken
wire
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Newspapers (the one's mom and dad have already
read)
-
And some
plaster-of-paris.
First, construct
a bench-work that will support
your layout (mom's kitchen table is not a good place to start). Then,
begin sculpting your basic shapes with the wood and chicken wire. Next,
cover the chicken wire and frame-work with newspaper soaked in a diluted
plaster mixture.
Finally, cover the newspaper and plaster mixture with additional coats
of plaster, varying the thickness to add additional depth and fine detail
to your layout. Your under-structure is now complete.
You
can start coloring your layout with paint when the plaster is fully dry by
using a diluted mixture made of various colors of household dyes. These
dyes can be applied with a spray bottle to simulate earth tones, rock colors, and
various types of grasses. Using this method, you can change the color with
a diluted mixture of household bleach and water at any time after the
initial application. Carefully spray the thinned bleach mixture on your
layout and watch the color lighten, blend or disappear with additional
applications. Add purchased or homemade trees and bushes, a scale railroad
track and a train, and you're off and running!
While the steps above are very basic in nature, the best
advice I can
give you is to do some research at the library or online. You can also obtain a variety of
Scenery Modeling and Bench Work Construction books at your local hobby
shop. There are now books that can help you with the electrical wiring of your layout to help complete your
newly sculpted train layout. Most importantly, have fun with the construction of your
scenery or train layout, use your imagination, and enjoy the process.
Try
these links!
Model
Railroading Magazine
National
Model Railroad Association
Model
Railroading.com
Trains.com |
