P4NewStreet - modelling Birmingham (UK) in the 1980's - 1:76 scale

[jim s-w]

So, I have revisited this area of the layout to get the effect back. Also to make the canal look a little more downtrodden. I have used a thin layer of clear resin and the same baking soda in wet varnish trick as I used originally. Results are seen here

[Les Tindall]

Very effective, I've walked the canals in the Birmingham area many times and you've done a cracking job.
Les

[finescalerr]

I've been wondering where you've been. Very adequate job and extremely convincing photos. -- Russ

[Bill Gill]

Good to see what you have been doing. Missed seeing updates.

"Back in the early days of Brettell Road I represented rain falling on the canal as seen in the first image.
However, over the years however the effect of this became lost."
What exactly happened to the effect over time? I really liked it when you first showed what you did and have experimented
at creating a similar effect even though I don't have ay standing water on my layout.

[jim s-w]

Hi Bill

Basically I polluted it with overspray and effects from the rest of the layout and kinda killed it.

Jim

[jim s-w]

Now this is properly subtle. I have revisited the layout with some Tamiya smoke and AK wet effects to see if I could increase the wet look a little. The smoke provides the darkening  effect of the rain.

It a little easier to see on the light walls of the pub.

[jim s-w]

The thing is I know its darker because i knew what it was like before. In order to give fresh eyes something to compare it with I needed a few areas of contrast.

By the warehouse i can leave the area under the canopy dry to give the contrast I was looking for.

At the other end the areas shaded from the rain by the bridges. Its important to make sure the rain falls in the same direction. So the buildings don't have smoke applied to the sheltered walls.  Its the area above where I feel the effect has come out best.

[Ray Dunakin]

Very interesting effect!