We additionally clustered some smaller pieces at the base of the retaining wall to give a convincing “rock fall” appearance. We placed appropriately sized and shaped variations where we wanted outcroppings to appear, and fastened them in place using an all-purpose super glue. We wanted to include some rock outcrops to go along with the rugged, Colorado hillside feel, and while you can buy both premade rocks, and rock molds from Woodland Scenics, we opted to take the realism a step further by using actual rocks taken directly from outside. Once you’re satisfied with your scenic cover, some larger natural elements can be brought in. For a final touch, we added a couple of clumps of Woodland Scenics FC57 Light Green Clusters, and Scenic Express EX8002 Natural Green Lichen to add additional variety, and a touch of winter greenery to the otherwise brown and yellow appearance of the scene. This material is perfect for filling nooks and smaller spaces, or for steep hillsides and cliffsides, as well as for adding variance to the height and texture of the scenery. Continuing with the muted, wintry theme, we opted to use Woodland Scenics T61 Course Yellow Turf. Once this was completed, we moved on to adding some thicker brush, again using Woodland Scenics Scenic Glue. Spacing for these should have a somewhat random appearance, but take time to consider where tall, wild grass would likely be found. For this we used Woodland Scenics FG172 Harvest Gold field grass, as it had a muted, winter look, but there are plenty of options to choose from, including ready made tufts from JTT and Walthers. These tufts add an extra dimension of realism, and look great when seen sticking out from the snow. Often overlooked in many snow scenes, we started by adding some tufts of tall grass, secured using Woodland Scenics Scenic Glue. Now it’s time to start applying your seasonal scenery. For a more detailed look at applying realistic looking ballast, see our article on ballast application. Before laying the ballast, a layer of Woodland Scenics Scenic Glue or Elmer’s White Glue will need to be applied along the sides of the roadbed, making sure not to hit the ties, and spread until relatively smooth. This will again give you a chance to troubleshoot any running issues before more intricate scenery has been applied. We recommend beginning the application of scenery material by ballasting your track. This is also the time to add any roads or additional surfaces or large structures to your layout. If you’re planning on adding actual rocks to these locations, applying a hint of matching color will help in blending the rocks to the landscape when the scene is complete. These should be your focus with this step. Consider which spots in your landscape will likely remain fully exposed, such as rock faces or cliff sides. Once your base earth color has dried, you can come back with any other tones you wish to use, again using modeling acrylics. If you’re using our landscaping method, you may need a couple of coats to fill the plaster holes. This should cover your entire layout, however since it’s a snow scene, it’s not a big issue if patches of white from the plaster are left exposed. Are they lighter and more sandy, or darker and more earthy? We’re going with a slightly reddish umber tone, similar to what you might find in central Colorado, and since our scene will be replicating a day or so after the snowfall, we want to go a little darker to convey a slightly wet appearance. Consider the color of the earth tones in the geographic region you’re replicating. Once your plaster or chosen material has dried, the next step is to paint your layout with an appropriate base color using a modeling acrylic. For the purposes of our scene, we used the traditional method of applying Woodland Scenics Plaster Cloth over a rough formation of paper, cardboard, and masking tape, mounted on a plywood base. There are many tried and tested ways to do this, and no way is necessarily better than another. Once you’ve decided on your plan, secured your roadbed and track, tested your layout, and added fixed infrastructure such as tunnel portals and retaining walls, you can use your preferred method to construct the topography of the landscape. For our scene, we wanted to replicate a moderately heavy, mountain snowfall after about 24 hours on the ground. From a light frost, to a heavy, fresh snowfall, the techniques required to replicate these diverse landscapes are as different as their appearance. Unlike other seasons, winter is unique in the variety of ways it can be replicated. Modeling any season can be a fun and exciting challenge, however there’s no challenge quite like a winter snow scene.
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