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Where should I apply grime and rust effects on my locomotive to best achieve a weather-beaten look?
Posted in: Painting
16th November 2023
In order to achieve a realistic weather-beaten look on a locomotive, a modeller should apply grime and rust effects...
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How do I glue a resin kit?
Posted in: Kit building, Assembling and gluing
29th April 2019
Resin is a type of plastic, but conventional plastic glues don't work. For smaller resin parts super glue is ideal,...
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How do I wire the controller to the track on a model railway?
Posted in: Power and control
6th January 2023
To wire a controller to the track on a model railway, you will need to follow these simple steps :Connect the...
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Is lighting for model buildings difficult to install?
Posted in: Power and control
13th December 2021
There are a couple of manufacturers of building lighting out there that claim their products are easy to install. But...
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Where were first, second, and third class coaches typically located on a train?
Posted in: Rolling stock
16th January 2024
The location of first, second, and third class coaches varied depending on the era and the specific train design....
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What is forced perspective?

Perspective is something we see every day out there in the real world. A tree in the far distance, for example, will appear very small, despite it being as large as a tree close by. Our brains know this, but, our brains can also be easily tricked with the use of forced perspective.

The most common application of forced perspective in modelling is the use of back scenes. Apart from their primary purpose of providing a backdrop to layouts, they also often provide a forced perspective. It's not uncommon for a back scene to feature hills and scenery some miles away, even though the back scene itself is placed just centimetres from the main features on the baseboard.

Forced perspective can also be achieved using models. A modest approach to this would be the use of progressively smaller trees and buildings the further back you go. A more extreme example would be the use of N gauge track in the background and OO gauge in the foreground. Most modellers using forced perspective favour techniques somewhere between the two.

The trick to using forced perspective is to have some sort of scene break between steps in gauge or scale. Placing models of different scales too closely without a visual distraction will result in the brain not being tricked. However, locating your building either elevated on a hill or slightly obscured by a hedge can have compelling effects.

The exception to the rule is when using low-relief buildings layered to create a tiered town effect. In this scenario, only a very small gap is left between models with little or no distractive features. Some very convincing dioramas have been produced by modellers in this way, however, the method only really works when the scene is viewed head-on. Any other perspective leaves the scene looking a little bit like a pop-up book.

Posted in: Scenery

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