Helmsbridge

Work has been slow on this section of the layout but it's now time to give it a face lift. The rock face was constructed using left over King Span insulating foam when the loft was insulated.

This material is ideal for cutting & carving with a bread knife. The surface was then given a coating of plaster which was also left over from the loft conversion into the model room.

The painting of the first rock face has now been completed & I used a method I found on YouTube, basically it involves using only three colours, yellow ocre, burnt umber & nero black.

The technique is very straight forward in that you start with the yellow ocre & carry out what is known as leopard spotting, you cover half the surface area in this colour, you the do the same with the remaining area using the burnt umber.

A colour wash of the nero black is applied over the full rock face which tones & gives shadow to the final look.

This same method will be used on the left hand rock face once the plaster coating has been applied.

The rock face has just been given the paint treatment & is still wet

A close up inspection showing the detail

Trees & shrubbery have been added for visual effect

Hanging basket liner has been used for the rough grass look.

Swans on the canal complete the visual effect

Tufts of grass add further height

View across the canal looking at the new rock face

Closer look at the rough grass area

There is still a load more detailing to do in this area but slowly the area is being pulled together into a very effect display. At present I've not glued anything in place as I prefer to complete laying the grass & shrubbery loose until I know I'm 100% happy with the end result.

Only when I'm happy will I glue everything in place with normal PVA glue. I'll post more photo's of this area once I've completed the detail work.