There are enough wows for this one. The split firewood puts the final touches on it, a great detail. I’ve always kept coal around for fuel, but I’ll remember this firewood detail.
Your project looks great Jim. The shapes, textures, colours and positioning really brings the interesting scene together. I think your cliff hangers have inspired many of us. Well done.
Todd Haskins said:
…The shapes, textures, colours and positioning really brings the interesting scene together…
To me it’s very interesting, Jim, that you and Todd both chose color to bring your excellently-crafted builds to life. Visually, Todd took his coal build to a whole other level above when he painted parts of it red, and you’ve made your build so dynamic by painting the one building red.
I’m taking notes!
John:
I had the privilege during my career to at one point work with a professor at the USC film school, Bruce Block. He’s created a way of analyzing how to use visual design components in movies to enhance the impact of the film. He even wrote a book about it (link):
Bruce says that you can break down the visuals in a film into 7 different “components”:
- line: horizontal, vertical, angular, and the contrast between these
- shape: triangle, rectangles, circles, etc.
- color: warm (red, orange, yellow), cool (blue, green), and contrast between them
- tone: light, dark, and the contrast between them
- rhythm: this has to do with how often things change - fine detail vs large swaths of the same, or in a film with how fast things happen
- movement: mostly a film thing about how things move
- space: flat vs deep space - whether there’s a 3D sense of perspective in the scene
So what I tried to do when thinking about these worker shacks was to have a variety (contrast) of:
- line: horizontal clapboard vs vertical board & batten vs angular stringers on the stairs
- shape: lots of rectangles plus a round water tank, triangles for the roofs
- color: warm red vs cool bluish-gray vs light redwood
- tone: light lower shack vs darker upper shack, black sandpaper and dark corrugated roofing vs lighter walls
- rhythm: different size details: clapboard is pretty small, board & batten a bit larger, shingles on the upper shack roof vs broad sandpaper strips on the lower roof, etc.
Anyway, that’s what was going through my mind when I was making choices, fwiw.
Cheers!
Jim
Your structures look extremely great when all is said and done, With the stairs and placed on the rocks, with the bracing it looks great. The colors look really great.
I love your little water tank and the plumbing. Setting up above your first structure really sets the future into an action setting part of the layout that will get lots of pictures.
So many people love the cliff hangers but really dont want to put forth the effort it takes to get them. You have done a wonderful job and I love it.
Dennis
Thanks Dennis. Means a lot coming from you. Very much appreciated.
Oh yeah, and thanks for letting me blatantly steal your idea!!! 
Dennis,
you better watch out. Someone else is working hard to give you a run for your money.
Jim,
It is truly a complement when Dennis gives you a thumbs up. Like you I really love and am inspired by Dennis’ cliff hangers. I plan to use several of them on my indoor. Bit I have to say your build foe the challenge is every bit on par with Dennis. I am sure won’t mind you stealing a bit of his sunshine.