Since I have not MADE time to work on the hobby of late, I thought I would take a few moments out of the day to at least look at some reference photos - both on the internet and on my computer from previous search efforts. After the process today, I realized why people work on layouts for years and year and years. :) There are so many little details and nuggets you can get lost in if so inclined. I'm totally "That Guy" when it comes to that. I want a viewer to be able to scan the landscape and see something new each time. While I won't be featuring GUNDAM robots, Godzilla or things of that nature save the few times I set them up for photo shoots :::grin:::, I will have multiple layers of both real and fantasy visuals throughout the layout. It should make for fun viewing.
Soyokaze Harbor
I found some fun harbor nuggets today. Giant whale statues and fish signs will be making appearances in the harbor portion of the layout for sure!
I also want to make sure i get some of the smaller details in like these yellow striped parking blocks.
Soyokaze Village
More small details will be found here for sure. Again, there are so many items to take into consideration throughout the whole of the layout, but people come up time and time again. I'll have to invest some time and money into getting a good amount of people on the layout. It's a tourist area and there will have to be many many people wandering and exploring.
Small items like these will also really help in selling the layout as realistic Japan and not some cartoon version.
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| While I'm not planning to have snow, I am planning on scratch-building many elements like these. |
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| They will be very small, but I'm going to add items like these as well. They will be great additions. |
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| Small signs, lights and wall details like these will be fun....and time intensive! |
Shizuka
I noticed that I was veering away from Shizuka a bit. The cityscape is daunting and will be the biggest hit as far as population goes. I want the streets to be crowded and that will be either a major financial hit or a major investment of time to paint and detail people for the space. The beauty, however, is the fact that I'll have primary, secondary and tertiary people - some to be used front and center, some midground and some sloppy paint ups for the background and indoors where they won't be seen much. It's still a lot to think about.
I also want to "trick out" the buildings to make sure I get a proper, downtown feel to things. Lighting....:::sigh::::.....will come. I still have NO idea about wiring and the like and will have to learn. But decor detailing will be fun. Especially small, back ally bike racks, vending machines and scenes that will provide little "AH HA!" moments for folks. (...I hope)
I've already started to break away from the KATO UNIPLATE square look for my layout and it's made a world of difference. I'd like to add more spaces that break away from squares. It really adds interest. Adding buildings to fit in the spaces will be fun as well.
The addition of parking areas like this will be a fun and someone simple detail to take on. It should add a lot to the space.
The street markings will be something to focus on once I get the buildings sorted. They can be rather complex and I'd like to get them right. I'm sure "The Internet" will know some of the answers. :)
I already have a small fleet of buses going as well. I'm not sure why, but I love buses! :) I was thinking about the moving bus system, but I think the tram moving while everything else remains still is already odd - I don't need to add another element that moves to the mix. So, I plan on adding scenes like this with bus transport playing a major role in the Soyokaze / Shizuka landscape.
Lastly, I'd like to get some levels going in the Shizuka area. I'm looking at ways to take this on now. I'd love to have areas like this in the Shizuka landscape.
Maybe two or three higher areas where underground tunnel streets could slip through. Aain, it's just a matter of planning it out. I guess I'd have to raise the area up, which will affect the trackage for sure. I'm not sure I really want to take that on at this point. LOL We'll see. I have a few days of layout work planned for the end of April/beginning of May, so I might get something together buy then. The whole of the layout is built directly on the deck of the benchwork, so I'd have to raise everything up. Any thoughts in this arena are more than welcome! :)
And with that, I head back to my Daddy Job.
Happy hobbying, All!
~M~
