09-30-2010, 10:59 AM
Lookin' good, Charlie, and nice to see that bridge scene as the start of your scenic efforts. 
For your layout, it might be more economical to use house paint to colour your basic landforms. I picked up a gallon of Walmart's cheapest flat interior latex - it was only $12.00 or $15.00. I don't recall the name of the colour (probably, like most paint nowadays, something like "mocha-cinnamon delight" or some other delicious-sounding moniker that makes you more interested in finding a nice restaurant than going home to paint
). I've labelled the can "Dirt", although the colour is one right from their colour chart.
I found it very tedious to brush, especially on the Durabond, so thinned it about 30% with water. Using a 2" or 3" throw-away brush, it was a snap to colour the entire layout, including the Durabond and any exposed wood and plywood. It acts more like a stain, so penetrates the Durabond to some degree. Coverage on the wood is not quite as opaque, but it blends everything together well enough to look acceptable. Ground cover and ballast easily completes the coverage. The only place I used the paint unthinned was in the riverbeds, where I wanted to create a muddy-water effect. I've still got more than half of the original gallon left, with only about one third of the layout left to build. Your layout might take a couple of gallons.
Wayne
For your layout, it might be more economical to use house paint to colour your basic landforms. I picked up a gallon of Walmart's cheapest flat interior latex - it was only $12.00 or $15.00. I don't recall the name of the colour (probably, like most paint nowadays, something like "mocha-cinnamon delight" or some other delicious-sounding moniker that makes you more interested in finding a nice restaurant than going home to paint
). I've labelled the can "Dirt", although the colour is one right from their colour chart.I found it very tedious to brush, especially on the Durabond, so thinned it about 30% with water. Using a 2" or 3" throw-away brush, it was a snap to colour the entire layout, including the Durabond and any exposed wood and plywood. It acts more like a stain, so penetrates the Durabond to some degree. Coverage on the wood is not quite as opaque, but it blends everything together well enough to look acceptable. Ground cover and ballast easily completes the coverage. The only place I used the paint unthinned was in the riverbeds, where I wanted to create a muddy-water effect. I've still got more than half of the original gallon left, with only about one third of the layout left to build. Your layout might take a couple of gallons.
Wayne