 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General ModelsRailroadsRocketsRadio Controlled Air ModelsHelicoptersLand ModelsWater ModelsModelGeeks.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Model Forum / General / Models / February 2008Diorama Grass
Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds to a vignette/diorama? I'm using standard railroad diorama grass, which seems to be a pain in the a.s to use. When I get a clump together and try to put it in a drilled hole it tends to spread out and does not want to go into the hole. Should I make a larger hole and put the grass in then add adhesive? Any help appreciated. TIA, Tom > Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds > to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Tom I had some succes with sisal twine. I unraveled fibres and planted them with a dot of Elmer's. Leaving the resultant grass alone was good for dormant or dead grass. Mixing up some olive green watercolour and just touching the brush quickly to the fibre usually gave it the 'live' look. The colour would wick down the strand. Wait for the Elmer's to dry before colouring the strands. Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr. > "maies...@netscape.com" wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > - Show quoted text - I had real good luck when I bought a decorative broom from a craft store (Michael's?). The broom was made in the old style, think witch's flying stick. Cost me a couple of bucks (after Halloween) and gave me enough strands for about a dozen dioramas and vignettes. I would tie off a group, maybe a ½" to ¾" in diameter, with a string, cut them to the desired length and glue them using Elmer's White Glue. Wait until the glue has set before you cut the binding string. The broom that I bought was the color of dried grass, but there were others in various shades of green and brown as well. >I had real good luck when I bought a decorative broom from a craft >store (Michael's?). The broom was made in the old style, think witch's [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >bought was the color of dried grass, but there were others in various >shades of green and brown as well. Aha. I did buy that too some years ago. I had a problem making the stalks stand up as a grass field and didn't do much with them except use them to fill in some detail among moss "bushes". They are also slightly too coarse to be posed as grass. I prefer my fur hair solution to simulate grass. Speaking of moss there are $1 packs of moss from the Dollar Store that look even more realistic as diorama shrubs and hedges than the packages from the railway hobby supplies selection. Or rather I use them to fill in the 'deer antler looking' railway moss stuff. Another useful diorama plant from the Dollar Store is dried "baby's breath" http://www.denverplants.com/perennials/html/gypso_pan.htm That's what I think its called. It is multibranched within a 6 to 8 inch trimmed length and therefore convincing as thin trees often grown as strands of windbreak in farms. In the same crafts section are also packages of silk cutouts of autumn leaves that run from yellows through orange and reds to browns. My idea is to snip them into model leaf size bits and sprinkle them onto the branches of a dead bonsai tree sprayed with an adhesive. I haven't tried this idea out yet. > Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds > to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Any help appreciated. Here ya go... this will produce perfect long grass, every time. http://www.gaugemaster.co.uk/item_details.asp?pid=24463&style=main&strType= Mind you, for a hundred quid, so it bluddy should do! :-D For a cheaper alternative try the Static Grass Applicator http://www.ecscenics.co.uk/index.html?lang=en-uk&target=d116.html&lmd=39405.705370  SignatureEnzo I wear the cheese. It does not wear me. >> Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds >> to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >http://www.gaugemaster.co.uk/item_details.asp?pid=24463&style=main&strType= I was wondering how it worked. I think I have an idea. All it is is a motor with a fan to generate a whirlwind inside the bell. It won't be a propeller. The fan will be something like "fingered" fan attached to a fractional horsepower motor to create turbulence, not streamed air. That plastic sieve (three mesh sizes shown) fits over the mouth of the bell to keep the flock fibers in until they can pass through the holes longitudinally. This arrangement allows the user to spread the "grass" around like a pepper mill. Pshaw. I can make such a device for myself with parts from my scrap box. 95 pounds sterling indeed. For "grass" I think the gag hair plaits from the Dollar Store can be chopped into suitable lengths and used with this flock dispenser. >Mind you, for a hundred quid, so it bluddy should do! :-D > >For a cheaper alternative try the Static Grass Applicator > >http://www.ecscenics.co.uk/index.html?lang=en-uk&target=d116.html&lmd=39405.705370 Speaking of home made tools I saw an angle sander in a hobby shop recently. $40 or so. All it is is a small 8" x 4" (thereabouts) plank base with a thumb knob straight edge clamp to hold down the workpiece. This workpiece can be set to any particular angle to the base edge using a protractor gauge marked/fixed(?) on the base. A sanding block guided by a grooved channel sands the workpiece edge to the desired angle. Yep I'll make one too. >>> Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds >>> to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > "grass" around like a pepper mill. Pshaw. I can make such a device > for myself with parts from my scrap box. 95 pounds sterling indeed. I'm pretty sure that it has something to do with electrostatics. SignatureEnzo I wear the cheese. It does not wear me. >I was wondering how it worked. Ok. Two features I missed the first time round. Why that little pigtail on a rather long handle? Ad blurp: "Grass-Master - Suitable for use with all Noch static scatter materials this Electro-Static Flocking device greatly enhances the scenic look of any layout." Electro-Static means static electricity charge attraction. The pigtail is to attach to the diorama base to establish the pole to attract 'grass' flock. That means the handle has circuitry to generate a high DC voltage to impart a static electric charge to the flock fibers. This explains the 95 pounds sterling price. There is no external power chord and I see a flashlight like ON/OFF slide switch. Its battery powered. This home-made project will need a bit more work. The original 'fan in a bell' flocker is easy enough to make and I'll try that first. I have a few obsolete CRTs with good flyback transformers (20 to 40 KV outputs) to generate static electricity with. That's the next project. On Feb 23, 9:11 pm, "maies...@netscape.com" <maies...@netscape.com> wrote: > Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds > to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Tom I just found some great stuff for the shorter grass in the hobby shop. The diorama surface was supposed to simulate a sod runway area. This stuff is a sheet with a fuzzy grass already on it. Very easy to use. And, the grass is not all a uniform color, but shades of green and brown. It was in the model railroad section. The twine technique is excellent for weeds and longer grass. Also I save old small paint brushes. Rather than throwing them out I use the bristle as weeds and taller grass. > Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds > to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Tom\ when I apply grass to my dioramas I brush or spray dull coat or any type of adhesive to the surface where the grass goes. Once applied and before it drys sprinkle the grass over the adhesive once everything drys gently blow the excess off > when I apply grass to my dioramas I brush or spray dull coat or any > type of adhesive to the surface where the grass goes. Once applied and > before it drys sprinkle the grass over the adhesive once everything > drys gently blow the excess off I'm still waiting for someone to make the obvious suggestion...plant Chia Pet grass on the diorama. Then the next obvious step...Bonsai trees. :-D Pat >> when I apply grass to my dioramas I brush or spray dull coat or any >> type of adhesive to the surface where the grass goes. