Sheep - at a distance

Komata
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Joined: 2005-05-12
No votes yet

A question for our membership:

I need to create the illusion of a mob (large flock) of sheep walking along a sheep-track on the side of a hill at the rear of a layout.

The animals can't be painted-in images, must be 3-dimensional because they will be looked down upon from a height,  be whitey-brown (they would be Merino's) and, because of the distance/width etc, cannot be 'packet' animals (which are too big)

I had considered using WS Coarse Foliage painted white to give the 3-d effect, but am would be interested in any other ideas.

Seeds (if so, of what plant), beads?

And, of course, free if possible!!

Ideas please folks.

Thanks

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki. . . "


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Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . " ___________________________________________




absnut
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Q-sheep?
If they are to be seen at a distance and fine detail is not needed, how about cutting the ends off a Q-Tip and coloring them? They might resemble a large sheep.
--

Dick,

Usually, when all is said and done, there's a lot more said than done!




Komata
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Posts: 1214
Joined: 2005-05-12
Sheep - at a distance

Dick

An excellent  idea, which would seem to have definite possibilities.  Thanks.

One further question though:

What are the dimensions (length, height, width) of an average sheep?

('Googling' gives no answers at all to this very important question).

Anyone a sheep farmer ?

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "

 


--

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . " ___________________________________________




Jimmi
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Keith, try this site. 

Keith, try this site.  About halfway down the page is a height and weight chart for marketable lambs.

http://www.tvsp.org/picklamb.html


--

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you've got it made.    Jean Giraudoux

Jim




FergusonTE
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Rice?

Small grains of rice with a black tip painted on them?

I saw some N scale sheep last year and they actually looked like a bunch of maggots. LOL

-mike 




epumph
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Posts: 99
Joined: 2007-08-20
sheep and flies

Here's an idea that just popped into my head - I tie flies for trout fishing and some are quite small.  If you took a piece of thin say .009 music wire and a fine piece of wool - or synthetic yarn in white and secured it with a drop of CA glue then wond it until the proportions looked right then another drop of glue and some black marker for the head and well it just might look like a sheep ( or a maggot) fro afar. Just a thought. If you know someone that ties flies he/she might be able to help.

Gene 

 




jroberts227
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Posts: 97
Joined: 2008-01-18
Sheep

I'd say your average sheep stands, at the shoulder, about 2- 3 feet. Just high enough to come to just below mid-thigh on an average man. They'd be about 1 1/2 feet wide, making allowances for slight narrowing at the shoulder and hip. And they would be about 4 - 5 feet long from tail to nose streched out.

Q-Tip cotton would do great. A little colouring can add depth to the 'wool.'

Where do I get these dimensions? One of my first jobs as a young fellow was as a sheep herder (yes, I know). I was responsible for about 5000 of them over one summer....

These are, of course, approximates...

Cheers,

Jim R


--

I know Mother named me after a railroad man, but it's too late now, I'm afraid. Much, much too late.

                                                          Hoagy Carmichael




jroberts227
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Posts: 97
Joined: 2008-01-18
Range Maggots
FergusonTE wrote:

I saw some N scale sheep last year and they actually looked like a bunch of maggots. LOL

-mike 

That is exactly what my grandfather used to call them - 'range maggots.' Sheep have that look from a distance.

Just as an aside....

Cheers,

Jim R

I know Mother named me after a railroad man, but it's too late now, I'm afraid. Much, much too late.

                                                          Hoagy Carmichael


--

I know Mother named me after a railroad man, but it's too late now, I'm afraid. Much, much too late.

                                                          Hoagy Carmichael




Kashirigi
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Posts: 107
Joined: 2008-01-04
nScale.net Site Supporter
If you're looking for

If you're looking for ultra-cheap materials, dryer lint from white (or black and brown, for that matter) could easily be formed into a sheep shape. You can soak the works in a solution of white glue and water if you're worried about it losing its shape.

You could also try wool batting and felting needles to make miniature sheep, but I suspect that would work better for HO.

 


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Japanese N-scale trains in a very tight space: http://yamanotesen.thruhere.net


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