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Clinic - Fundamental Scenery Techniques
1. Get a mental image of the shape of the scenery you wish to create.
 
2. Gather the following materials, 1 inch wide cardboard strips cut  from old cardboard boxes from the grocery store, paper towels,      newspaper or plastic sheeting to catch any spills or drips, a hot glue gun and glue sticks, Hydrocal (preferred) or Molding Plaster, and old plastic tub to mix the material in and some water.
 
3. Begin by gluing one end of a cardboard strip vertically to the backdrop and the other end to the layout surface. Continue this process until you have vertical strips covering the area you wish to cover with scenery. Next, weave a cardboard strip horizontally through the vertical strips going behind one strip and then in front of the next strip. When finished you should have a web-shaped form of your landscape. You can bend the web to change the shape if desired ( a LITTLE water sprayed on the web will make it easier to shape.)
 
4. Mix some Hydrocal or Plaster in the plastic tub to about the consistency of ketchup and dip � sheets of paper towel into the mixture. Note: larger pieces cover the area more quickly but are harder to manage. Apply the plaster-soaked towel to the cardboard web. Continue to apply the towels overlapping the seams until the entire web is covered creating the hard shell foundation for your scenery. After the towels are dry, mix more plaster and apply a thick (1/8 to � inch) coating of plaster to the hard shell. If you plan to model rugged, mountainous scenery, apply rock castings to the hard shell.

If not apply some earth-tone latex paint to the plaster and immediately, while wet, apply ground foam, dyed sawdust or the scenic cover of your choice. Add any small scenic details such as logs, rocks an debris and glue them in place with white glue.  Spray the area with water containing a couple of drops of liquid dish soap in a pint of water. Wet the area well then spray on a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part white glue (such as Elmer�s � DO NOT use Elmer's school glue.) Wet the area thoroughly and allow to dry. Continue this process until the entire layout has scenery.  Add trees, bushes, people, automobiles and buildings to make your layout �come alive.�
 

5.  Recommended Book and Tapes

Most Hobby Shops have scenery books and some have tapes for Rent. I like Dave Frary�s Scenery tape and book. I also like the      video tape �Building Scenery with the Experts� from Kalmbach. If your shop does not carry these items look for them in your favorite model railroad magazines.

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