Detailing the Hill Side

Add all of the castings and other details while the ground is still wet. The woodpile casting was painted with Grime and then the top “bark” portion was darkened with brown and black chalk powders. Small twigs were chopped up with a single edge blade like firewood then scattered randomly around.

Notice the distinctive footpaths. Create these once the scenery base is good and dry. Brush a light colored dirt in place creating the path then use your finger and run it lightly along the path to remove any large scenery details.

The crude log steps are made by chopping small twigs in half then imbedding them in the wet base. Darken them up with a little brown chalk powder. The many photographs display a wealth of detail as to what type of junk and clutter was scattered around the hillside. Scraps and piles of lumber, crates, coiled hoses (use more thin solder), bits of chain, weeds, paper, etc… The texture of this scene is so very important. All of the elements have been created as individual components but join together into a cohesive scene. Color and texture allow this to happen. The scenery is as much a part of the show as the structures and details themselves!

Sand is just one ingredient of a realistic scenery base and its texture is clear in many of the scenes pictured. The very finely ground turf is also evident. Just don't overdo any one material. Practice your techniques on a dummy base until you find the right blend of components. These materials layered on top of two or three shades of earth and the coarser forest floor materials really provides for a realistic ground cover. If you find any bare spots in the scenery simply sprinkle some dirt and add a few drops of the glue mixture. Pay close attention to the areas surrounding the walkway supports for small spots that may require a little scenery touch–up.

The details surrounding the bunks are sparse except for the cookhouse. A few stray drums, discarded wheels, and bits of trash have been randomly scattered about. These details “feel” natural in the scene, nothing too large or out of place. The walkway flows around the scene and curves with the terrain in a realistic manner. The details do not interfere or force the walkway to make any abrupt directional changes, they all work together and blend with all those twigs laying about.

You will find several random piles of rusty iron pipes made from bits of styrene and brass wire. They are simple to create. Notice the way the details have been effectively layered against the wall to turn a random group of details into a scene. The lack of footpaths and coarse scenery material suggest an area of neglect where junk has just been thrown and forgotten.

This is a nice rear view of the logged over slash sliding down the hillside and illustrates the kind of texture that was created with the various scenery components. Notice the way they sit naturally on top of one another. Layering to create depth and texture, a recurring theme here! Weeds on the hillside are sparse and in short supply. Looking at photographs of real logging camps, they display a dreary, dull scene. This does not mean boring, (hardly the case!) but it does mean a lack of large vegetation. I did add a few trees to provide a nice backdrop for the bunks but you could model yours without trees and be very prototypical as well.

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