Selective Compression [alternate #2]: The technique of shortening the length and width of a building, but not its height to make a building seem taller.
Use: Mona used selective compression to enhance the canyon-like feeling of her model of Toronto's downtown core.
Source: This variation on the widely used term was introduced by Tom Bailey in the 2nd part of his series A Visit to the past that appeared in the April 1981 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.
As well as defining his use of the term selective compression, Mr. Bailey notes some of the technique's pros and cons:
This sometimes means the aspect ratio of a prototype building gets severely distorted, but since my buildings are mostly impressions of real buildings rather than scaled representations, I don't suffer too badly. And I do reap one important benefit: The trains seem to fit better.
He also notes some philosophy on the visual impact caused by the height of objects on a layout:
Of all the dimensions, I think we respond more to the height of something than to any other dimension. A towering building is somehow more impressive than one that sprawls; a very tall tree gets more reaction than a hedgerow. With models, a tall building or tree (in believable surroundings, of course) does more to create a feeling of relative size than a ten-foot straightaway.
This use of selective compression is another in a series of entries on how to shape layout space to achieve certain visual effects and induce emotional impressions in viewers. We have discussed such things as other definitions of selective compression beyond the standard, and strategic placement of small buildings to enhance spaciousness. Future editions of the dictionary plan to include a special section on spatial manipulation techniques.
from The Dictionary of Non-Existent Model Railroad Terms, 3rd ed., 2019.
"Air rights" comes to mind, as a planning technique. I've never been fond of multi-level layouts or upper fascias to hide lighting - both seem to clutter the view unless that viewing angle can be controlled. But both are aimed at making use of the vertical space, the air rights above the "ground" as it were. This alternate selective compression technique would fall into that category as well, but I like it much better than my examples. Scenes with tall trees or tall buildings always seem to gather a crowd at exhibitions.
ReplyDeleteMaking uncompressed 75' to 80' HO scale white pine trees in the spring has been something of a revelation to me. If an object is tall, and one builds it uncompressed - at the very least in the vertical direction - a lot of drama is added to the scene. If the tall items are placed fairly close together - say trees in a grove or skyscrapers on the same block surrounding each other - the drama seems to increase with each item added. I also think that making a viewer's head move up and down to see the whole scene increases the effect. I guess this goes back to John Allen with his floor to ceiling mountains.
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