Blacklighted fantasy garden with woodland spirits on platform!
- Thread starter stevedenver
- Start date
well…its odd i know but really fun at night.
stunningly brilliant, id say, very un natural in lights
this was a quick set up…hopefully ill finesse the lighting a bit
unusual innit?lol
like the inside of the aquarium at meow wolf in santa fe, which was the inspiration.....that and a bit of fluorescent and phosphorescent paints, plastic plants from and old fake plant pot display, some split bits of wood from a hike, a 4 pack of black lights. and , covid cabin fever......
photo (which appears to have had the flash on, and which i couldnt quite get a focus lock) doesnt quite do it justice...imagine a very dark corner of the garden and this neon display among the dark ground, especially when the blacklight sources are viewed so that only the objects are seen.
stunningly brilliant, id say, very un natural in lights
this was a quick set up…hopefully ill finesse the lighting a bit
unusual innit?lol
like the inside of the aquarium at meow wolf in santa fe, which was the inspiration.....that and a bit of fluorescent and phosphorescent paints, plastic plants from and old fake plant pot display, some split bits of wood from a hike, a 4 pack of black lights. and , covid cabin fever......
photo (which appears to have had the flash on, and which i couldnt quite get a focus lock) doesnt quite do it justice...imagine a very dark corner of the garden and this neon display among the dark ground, especially when the blacklight sources are viewed so that only the objects are seen.
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thank you for your concern. Im waaaay south , south of denver, in a burb. Safe.
we did , finally, get about 4-5” of snow.
yes its the new layout, but, a temporary one. It follows the outside of the new bed. Basically about 150 ft of an L shaped loop.
its…fun, long straights, some areas where the track is hidden from view, 1-2% grades, one siding, one passing track. Very little thought. I havent yet installed clamps on the new track.
i wanted it up and running, and it sits on mulch. Its been so dry, this has been fine.
i wanted to just live with this temporary track in order to better understand and visualize possibilities. The bed is divided in its center by columnar oaks and pinions, with several ground plantings and upward tree lights. The bed is 10 ft+ in width, so, there are limitations, especially for visual separation of scenes.
i thought i wanted something similar to the beaver creek…ie more prototypical, railroady, but, as its right up against the patio, where we entertain, i dont want the “spaghetti bowl” in the garden bed. So, at this point, im leaning toward more minimalist. That is, in terms of structures (which ive collected and built nearly 50 US and 50 German/euro structures!
i am reluctant to alter the new and expensive landscaping with train geek excavations and tons of rock, etc…i will, however, add ballast, once im certain of the final routing.
Think “finally i have room for all the s4#t ive collected since 1985”, i had tried setting up both a US and a German style station and town area, a few semaphoes, each version with many (30 ish) buildings, which was cramped, yet sprawling given the width and i decided i didnt like the clutter and visual effect….And, i added a point to point auto shuttle trolley and little porter weaving among the trees on r1 to give me some idea of a mining line. Way too much going on. No reason to exist. Took out the trolley.
So typical. what i thought i wanted, ie an indoor, detailed narrow gauge style train layout , outside, was NOT what I actually like. At least in the existing context. I tend to prefer watching the trains in the greenery, in changing natural light conditions. Unobtrusive. It is a joy having, at last, wide curves and enough track to run longer 4 axel coaches.
What i currently have in place are 4 small scenic “vignettes”, a flag stop, (now the blacklighted area with weirdness), a water tank and loading dock on the far side of the pinions, a remote farm house, a town/station of 3-5 buildings, lighting , a few figures and details. More like a suggestion of some scenic punctuation rather than things that make sense, ie roads, a ccess, etc.
I dont know if this is about my not wanting to have too much stuff to manage and maintain, ie mental ease, laziness, or, simplicity. Thus far, since late August, i have run trains almost daily. Great mild weather conditions, ease, no fuss. Changing out train types frequently, like some mental defective. Streamliner, now dsp&p, now frr, now swiss rack, now rugen diesel…sheesh.
No direction, either, but strangely fun. i do plan on building a tunnel, possibly with some interest item, ie mine or cabin, pathway and footbridge, or creek….there are also a figure 8 or overlapping dog bone route option, and branchline options to the koi pond and rose garden, as well as a rack option, but, i need to think. Im trying to keep garden serenity and trains in balance. I am a dullard in this regard.
i had this same analysis paralysis when i built my n scale and z scale layouts. It’ll pass in a year or so….lol.
we did , finally, get about 4-5” of snow.
yes its the new layout, but, a temporary one. It follows the outside of the new bed. Basically about 150 ft of an L shaped loop.
its…fun, long straights, some areas where the track is hidden from view, 1-2% grades, one siding, one passing track. Very little thought. I havent yet installed clamps on the new track.
i wanted it up and running, and it sits on mulch. Its been so dry, this has been fine.
i wanted to just live with this temporary track in order to better understand and visualize possibilities. The bed is divided in its center by columnar oaks and pinions, with several ground plantings and upward tree lights. The bed is 10 ft+ in width, so, there are limitations, especially for visual separation of scenes.
i thought i wanted something similar to the beaver creek…ie more prototypical, railroady, but, as its right up against the patio, where we entertain, i dont want the “spaghetti bowl” in the garden bed. So, at this point, im leaning toward more minimalist. That is, in terms of structures (which ive collected and built nearly 50 US and 50 German/euro structures!
i am reluctant to alter the new and expensive landscaping with train geek excavations and tons of rock, etc…i will, however, add ballast, once im certain of the final routing.
Think “finally i have room for all the s4#t ive collected since 1985”, i had tried setting up both a US and a German style station and town area, a few semaphoes, each version with many (30 ish) buildings, which was cramped, yet sprawling given the width and i decided i didnt like the clutter and visual effect….And, i added a point to point auto shuttle trolley and little porter weaving among the trees on r1 to give me some idea of a mining line. Way too much going on. No reason to exist. Took out the trolley.
So typical. what i thought i wanted, ie an indoor, detailed narrow gauge style train layout , outside, was NOT what I actually like. At least in the existing context. I tend to prefer watching the trains in the greenery, in changing natural light conditions. Unobtrusive. It is a joy having, at last, wide curves and enough track to run longer 4 axel coaches.
What i currently have in place are 4 small scenic “vignettes”, a flag stop, (now the blacklighted area with weirdness), a water tank and loading dock on the far side of the pinions, a remote farm house, a town/station of 3-5 buildings, lighting , a few figures and details. More like a suggestion of some scenic punctuation rather than things that make sense, ie roads, a ccess, etc.
I dont know if this is about my not wanting to have too much stuff to manage and maintain, ie mental ease, laziness, or, simplicity. Thus far, since late August, i have run trains almost daily. Great mild weather conditions, ease, no fuss. Changing out train types frequently, like some mental defective. Streamliner, now dsp&p, now frr, now swiss rack, now rugen diesel…sheesh.
No direction, either, but strangely fun. i do plan on building a tunnel, possibly with some interest item, ie mine or cabin, pathway and footbridge, or creek….there are also a figure 8 or overlapping dog bone route option, and branchline options to the koi pond and rose garden, as well as a rack option, but, i need to think. Im trying to keep garden serenity and trains in balance. I am a dullard in this regard.
i had this same analysis paralysis when i built my n scale and z scale layouts. It’ll pass in a year or so….lol.
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