OST Publications Blog
Time To Go
Effective immediately OST Publications will permanently close for business. The ongoing compromises to my eyesight make working difficult and it's time to face that reality. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support, kindness and encouragement over...
Common Bonds
As railfans, we document the times we live in. As much as I would like this image to feature a PRR M1, or a lumbering I1 hippo pulling a long westbound freight out of Glen Yards, these Norfolk Southern behemoths have charms of their own to offer. This image was shot...
Mind The Gap
One of the true joys of using Proto48 standards is the ability to have scale width flange ways at switch points, frogs, guard rails and grade crossings or street trackage. It may seem like a small thing but these finer tolerances create a tremendous level or realism...
Study Models
When I was a kid, I could go out the back door of our house and be in open country within a matter of minutes. I’d walk up Water Street to the paint factory where I cut across the siding to the old main line which, at that time, was nothing more than a dirt access...
A Letter To Rhett
"This gets at a question I asked you a few years back about techniques to translate what we see into model form. I don’t immediately think of breaking things down into contrast, texture, light and color. These are valuable concepts to understand. I see a good many...
Modeling Visually
More Thoughts On Foam Benchwork
Scatterbrained would be a generous term for my working methods. I've seldom been one to design on paper, preferring instead to play around with a bunch of materials until something clicks. I try things, believing I've found a solution only to realize halfway through...
Design Your Thinking: Conclusion
The inspiration for this new work is a single track industrial branch serving one or two remaining customers. Richmond has the remnant of the former GR&I that serves a wire and cable plant (photo below), while Youtube overflows with other examples. Just search...
Design Your Thinking Part Eight: Developing A Concept
My approach to modeling has evolved from simply replicating a specific time and place to using the work as a medium of expression in the same way an artist uses pen&ink or watercolor. For the design of the current project, I've drawn inspiration from a variety...