One of my earliest efforts, “8 Track Plans For a Spare Room” got panned by reviewers. With the detachment that comes with time, I consider the plans within it some of my better lifetime designs. Go figure. “If you can’t stand the heat…..then get out of the oven”. It’s a good adage to keep in […]
Category: Opinion
Composition Talk – East Rail 2
The Big Hole Lead in Miami’s East Rail industrial park serves as the inspiration for the left leg of the layout. While only two blocks long, it’s still way too large to fit on a ten foot long layout shelf. Decisions need to be made to compose a scene that A) fits B) is recognizable […]
Recreation Vs. Entertainment
Our chances of attaining an end result are higher if we can, at least in rough terms, define what it is we’re actually after. Before that can happen, we need to develop an awareness that it’s an issue in the first place. This brings me to today’s topic, defining hobby success. The actual definition doesn’t matter […]
Indian Matchmaking & Layout Design
One evening, a few weeks ago, I was melting into my couch and surfing Netflix. Scroll, scroll, scroll, nothing. Essentially what I was looking for was something short, borderline entertaining, and took minimal neurons to process. In other words, trashy but not too trashy. Up comes the series “Indian Matchmaking”. Okay, nobody will know, I’ll […]
The Caricature Pendulum
In August I wrote about the caricature trap, caricature being a treatment that has an “amped up”, contrived, “model railroady” look to it. There’s no shame in that…..as long as it’s intentional….as long as it something you enjoy looking at. Often though it’s not intentional, and that’s where it’s time to take a pause and […]