Northern weather

[sarge]

OK, I'll weigh in (or is it "wade in"?)

Perhaps the biggest thing that jars is the "brightness' of the vehicles. You have gone to great and laudable lengths with the buildings, street and pavement surfaces, even the people. The vehicles, though, are too bling.

Even at a car show with hundreds of polished over-restored chrome and steel 1950s monsters, they don't shine at 100 feet away even though they might be breathtaking at 5 feet away.

In these scenes, the rest of the elements, in their lifelike muted haze, clash with the bright, overchromed, too clean, too beyond-perfect automobiles. They'd look grand in Plasticville, but here they need a dulling up, a dent or two, a greying of the too-black "armour-all" tyres, and 90% of the wheels painted from chrome to the body colour of the car. In short, they need blended with the remainder of the elements.

Fewer is perhaps better, but blended in the manner of the rest of the stuff in the scene so they aren't so un-naturally clashing, yet not all filthy and run-down like Malcom Furlow caricatures from NG&SL Gazette or the too-depressing undead world of George Sellios.

The balance is the key, still with a lifelike vibrancy on the one hand but a natural satin sheen of real life...

Does any of this make sense?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Bingo! ...
... Remove all vehicles, and I think the scene with just the figures and the hotdog vendor will have more emotion.
... modeling without distraction.
If you're willing, let's compare the two and put it to a vote. ...
The blue VW could stay as is. The HD vendor's umbrella will suddenly become the focal point.

OK. Ready?
Here we go...

The top two, at Tramp's suggestion, immediately below, are "Before" shots...

Below them, the other photos are shots taken this afternoon in response to Tramp's suggested removal of vehicles...

[sarge]

Big improvement in my opinion, for what it's worth. Your choice of vehicles, blues, greys, greens and all with vastly reduced amounts of chrome calms me, too. It's pleasing to look at and balanced.

Big difference!

[rogruth]

Murph,

I've never paid much attention to the vehicles before but I think Tramp and Sarge are right .
The scene with the popcorn vendor did really jump out.
A few of the earlier scenes with a lot of vehicles might also benefit from this treatment.

This has caused me to change my plans. I was going to get more vehicles but now I
think I will skip that and get more figures, animal and human.

I have seen layouts with very few or no people and think that just doesn't ring true.
This might also be determined by the era/area modeled. On my own layout I have a section
that is 1940sand 1950s, another that would be possibly the past 20 years and a
sort of in between small manufacturing area.

I will probably not make any changes in track and few in buildings but I will look
hard at the vehicle and people thing.
I have always and will continue to praise Murph's layout and am impressed that
he is willing to try changes on a layout that has gotten much praise.

[Tramp]

Murph, would it be possible to post the original (with many cars) above the changed scene for a more complete comparison? Thanks!

[HONDO74]

Removed pictures so others could post pictures

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Murph, would it be possible to post the original (with many cars) above the changed scene for a more complete comparison? Thanks!

Done. See edited posting above...

[MurphOnMillerAve]

...[photos wolud not repeat here in my posting ] ...

Very pertinent input! The top two photos look, in my experience, like contemporary Cortland, NY. It's always a matter of luck ever finding a space to park, and the whole lively, bustling feel of those top three scenes is exactly how my hometown of McKeesport, PA was during my childhood and adolescence, circa 1950 - 1960.

To me, in my 10:18pm posting of photos, the messages are entirely different between the top two, inserted for contrast at Tramp's request of the original scene, and the other four photos showing the scene re-configured with this afternoon's removal of vehicles. Two entirely different narratives, IMO. Interesting.

I took this photo from Cox's store window in McKeesport, PA when I was a boy. The traffic and parking is typical of then. (Note the trolley lines. )

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Two entirely different narratives, IMO. Interesting.

Indeed. Changed the entire timbre of the scene.....

[DennisB]

Murph,

I have to agree with Tramp. Less is more. Although crowded bustling scenes exist in real life, reproducing that effect on a model pike requires space between vignettes. As we walk down a busy street in real life, we experience each scene as we pass through it. Many are so routine that we hardly notice. Nevertheless, these are individual moments in time that create the bustle. So, in our modeled reality, we have to separate each scene. Otherwise, the viewer loses focus because he is seeing everything at once.

Remember, we're creating an illusion, not miniaturizing reality.

Dennis

[AG]

Remember, we're creating an illusion, not miniaturizing reality.

Dennis

I think you nail it.
AG.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Murph,...
Remember, we're creating an illusion, not miniaturizing reality.
Dennis

An illusion of what, then?

[The Dirt]

Wow! All of a stunning sudden, the buildings and people absolutely explode into the main focus.

I'm not saying it's better, but I for damn sure like it better, because now it's all about Murph's handiwork, and not the 'props', and now you get to enjoy them without distraction..

It's a huge difference, way more than just the removal of some cars.

[AG]

Could be nice to see Frank scene with natural light.
Contrast and shadows are almost in the same range, making a flat tone.
Check the b&w pictures, they are high in contrast (except the one from the window)
just IMO.
The illusion, Frank our mini world is an illusion, where with few things and details you can create a feeling.

Andre.

[DennisB]

[img][/img]

Murph,...
Remember, we're creating an illusion, not miniaturizing reality.
Dennis

An illusion of what, then?

I thought I answered that in my post. What Andre said.