Backdrop - almost there, I think.

Mucked about a little bit more with the backdrop and then placed it in position on the wall with a couple of pieces of blu tac.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the effect.

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Currently listening to:

The South Korean pianist Kun-woo Paik (born March 10, 1946) playing Faure.

The route that connects the cultures of the far-east with Western classical music fascinates me. It seems so unlikely - must read up on it.

"Founded in 1949, BEIJING HSINGHAI PIANO GROUP LIMITED is large-sized industrial enterprise in China.  It has 4000 employees and its annual output of pianos is 50,000, which is exported to more than 50 countries and regions in the world."

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Last night's dinner:

Ate out at friends and forgot to take a photograph.

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Finished reading:

I described to my Spanish host some of this book's depictions of Gypsy Flamenco life in Madrid - where he comes from. He concurred.

Nevertheless, the last 30 to 40 pages were disappointing - not in terms of what happened but in terms of the half-baked writing deployed to describe events; the author seemed to rush the final pages.

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Miscellany:

Backdrop progession

The next step was to cut out the scene and some of the windows  because I want the orange colour of the wall behind to come through at various points.

Ran out of time, will finish it tomorrow.

And add the top.

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Currently listening to:

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Last night's dinner:

Grilled artichokes, anchovies and tomato sauce

On top of spaghetti with Parmesan

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Currently reading:

Very nearly finished.

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Miscellany:

HO scale card buildings

Decided to assemble this fold-up card model manufactured by Mirontaine of Bordeaux

The simple but effective instructions

Some of the components

The folds are quite straightforward.

Much easier than origami.

Almost finished

The end product

Unfortunately, it's too small for HO scale.

 

However, I had the components blown up by a local reprographics company by a factor of 1.7.

Holding the original in my right hand.

Obviously, it's going to be a challenge to cut out the components and etch the card where the folds are to go.

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Currently listening to:

Schubert Impromptus:

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Last night's dinner:

Mushroom omelette avec tomatoes
 

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Currently reading:

Almost finished and I don't have any books in reserve. This chap Webster is a good writer in my opinion, might see what else he has written.

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Miscellany:

Backdrop - homing in on a solution.

The problem for which I want a solution is to have a dramatic and atmospheric backdrop which doesn't at the same time overwhelm the buildings of the actual layout.

Yesterday's effort.

I was going to leave this as it was but, accidentally, while browsing through my pictures library, I came across this earlier sketch for a backdrop - very rough and ready, but, as I see it again, it seems to fit the bill rather well.

I like the combination of black against the orange wall and I like the industrial, brutal and smoky feel of the black itself.

So, I wielded one of  my black permanent markers.

The buildings will have to be given the same treatment as the tower. Then, I'll cut them out so that they are silhouettes against the orange wall.

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Currently listening to:

The Contours

Still going strong

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Last night's dinner:

An absolute triumph.......Fish stew

squid, halibut, cod, monk fish, salmon

plus potatoes, courgettes, onions, shallots, garlic, dried apricots and crushed tomatoes

Absolutely brilliant.

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Currently reading:

Interesting turn of events. After ingratiating himself with this cocaine smoking, brandy imbibing, car stealing, unhygienic band of Gypsy Flamenco players - so as to instill in himself the spirit of Flamenco - our author comes to the conclusion that, actually, they are not a particularly impressive bunch of performers.

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Miscellany:

I'm not a fan of the telephone. I actually dread receiving phone calls unless I know beforehand that they are solely for the purpose of making arrangements eg squash games/meetings.

On  BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs this morning, the guest was the former President of the Irish Republic, Mary Robinson. As a teenager, she attended a finishing school in Paris for 12 months and the mantra of the mistress in charge was:

"Remember ladies, the telephone is a means of communication not conversation."

Obviously, other people view the instrument differently.

Backdrop rejected.

Pretty well convinced that the existing backdrop is not fit for purpose - however I modify it, and however much I like it in itself, it will simply overwhelm the layout itself.

Here are three versions of the existing backdrop.

So, I started again - ye old blank canvas.

Aforementioned blank canvas.

Used a 9B pencil.

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Currently listening to:

Many years ago, I subscribed to a magazine entitled Muzik, and every month you got a free CD of electronic music. I still have dozens of these records.

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Last night's dinner:

Lamb rogan josh

Tried out a new Indian restaurant in Glasgow. It will remain nameless. It was OK. I ordered chicken rogan josh and was given lamb instead. No big deal, actually, the lamb was certainly tender.

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Currently still reading:

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Miscellany: