So glad you did it right. Dark up front, lighter as you go back. I can't tell you how many layouts I've seen that doesn't get this right. Kudos!

Enjoy watching the video again ... Appreciate you sharing that you did it twice. I'll fully expect to do areas of mine more than once... But we all get stuck on wanting to be perfect... Your video shows how much better it is to do and do again... Thanks

Wow...Cam ....just awesome and serine.

GENIUS !!!

Bob Ross would be jealous, he didn’t get to paint anything bigger than a canvas. Excellent choice of colors and a great technique. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks for psoting this, I think your backdrops are very effective!

🇧🇷🚂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Great, excellent vídeo!

WOW, love your process!

This is the video I've been waiting for. I can't wait to buy the paint and get at it on my small N-Scale layout of the Pacific Northwest.

hello railfan220 it's is randy and i like yours video is cool thanks friends randy

Thats REALLY cool they way you painted the forest as it shows alot of depth

Very impressive, I plan to paint my backdrop, lots of great ideas

Very well presented. I have been looking forward to seeing your process since your Second Section visit.

Looks great! 🎉

Thanks for sharing the paint colour codes with me. I can't get them all here in the UK so this video will help me find alternatives.

Hi Cam! I am so sold on this technique of painting backdrops. What really impresses me the most is the basic brushes you used, and the result is so impressive! I'm getting back to my layout and hopefully will be doing similar scenery to yours. Thanks for sharing!👍 Stew.

It’s been a pleasure watching your layout come along. Quite inspiring.

Hwy Cam! I've been waiting on this video so thanks for posting! I used a similar technique a couple layouts ago but basically "blobbed" the paint on with a large round brush to create layers of deciduous trees. I will probably borrow your technique to create more of s sense of distance this time. - Brian

I like subtle feeling of this backdrop compared to mine. Good work.

What would Bob Ross do? 🤔🤔🤔 😆😁😄😄 Looking good 😊

Great work! I think the wisdom here is that to achieve a 'realistic' feel, you don't necessarily need to apply realism. Some, if not many, photo backdrops just don't feel right IMO. The SAR layout feels very realistic, especially when you're in the space and your brain 'fills in' the lower resolution elements. Flattened in video, it may not be immediately apparent just how effective this approach can be. That said, I remain unsure what I'll do. Thanks for prompting the discussion. Again, great work. The multi plane approach is definitely making your scenes look deeper than your actual benchwork.

Thanks for some new ideas!

It looks incredible. I will have to try it. You make it look so easy. Thanks for the valuable tips.

Buen trabajo, the BEST working

Excellent work, looks really nice.

I always used to think photo realism was the way to go.. But once I tried it I think I ripped them off the layout within 24 hours. At scale realism bizarrely detracts, I now just stick to clouds but on your layout those subtle shades blending into the scale tree line are perfecto.

Looks nice. A couple of thoughts, though: First, I would suggest "sketching" your ridge lines from back to front lightly, so you don't put on 5 layers of paint on an area that'd just going to have the foreground color. Overlapping these colors may have unintended consequences on the final color you desire. Second, Don't be afraid to have some foreground hills obscure the ones behind them. It seems like you made the ridgelines more parallel between the darker colors, and that creates a little monotony. Third, I would have gone to a little closer to a realistic green for your final foreground color. If you want to dull it down with fog/mist you can do that easily enough. Adding in a few brown tree trunks here and there for a bit of detail will easily create some extra dimension and blend your model trees better. Plus it's probably a bit cheaper in the end than model trees the way costs are going up. The point here is to blur the line between where the scene ends and backdrop begins. Then blur the distance to keep the eye focused in the scene. Overall it's a great technique. People just need to realize that you want to eyes focused on the "picture" (the modeled area) and not distracted by the "frame" (backdrop and fascia). Thanks for sharing. Looks like a terrific layout!

Love it! Changes the look of the entire layout. I'm using simple poster boards for background buildings.

Not everyone can paint a backdrop. There has to be some artistic capabilties at hand. You have it. Personally I have tried it and always its a disaster. However your video is well displayed. Maybe worth another try on my part. Thanks for the post.

Your backdrops are quite effective for the northern Rockies. I model eastern Nebraska/Kansas, so I have to use more rounded hills and fewer pine trees. I am a fan of Bob Ross and try to apply some of his techniques (except that I don't use wet-on-wet for my backdrops). Because I am not an artist, I occasionally use printed photos of houses or barns attached to the wall, then I paint them "into" a scene. For example, I will find a house photo that matches what I think I want, then I scale it to match the distance I want to suggest. Then I paint parts of the scene over parts of the photo, then add foreground scenery. My aim is to end up with a detailed buildiing that doesn't stand out TOO much. Since my layout is on shelves that vary from 8" to 24" deep, I also use half-buildings up against the walls.

Super effective, the misty atmosphere really works. Would you recommend putting your foreground 3D hills in place before your 2D painted backdrop?

save a lot if you had a tunnel black paint is all you needed

Great example of a backdrop done right. Too many modelers use photo realistic backgrounds that draw your eye away from the layout because there is too much of a contrast between the modeling on the layout itself, and the realistic backdrop. The more minimalist and abstract approach you have taken is miles better because it does not pull you out of the "reality" on the layout itself. Backdrops in general are overused in the hobby. But this is certainly an example of doing a backdrop Right.

Loving the frequent updates, and wonderful modeling you’re doing just wanted to ask what is the overall size of your layout? I’m trying to get ideas on my future room for a conrail Boston line themed layout. My space is roughy 28x14. I’m looking to do something similar with the multi deck layout.

I have been re-thimking my Iowa rolling "hills" and how to incorporate your process. Thanks