Need help with my display,

[Virginia Dave]

I am working on part of my display that has both sides in a small battle scene. It is on a book shelf in my office and is only 12 inches deep and 38 inches long. I have a mix of toy soldiers, fences, walls etc. A tent, watch tower bridge etc. What I am looking for now is a back drop that would work for a battle sce ne. I have been looking at miniature railroad stuff, but nothing that would work for me. Does anyone here have any suggestions as to where I might be able to find what I am looking for. Being on a shelf I am going to add some lights to help brighten the display, but i would like to find a backdrop first. Help Please if you can I will post photos of what I have so far as soon as I can take a few photos. Thanks

 

[Kurt G]

Try Sierra Toy Soldiers . I have seen backdrops before on their site but they are usually generic fields or hills or woods .

 

[Virginia Dave]

Try Sierra Toy Soldiers . I have seen backdrops before on their site but they are usually generic fields or hills or woods .

That's what I was looking for.

 

[Virginia Dave]

I am working on part of my display that has both sides in a small battle scene. It is on a book shelf in my office and is only 12 inches deep and 38 inches long. I have a mix of toy soldiers, fences, walls etc. A tent, watch tower bridge etc. What I am looking for now is a back drop that would work for a battle sce ne. I have been looking at miniature railroad stuff, but nothing that would work for me. Does anyone here have any suggestions as to where I might be able to find what I am looking for. Being on a shelf I am going to add some lights to help brighten the display, but i would like to find a backdrop first. Help Please if you can I will post photos of what I have so far as soon as I can take a few photos. Thanks

Well here is what I have so far. You can see why I need background. Also I am working on a way to add lighting. Then with the background I plan to add more scenery, trees, shrubs, rocks etc.
I also apologize for having naval figures mixed in. I added the tower so it can be imagined they are watching the river or shore for enemy vessels. I know I have a long way to go. Suggestions and critiques welcome.

 

[Pat Answer]

Looks great!

Reminds me of N C Wyeth's Wilson Creek painting:

Which in my crazy head I might be tempted to print and use as a backdrop if I didn't go the generic sky and farmland route mentioned earlier.

Lighting... I don't know how much you want to modify the bookshelf getting a bulb ("sun") wired in. Clip-on lights would be the simplest but you would have to disguise them somehow - they'd be too cheesy on their own for the beauty you have set up here!

 

[Virginia Dave]

Looks great!

Reminds me of N C Wyeth's Wilson Creek painting:

View attachment 355638

Which in my crazy head I might be tempted to print and use as a backdrop if I didn't go the generic sky and farmland route mentioned earlier.

Lighting... I don't know how much you want to modify the bookshelf getting a bulb ("sun") wired in. Clip-on lights would be the simplest but you would have to disguise them somehow - they'd be too cheesy on their own for the beauty you have set up here!

I have a couple of small battery operated lights that can be stuck to the bottom of the shelf above without being very visible. If I use them I will post a photo. Now back to my search for a background. Love the painting by the way.

 

[rebel brit]

Have you checked out Model Railway Backdrops , these might work.

These measure 9 inches high x 10 ft long.

https://www.newmodellersshop.co.uk/images/backscenes/149_trees_pack_b.jpg

Forgot to add the link to the above images https://www.newmodellersshop.co.uk/backscenes.htm

 

[Virginia Dave]

Here is my latest improvement. I know I need more realism, trees, shrubs, better soldiers etc. Also, I need to paint some of the solder bases. Will continue to work on it. I put in the background, but am not happy with it. It was the only one I could find. I would like something with more of a rolling nature than mountains. Oh yeah I added a small light.

 

[Kurt G]

Here is my latest improvement. I know I need more realism, trees, shrubs, better soldiers etc. Also, I need to paint some of the solder bases. Will continue to work on it. I put in the background, but am not happy with it. It was the only one I could find. I would like something with more of a rolling nature than mountains. Oh yeah I added a small light.

View attachment 357386

That looks great !

 

[Mrs. V]

Here is my latest improvement. I know I need more realism, trees, shrubs, better soldiers etc. Also, I need to paint some of the solder bases. Will continue to work on it. I put in the background, but am not happy with it. It was the only one I could find. I would like something with more of a rolling nature than mountains. Oh yeah I added a small light.

View attachment 357386

I keep thinking of silk screens, and how you might be able to have something done for you..printed on a silk. That way you could put warm led lights behind it..put those on a timer..as someone who sews, I do see a ton of fabric our there. Not sure I've seen what you want though..

 

[Pete Longstreet]

How about something like this? It's a canvas painting I found on ebay. Your display looks great though!

 

[Virginia Dave]

13 high by 34 inches long. I had even thought I would try to use some of my photos, but kept seeing powerlines, cars in the distance etc. Plus I am not sure how to make them panoramic.

 

[Virginia Dave]

I keep thinking of silk screens, and how you might be able to have something done for you..printed on a silk. That way you could put warm led lights behind it..put those on a timer..as someone who sews, I do see a ton of fabric our there. Not sure I've seen what you want though..

That sounds great, but i wouldn't know where to start with something like that.

 

[Pat Answer]

Image #5 would be perfect. (I can't seem to zoom in enough to tell if there is something modern in it.)

These are all great shots, by the way.

 

[7thWisconsin]

I love those Britain's Deetail figures! I collected a bunch of those when I was a kid and still do some skirmish gaming with them!

 

[DixieRifles]

I put in the background, but am not happy with it. It was the only one I could find. I would like something with more of a rolling nature than mountains. Oh yeah I added a small light.

I'm a month late, but I like the display with that background and lighting.

 

[Peace Society]

Did they bale hay in that day or put it up in shocks? Or directly into the barn? Definitely no round bales then.

 

[Booner]

Did they bale hay in that day or put it up in shocks? Or directly into the barn? Definitely no round bales then.

Thats a good question. I know that when wheat was cut, it was put into shocks to help dry the kernels before they thrashed it to separate the kernels from the chaft. I'm assuming they just cut the hay and left it in the field and turned it over a few times to help dry it out before they gathered it onto a hay rick and put it loose into the barn. You have to dry the hay out or you risk it self-combusting and burning down the barn. We used to throw salt on each row of bales to prevent self combustion. I remember a few barns burning right after hay season.

 

[Kurt G]

Did they bale hay in that day or put it up in shocks? Or directly into the barn? Definitely no round bales then.

Balers didn't come around until well after the war . Though I was a born and raised in the city I had relatives with horses and helped moving bales ( sometimes hundreds of them) they purchased from local farmers . Hot , dirty work that required long sleeves so you didn't tear up your arms . Breathing dust , stacking it way up in the loft and checking it as Booner said to make sure it wasn't hot .

 

[Peace Society]

I've put up my share of square bales, salted into the barn. And unstacked and restacked some when their temperature rose too high. Good exercise. The farm boys in that era would have been very strong.