Terrain Dilemma

[Sumpter250]

I understand the trepidation when embarking on something new. While I'd done hardshell before (using dental plaster over screen), my water scenes, bridges, cast plaster bridge piers, use of ground foam, ballasting on a large scale, were all, for me, first-time attempts. Too often we become paralysed by fear of attempting new methods or materials and, in my experience, the longer we put it off, the more difficult it becomes. I've seen nicely-done layouts which lacked only scenery to become magazine-worthy, all because the owner was fearful of making that first attempt. Scenery, for the most part, is inexpensive (compared to trains, track, control methods, and structures at least) and an area where it's difficult to go totally wrong. Mistakes are easy to hide or correct, or, in extreme cases, remove completely. I think that if you expect decent results, you'll achieve them, and in many cases, you may also get results exceeding your expectations. Both of these are very conducive to bolstering confidence and both encourage further forays into the unknown.

Wayne

I might add, that not only is the basic topography scary to start, each detail of scenery.....landform, rock detail, water areas ( still ponds, quiet or flowing rivers, falls ), grasslands, trees, shrubs, etc. are all each scary first times. " Mistakes are easy to hide or correct, or, in extreme cases, remove completely. ".......and in many cases are usually hidden,corrected, or completely removed. If I had a nickel for every "tree" I recycled into "trash can contents".......
On the flip side.....every detail is a new adventure, so the hobby never gets boring!