R e n o v a t i o n  J o u r n a l

8.1 ~ T h e  B a c k d r o p

(2.1.2021) 

Nothing defines a model railway more than its background.

In the early days - when photography became a serious matter to me - I started to think about a backdrop.

A layout is one thing, a background is quite another.

Finding the right one suiting to one's layout is quite a challenge,

let alone the construction, height, width and distance to the layout.

2001 ~ My very first attempt of a backdrop was pure fake. I painted it digitally in the picture with my computer:

2002 ~ Being in Grindelwald (Swiss), I bought myself I bought a poster at the tourist office with an image of the mountain range with Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

I was told that this poster consisted of multiple parts, making some 20-foot wallpaper all together. I was rather excited about it.

Lateron, I found out that there was only one part in the box, no more than 4 ft wide. Nevertheless, I used it some years for photography...

Cochemer Burg "in Grindelwald"

2007 ~ Lidl had an offer, where you could decorate an entire wall with 8 photo sheets.

I glued it to the wall in my home at the time.

You learn from your mistakes: the poster could not be taken with you, and it was placed too high on the wall.

It did not provide the required depth and the proportions were lost...

However...

With foresight I bought a second copy the next day, which I saved for the one day for years.

That specific day would be the last one of 2020!

Some weeks earlier, I started to make the frame, on which only the upper half of the poster would be glued.

This frame measures 90 x 366 cm.

And then...

I n t o  t h e  T r a i n  R o o m !

2.1.2021

And as a whole... 

31.12.2020  

However...

On February 20/2021, my friend and I raised the background 12.5 centimetres, because the vast villas on the poster will disappear behind the monastery complex anyway.

Furthermore, the layout has been moved forward and slightly to the side to create more workspace to the left side due to the construction of the monastery complex.

What a hand span can already make such a big difference.

~~~

Frits Osterthun © 112.2021

Last update: 25.1.2023