Category: Rainbow Ridge

Scenic Painting for Circle D Ranch

Today I finished the scenic painting for Circle D Ranch. This was all done with about 4 different acrylic tube colors. In the overhead view, Homestead Arch and Picnic Table Rock or on the left, Thumb Butte is at bottom rising above Coyote Canyon. The creek will tumble down into the canyon and its source next to the barn will be hidden in some cottonwood trees. Part of the rockwork project for Circle D Ranch involved finishing the tunnel through Mt Yensid. In the world of Thunder Mesa, this is Tunnel #1, southbound from Los Feliz Junction. Just out of frame to the right is the next stop at Rainbow Ridge. In reality, this is where trains enter the layout from hidden staging behind the backdrop. Both the tunnel portal and liner were scratchbuilt from scale lumber and illustration board. The distant views showing Circle D in the background illustrate how I used lighter, more neutral shades in this new scenery to contrast with the red rocks in the foreground and enhance the appearance of distance. Next comes real rocks, dirt, and other details.


The Problem with Facebook
This post is part of an ongoing attempt to relocate material from Facebook to this website. Unfortunately, Facebook continues to engage in a wide variety of highly unethical practices which I have no desire to support. If you are a fan of my art and/or modeling, please follow them here. I will be posting much more here in the days and weeks ahead, and much, much less on Facebook. Registered users can leave questions and comments on posts so please, join in the conversation!

All the best,
Dave

Welcome to Circle D Ranch

I've been in the mood for a change of scenery lately, so over the weekend I decided to move Calico Mountain a little farther down the line. That opened up this corner of the layout for a small ranch scene - something that's been missing on the layout up until now. Southern Utah has many little ranches and old family homesteads tucked back up in box canyons and that provided some inspiration for this new scene. There will be a log cabin, a corral and a permanent home for my model of Walt's Barn. Inspiration also comes from the now defunct Big Thunder Ranch and the area will take its name from the home for Disneyland's horses: Circle D Ranch. This is the rough Sculptamold phase here and I hope to get some paint on this tomorrow.


The Problem with Facebook
This post is part of an ongoing attempt to relocate material from Facebook to this website. Unfortunately, Facebook continues to engage in a wide variety of highly unethical practices which I have no desire to support. If you are a fan of my art and/or modeling, please follow them here. I will be posting much more here in the days and weeks ahead, and much, much less on Facebook. Registered users can leave questions and comments on posts so please, join in the conversation!

All the best,
Dave