Here are some pictures of my first attempt at painting a backdrop. I figured I would try it out with my small n scale layout first. This is only a mock up, im gonna start the real backdrop tommorrow so please give me any suggestions or advice that you have. I know im gonna have to work on getting the tree colors closer to the trees on the layout. Well here it is.
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Lookin' good, Stevin. You might consider making the mountains more irregular or rounder in shape so they don't have the 'pyramid' look to them. You're getting there!

Do you use a brush to paint the shape of your mountains? I used one of those painters knives and put paint on its edge and simply placed it on the board and pulled down with the knife to create the mountiains edge

Hey - looks great! And you have a lot more guts than I do.

Good work!

On a scrap piece of board you might experiment with dabbing the different colors on with the tip of the brush rather than painting smooth strokes. By varying colors you can simulate rocks (browns or greys) or trees (greens or autumn colors). Go with your imagination -- you can always do a small area over again if you don't like it.

I used fine brown balast on the mountain furthest to the left and sprinkled ground foam on the mountain on the right to simulate tree growth in the distance. Has anyone also used scenic material on their backdrop? If so I would like to see what some of you may have done.

Thanks for the input I will give that a shot and let you know how it turned out.

Hey stevin
Looks good.
Something I learned a long time ago. Trees at a distance. Like on the side of a mountain far away. There is a color combination that always makes it look great. No mater if you make the trees out of poly fiber, or paint them. You use three shades of green. Very dark, med, and a very light yellowish green. The combination is thus: Three dark green, two med green and one light green. You keep doing them over and over in that combination. Looks great.
Cody

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so please give me any suggestions

I suggest you paint mine!

I like the suggestions that others provided. Your's looks good though.

- walt

I started the horizon on the true backdrop and used 3 shades of blue instead of 2 and I think it already looks bettr than the first. I will attempt the mountains next and use the dabbing method with different shades of green and brown for the trees and mountains. I will post the outcome when I am done.

What I would'nt do to have Bob Ross paint a backdrop for me Wish he was still around!

Thats funny I was thinging the same thing. I wonder if anybody ever incorporated his techniques in a backdrop?

I can paint his technique, just don't know how do get a canvas big enough to pull it off.

Just use masonite, you could get it at any building supply store and it comes in 4x8 sheets. 1/8" thick and easy to get to whatever leght you want.

quote:

Originally posted by MichRR714:
What I would'nt do to have Bob Ross paint a backdrop for me Wish he was still around!

i miss his happy trees and lonely clouds too! as a kid, i was fascinated by his show on pbs ... i can remember it trumping looney toons on saturday mornings, much to my little sister's chigrine!

one thing i always try to remember is to get the color changes right as far as the gradients between dark and light as far as the sky goes: lighter towards the horizon getting darker as you approach the zenith.

great start and good luck!

I've tried painting wet on wet technique on masonite and you just cannot seem to blend the way you can on canvas.

I follow Bob Ross painting style.

Making easy back drops...
Cut a lauan panel to back drop size.
To make a panel support frame, rip a 1x2 in half and attach the wood strips to the back of the lauan panel.
Obtain a roll of canvas or a textured cloth.
Spray the back of the canvas and board with spray glue.
Stretch canvas over lauan and staple to back frame.

Paint white primer on canvas or material. Let dry.
Paint white. Paint dark blue along top and blend into white from top to bottom.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/sirt

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SIRT: boy that shot looks great ... love the way you added perspective in the painted scene beyond the overpass. adding a little of the 3D ground foam texture to the backdrop really helps make the transition seamless.

great work and neat trick!

Looks great I love it. Guess I need to get myself some canvas.