O gauge platform painting and the start of the scenery - the next jobs!

I have managed to keep the layout set up in the lounge for a few weeks and have very slowly progressed some of the detailing. The next job on the list was to create a bit of tonal variation on the platform. The platform look too dark and too monochrome; repainting it was just one of those moments when I had to  draw a deep breath and just start. I had various colours to hand and started dry brushing using a light grey, rust colour and a very pale yellow.

Once I started I thought what have I done!

The dry brushing provided some variation in the colour of the platform.

After the first couple of dry brushed coats I had one of those  'what have I done moments'! However, I persevered and ending up air brushing over a light final coat to blend it all together.

The finished platform with more colour variation now evident.

The top of the platform, which has some much better contrast now. The platform furniture will help break up the appearance of the surface even further.

So with the platform improved - I have made a start on adding the basic elements of the vegetation. I started from the curved board, which had already received the basic scenic elements. I had stopped short of the board join on the curved board and this allowed me to blend the scenery from the curved board through the platform board.  Various static grass coats were laid down and  I am now in the process of adding bushes and brambles, alongside layering in more grass. In some areas the first grass layers were too thick and did no convey the idea of old made ground that has been reclaimed by nature - so there is some thinning out to do today and a lot of brambles/bushes to add. There is also a fence to add alongside the tack edge, which is currently not finished in the paint boxes.

There is some grass thinning to do today alongside adding in more weeds / brambles. That elderflower tree also looks far too shiny!

It is all definitiely heading in the right direction, although there is plenty more detailing to go on these boards. However, once I complete the basic vegetation on the boards, I can move onto finishing the water in the quay and adding the backscenes - these are the big modelling tasks I am aiming to complete over the next couple of months. Once these jobs are done I will have a largely operational model railway and I can then add lots of the smaller details in over the coming months (or at least that is plan).