Wasn't referring to your post Jr, By the way it's morning here in paradise. Don

scale rail posted:

Wasn't referring to your post Jr

Jr, that's cute. Been there to "paradise". Overrated. 

Jr. I was referring to the term blob about Arttista People. The family that make Arttista people have contributed a lot to the O and S gauge hobby. Calling their work blobs is uncalled for. If you go all the way back to the original question, they are asking for O scale working people. Let's get back to the original question. Don living and loving paradise. 

I have examined other brands of figures but always come back to Arttista for my layouts. They have a huge selection and are high quality. Expensive - yes. But I tend to create scenes with only a few figures.

MELGAR

scale rail. Great shot of the linemen, looks like some nice 50s cars -cad. woody I would love to see more pictures you have a well thought out diorama and are very talented

Nicely done

martyb

scale rail posted:

Jr. I was referring to the term blob about Arttista People. The family that make Arttista people have contributed a lot to the O and S gauge hobby. Calling their work blobs is uncalled for. If you go all the way back to the original question, they are asking for O scale working people. Let's get back to the original question. Don living and loving paradise. 

Sorry, but, compared to other kinds of figures out there, even in the same scale, they are like blobs.  The features are over-sized, indistinct, and crude, comparatively speaking.  Artista figures are certainly better than many other Model Railroad competitors, but the world is bigger than Model Power and Woodland Scenics, and even Revell and Bandai injection figures from the '70s are superior.

Those figures can be taken in hand and modified a little to adopt civilian dress and equipment for "working people."  Other, even better brands, likewise.

I wish a company could apply that talent and technology to RRing figures, but, as Lee notes, the money isn't in it.

Don't shoot at the messenger because you don't like the message.   

Pal, I only have a Red Rider so I couldn't do much damage to the messenger. I just think calling Attista People blobs is a little much. Their variety and detail are great for my eyes. Most of us don't have time to paint much less modify 50 or more people for the layout. I'm glad you have the time and skill to do that. Love to see some of your work on the forum. Don

Arttista figures are clearly the best. Probably have 100 or so of them on my layout. A brand that I don't believe anyone has mentioned is Model Tech Studios. They have some terrific figures. They are a little bigger than the Arttista figures, probably 1:43, but they have some awesome stuff. I have some of these on my layout and plan to add more.

I haven't heard any shots fired...at a messenger...or otherwise.  Arttista figures both "worker" types and in general are far from being blobs.  I think they are the most realistic looking...and I have a variety of different "brands."  I will always pick Arttista over the others.  Matt

This is a blob................

These do not look like blobs to me.

MELGAR

im looking all around for my workers  it seems they are all furloughed.

In keeping with the OP - realistic scale workers - here are some scenes using mostly Model Power with some Woodland Scenics and a little bit of Artista mixed.   Agreed that Artista figures are great! As many have already said that posing/placing the figures ( no matter the brand) is key to creating a scene that radiates a certain energy and tells a story.   

trumptrain, great job very nicely done. Who made the red B & O pickup truck?

martyb

palallin posted:

scale rail posted:

Jr. I was referring to the term blob about Arttista People. The family that make Arttista people have contributed a lot to the O and S gauge hobby. Calling their work blobs is uncalled for. If you go all the way back to the original question, they are asking for O scale working people. Let's get back to the original question. Don living and loving paradise. 

Sorry, but, compared to other kinds of figures out there, even in the same scale, they are like blobs.  The features are over-sized, indistinct, and crude, comparatively speaking.  Artista figures are certainly better than many other Model Railroad competitors, but the world is bigger than Model Power and Woodland Scenics, and even Revell and Bandai injection figures from the '70s are superior.

Those figures can be taken in hand and modified a little to adopt civilian dress and equipment for "working people."  Other, even better brands, likewise.

I wish a company could apply that talent and technology to RRing figures, but, as Lee notes, the money isn't in it.

Don't shoot at the messenger because you don't like the message.   

There is a difference between delivering a message and giving a personal opinion.

Scenic Express Soiled Doves of the Night.

palallin posted:

scale rail posted:

Jr. I was referring to the term blob about Arttista People. The family that make Arttista people have contributed a lot to the O and S gauge hobby. Calling their work blobs is uncalled for. If you go all the way back to the original question, they are asking for O scale working people. Let's get back to the original question. Don living and loving paradise. 

Sorry, but, compared to other kinds of figures out there, even in the same scale, they are like blobs.  The features are over-sized, indistinct, and crude, comparatively speaking.  Artista figures are certainly better than many other Model Railroad competitors, but the world is bigger than Model Power and Woodland Scenics, and even Revell and Bandai injection figures from the '70s are superior.

Those figures can be taken in hand and modified a little to adopt civilian dress and equipment for "working people."  Other, even better brands, likewise.

I wish a company could apply that talent and technology to RRing figures, but, as Lee notes, the money isn't in it.

Don't shoot at the messenger because you don't like the message.   

