backdrop material

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

I want to install a vertical backdrop that should have curved instead of sharp corners because, of course, there are no corners in the sky.  It should be 50 cm high and 5 m long (or shorter with invisible joins), and be some material I can spray-paint.  What could I make it from?  I am imagining re-purposing some material that comes in a roll.

[Graeme Dunbar]

The material could be influenced by the location and nature of the layout - whether it is built into a room against a wall, free standing and potentially movable or is portable.

I've never made anything that big, but hardboard is I guess the 'traditional' material, especially as it comes in a grooved form that can be bent. There is also flexible MDF now.

For a hi-tech and money no object solution I've seen commercially printed poster-banner backscenes which look like they are either printed directly onto thick-ish non-reflective plastic or are laminated and attached to a light but rigid frame.

If you do something like wallpaper a ply backscene it could be a good idea to paper both sides or fix it to a very sturdy frame. There is considerable tension in lining paper as it shrinks....  :(

[Hugh Norwood]

There is a piece in the current Railway Modeller - the author uses a roll of vinyl that take paint...

[Ian McAulay]

My 00 gauge layout is a micro-layout (about 1200 x 600 mm on plan) in a proscenium-arch style box. I used 6mm bendable MDF to get a corner-less backscene. It works in that it's stable and paintable, but it's also insanely heavy. On balance, my considered opinion is don't do this!

Ian

[Graeme Dunbar]

I agree about the MDF. I used it on one baseboard (not backscene, sorry), 8 ft x 1 ft shuttle and again just 6 mm thick and too is ridiculously heavy for the size.

I've just read the article in RM that Hugh mentioned. I recognized the Gravett's work as soon as saw the photos. Pempoul is one of my favourite layouts. When I saw it my first reaction was "The Heat of the Night" (the original version). It captures the atmosphere beautifully.

I think vinyl is probably the way to go. I didn't know it would take paint. I guess I assumed it needed printer toner fused onto the surface. I've used it at work - it is a convenient material for conference posters as with care it can be folded to fit into suitcases rather having to navigate a large mailing tube through airport security.

If using paper, e.g. for sticking to thin ply, invest in 3M Spraymount, not water-based glue as paper swells and shrinks. Don't be temped by cheap alternatives off eBay as I did. It was sold as for craft use, but was essentially cheap carpet spray. It didn't very well though - it was as if the can had a terminal cold and chest infection.

[clayliner]

I've successfully used hardboard, but you don't need the bendable, grooved version. Apply boiling water to the part you want to curve and let it soak in for a bit, then bend the board round a former and leave it - fixed to the former - to dry out.

David.

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

Thank you all; great food for thought.  I'm leaning toward steaming hardboard but grateful for all suggestions.

I also posted the question (with a bit more explanation) on the Wikipedia reference desk (which extends to questions about things that will never end up in Wikipedia).  Some people there just didn't grasp that I need to curve the backdrop.  One response was even "An ambitious railway modeller might combine a digital Video projector with a Rear projection film made of Polyethylene Terephthalate that is moderately priced and can be cut to size, and thereby impress viewers with a full range of changing weather effect".  Blimey.

[Graeme Dunbar]

Of course you don't have to curve a backscene in fact you don't need a backscene at all if you don't want. A curved backscene may help avoid the 'corners in the sky' effect if it offends you though a tree or a building may disguise a corner if you like. i think it all depends on the overall interpretation you want to present.

Some people have not only concave corners in the sky but also convex ones so from some angles the 'solid sky' blocks out foreground details.

I saw a really curious layout at Model Rail Scotland today. It was an 'eye-level' type layout which are usually presented to represent what a railway looks like from ground level - except it was designed to be viewed from both sides and had no backscene or other representation of an eye-level view other than seeing a locomotive side on. The viewer had a glancing view across the layout straight into the eyes of a viewer the other side of it. I have no idea what sort of perspective the maker intended to present, but whatever it was any potential improvement by imposing a more prototypical eyeline was cancelled by a completely alien background.