Background for Layout

[WGL]

Does anyone sell backgrounds for layouts, something like poster board decorated with HO scale trees & sky above them?  This would be a good opportunity to paint--if I had the artistic ability. 

[BradKT]

I know of a place where I am probably going to buy my background from.  They are called All Scale Backdrops.  I found them surfing the net one day.    You can create your own and see how it looks on the layout even before you buy it.  They have them for all scales and for different parts of the country.  They have urban and rural backgrounds.  It is an interesting site.  There is a difference between backdrops and backgrounds (backdrops are more expensive).  Read their introduction and instructions carefully.  I think that you might be intrigued by them.

Check them out at:

http://allscalebackdrops.com

[Yampa Bob]

Litchfield has a few Instant Horizons background scenes.

http://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/home.php?cat=157

[pdlethbridge]

or here:
http://www.kingmill.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=166
or here
http://www.backdropwarehouse.com/indexbdwh.htm
prices here
http://modelmart.us/mall/mallR/aspfiles/indexmall.asp

[trainmaster971]

Walthers has backgrounds that are listed under "Instant Horizons".  They are offered in numerous scenes and are 3 feet wide by 2 feet tall. The edges are designed so that you can attach any two together and have a flowing scene.

[rustyrails]

If you want rural landscapes, don't sell yourself short.  Part of what this hobby is about is broadening our skills and finding new talents.  Tree covered hills are not that hard to do...you just need to hint at shapes.  A sponge is a wonderful painting tool.  Try it!  If you can't produce something you like, you can always cover it up with a printed backdrop later.
Rusty 

[boomertom]

Indeed, don't sell your self short.

I would suggest that you explore the following web site:

http://www.bobross.com/landscape.cfm

The Bob Ross method makes landscapes very simple to accomplish as it concentrates More on illusion than detail.

In my opinion we lost a great talent when Bob died of cancer, but his method lives on.

Tom

[ebtnut]

Something else you can consider - Create your own photo mural backdrop.  If you a modeling a particular area, and can get to it, take you digital camera and shoot pics of the whole scene.  You can "stitch" the images together in the computer to make one big scene.  Then take it to Kinko's and get them to print in out on a large plotter printer.  Then glue to a base backdrop.  I used an X-acto knife to cut off the sky area from the print and glued it to the pre-painted backdrop so the sky color would be consistent. 

I have also taken photos head-on of various stuctures, then scaled them in the computer, printed them out and glued them on the backdrop as well.  For a little relief, you can glue these cut-outs onto black Foam-Core so they stand out a bit from the backdrop.

[glennk28]

In addition to the Walthers Instant Horizons backdrops, Detail Associates has the Rail Scene backdrops--these have interchangeable sections so that you don't have the same scene as everybody else--does "City Box Co." and "Hotel Gotham" sound familiar--A friend of mine thought so and developed the Rail Scene series.   gj

[WoundedBear]

I agree with the Walther's Instant Horizon products. They are relatively inexpensive and form a continous background. They are going to be my choice for the new layout.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?quick=instant+horizon

Sid

[rogertra]

Indeed, don't sell your self short.

I would suggest that you explore the following web site:

http://www.bobross.com/landscape.cfm

The Bob Ross method makes landscapes very simple to accomplish as it concentrates More on illusion than detail.

In my opinion we lost a great talent when Bob died of cancer, but his method lives on.

Tom

Bob's method is indeed simple and easy to learn, that's the method I used to paint my 80 some foot backdrop.

[WGL]

 I am overwhelmed by all of your responses!  Thanks, all, for the information, advice & suggestions.   After searching eBay for backgrounds, backdrops, & scenes in vain, I wondered whether or not anyone made them for model train layouts.  I don't recall seeing any in Walthers' monthly flyers.

I did wonder about photographing a local scene to use for a background.  At least, I want to enclose my layout as a separate realm from our basement library room.   

[BradKT]

All Scale Backgrounds specifically makes them for model railroad layouts...as well as for other hobbies. 

Although they also do custom work, they have stock scenes that can be combined for any length that I can think of (I believe that each panel is 8 feet long) and they are of various heights.  The feature that I like best about their site is that you can take the panel(s) that you select and actually impose them on the background of a model railroad layout scene so you can see exactly what it would look like.  You will be amazed at all of the possible backround variations...several scenes each of mountains, hills, deserts, forests (in various regions of the country), urban, rural...etc.   They have quite a library.