Really unfair to refer to Arttista people as "blobs." Dennis' figures have been and continue to be the industry standard. Great pictures by Forum colleagues drive the point home.

Just to  lighten the blob discussion.

I grew up in Downingtown Pa where they filmed the  sci fi classic Steve McQueen movie THE BLOB

Now that WAS a BLOB

The diner is still there.

Have fun one and all

Mike

If your point is the very limited one that there are some military figures, suitable for the collector of such figures, that are more realistic than Arttista figures, I do not disagree. But that is not the issue. Train collectors and operators collect and operate trains, not the figures they place on their layouts. The issue is what figures are the industry standard for O gauge model railroad layouts, not what figures are the industry standard for the collector of military figures. So you are making an apples to oranges comparison. Few if any train layouts have military figures on them and nobody is going to populate their layout solely with military figures. Arttista manufactures a broad variety and number of realistic pewter figures that are suitable for train layouts. The question is whether any manufacturer makes more realistic figures for such layouts than Arttista, not whether anyone makes more realistic figures. The answer is obviously nobody. Last, how about utilizing pictures of actual Arttista figures, not blurred replicas of Arttista figures on sales websites? As I indicated earlier, "Dennis' figures have been and continue to be the industry standard. Great pictures by Forum colleagues drive the point home." Case closed.

Well they certainly look great and if I were to do a scene of that nature they would be my number one on the list.  But then I asked myself what is the price point on something like that ?  So I did a search and was surprised to find the cost was only $9.95.  However, they come unpainted. Now how many of the forum members have that kind of talent to turn out those great looking soldiers. I know I couldn't.  I have a hard time adding eyes to the cheap figures in an attempt to make them human. 

Time is another consideration.  I actually purchased around 1000 unpainted figures from Circus Craft many years ago where not only do you have to paint them,  you have to assemble the arms and legs to the body.  Plus is you can position them as wanted.  But I never got around to using them.  Along came China with bulk cheap people you can doctor a little and some I just toss as nothing can fix them.

Now in the last couple of years other manufactures started coming out with small sets as others have mentioned.  Again not as good as that talented person who painted the soldiers but a lot better than the cheap bulk people.  

I use a little of everything.  I have just north of 1200 people just at my train station. Close up you will see around 200 Artista and about 200 of the other manufactures but that leaves about 800 people in the distance, in the station itself and underneath the station on the platforms. Most of the Artista figures were accumulated over the years and as of recent I have been purchasing Woodland Scenics and Bachman sets.   I'm pretty positive I wouldn't use all higher end people at around $6.00 ea painted.  That would be $7200.00 - ouch.  

  I just checked and some of the Woodland Scenics figures have facial features which is a plus. Both Bachman and Woodland Scenics figures have a lot of details that are separately painted such as buttons on shirts, ties etc. and accessories. I think its time for Artista to step it up a little and lets have some facial features and more detail. The hitchhiker above could have her face done which would help.  I was going to say add some strings to that guitar (painted on) but I agree that the guitar just can't be helped. Lol    Enough.....

martyb posted:

trumptrain, great job very nicely done. Who made the red B & O pickup truck?

martyb

Thanks so much Marty for your kind words!  The B&O pickup is made by Road Champs.

Crocodile Train Store posted:

A general concept for thought was made to me by master builder Al Judy who helped me design and build my layout is "consistency of level of detail".  If you have very detailed figures and then place a crude or much less detailed figure in proximity it will really drag the whole scene down and the viewers eye will mentally make a negative assessment if not verbalized.   I might suggest that if you do mix and match,  try to separate the levels of detail as much as possible.

For my layout I wanted a more realistic layout but did not want to lose the whimsy and great operating accessories that Lionel offers.  I chose the Woodland Scenics Built up Buildings as a standard of detail for my town and buildings and matched that level by using their lit up vehicles and figures.  I have installed and wired the buildings and vehicles.  I have purchased but have yet to place the figures.

I used the Lionel accessories and less detailed buildings and accessories in my yard area and separated it from the rest of my layout with a small mountain/large hill.  Thus the difference in detail level is not as obvious. Here are representative photos of the separation.  The yard is separated by the hill in between. This helps minimize the clash of the detail levels.

The top 2 picture are the less detail yard and the bottom is the more detailed town separated by the hill in the third picture down.

I still have to place all of my figures.  

Thanks for asking about figures it is making me think about them also.

Mike

 

 

 

Very instructive, Mike. What you and Al (your layout expert) say about consistency of level of detail makes perfect sense.

I think the structures, vehicles, scenery and track on your layout look great. I look forward to seeing your little people and maybe some little animals on your layout in the future. Arnold 

I currently have a lack of consistency of quality of figures on my layout, which is going to change soon, probably after I go to the Big E next Sunday, weather permitting.

Most of my figures are cheap plastic figures that were painted for fun by me and my kids  25 years ago when they were young. Although the quality is not great, we had a great time painting them, and I highly recommend this activity. What better way to get our children and grandchildren excited about our hobby.

On reflection, I might keep the inexpensive plastic figures that are fans seated in the bleachers of my ball park since I need so many of them to fill the ball park.

By far the best figures on my layout are the metal baseball figures made by Kramer (I think they are out of business) and the metal Attista figures.

Below are some of the Kramer baseball figures. I paid $150 for one team of them in a pretty box with a pretty red ribbon at the Choo Choo Barn (fantastic hobby shop in York or Strasberg, PA area) in the early to mid 1990s. How I wish I kept the box and kept the figures in pristine condition.

Does anyone know where I could get O Scale baseball figures of comparable quality to these Kramer figures? Arnold

Palallin, I'll ask again. Let's see your model people. Not something from the net. You pulled everything from the net. Even the Arttista people. Please click on this picture and tell me these guys look like blobs. Don

Just for some extra variety, here’s the 1:43 metal Omen (get it?) line from Britain. Pricey but pretty cool.

very creative nicely done

This is my current project, a small freight house. These are Arttista figures. I find I like the

poses and the size. To me the 1/43 size figures appear disproportionately large. Would really

like to add figures from Buffalo Landing and Aspen Modeling Co., but I find the

painting process too challenging. 

prrmike, Thanks for the info. Very nice job looks excellent

I am retired and find the figures to costly to buy to many I have been searching Ebay but everyone seams to keep the used prices still around 5-6 and more per figure   I will keep looking

martyb

For about fifteen years I have been painting miniature figures.  Most of what I paint is 1/55 scale military subjects, and many of the figures you can get in that scale are more detailed castings than what Artista produces.

What Pallalin leaves out is the quality of the painting.  If I gave those Tamiya figures an Artista quality paint job they would look like Artista figures.  If I started out with Artista castings then by choice of paint, shading, washes and a little freehand work I could produce a much more detailed looking figure.  It would also cost more and might not stand up to the handling necessary to get the figure to market.

Artista is producing a wide range of figures which are sold on an individual basis, pre-painted, at a reasonably low price.  Taking that into consideration they are quite good.  The painting while simple is done with care, and was done with a paint that holds up well to some handling.  

I'm a stickler for detail on my model railroads. It has never even crossed my mind to think that Arttista figures are unsatisfactory in any way on a 1:48 model railroad. The characters, poses and painting are absolutely satisfactory in my opinion. I don't even glue them down. They stand by themselves.

MELGAR

jackiejr posted:

 

scale rail posted:

Wasn't referring to your post Jr

Jr, that's cute. Been there to "paradise". Overrated. 

So you came to the islands a week and you know all about them. Nice..

I still want to see your Army People. Don

PRRMike posted:

This is my current project, a small freight house. These are Arttista figures. I find I like the

poses and the size. To me the 1/43 size figures appear disproportionately large. Would really

like to add figures from Buffalo Landing and Aspen Modeling Co., but I find the

painting process too challenging. 

 

 

 

Mike - great scene!  I like your positioning of figures.  The guy bending to pick up the box helps greatly in telling the story providing a nice contrast to the 3 fellas spinning a yarn and the fellow with his hands in pockets watching.  The fella bending must be the postal worker working the RPO car.  I really like your MA&Pa combine!  Did you build this car from scratch?

Patrick, thank you for the kind words. The RPO  is the La Belle Woodworking Duluth & Iron Range

Postal-Baggage car kit. This was my first attempt at building a La Belle kit. It turned out to be fun challenge.

Jackiejr, can't help but wonder if kids and grownups are doing the computer game thing so much that it's effecting our hobbies. I also think drones like GoPros are one time or two time purchases. Everyone wanted a GoPro at first and a second as they improved. I kept buying them tell they got to the four model. Realized the video wasn't any better, just more features and stopped buying the newest and best. Still use my 3.5 and 4. Will use them tell they crap out. GoPro is now looking for a partner.  Same with drones. Everyone wanted a new one as they improved. Now they almost fly themselves and sales are down. I'm only waiting for one loco to come along  (Westinghouse Milwaukee Road Electric if MTH is reading this), and that's it for me. I have enough. Don

MartyB, keep looking. A few years back I got about 30 Arttista folks for about $25 on E-bay. I agree the used prices are high most of the time but deals come along. Good luck. Don

OK guys....have had a couple of alerts so lets stay on topic.  Remember....the reason why there are different quality levels...it is because the manufacturers have to satisfy the different "wallet levels".  I too have different brands of people on the layout and each can serve a purpose depending on placement and scene.

All the figures on my layout are Woodland Scenics. I believe that they are painted and scaled nicely . My favorite set was the Factory Workers and they fit great in my industrial area. There might be more costly figures available but at a much higher price point.

scale rail, Thanks for encouragement, my congrats on a beautiful layout, you have a great talent.

Did you build the buildings?

martyb

Firewood posted:

Just for some extra variety, here’s the 1:43 metal Omen (get it?) line from Britain. Pricey but pretty cool.

"hey buddy, NO clownin around near the trains"

Jim

HMMM check these previously working people out!!! 

Jim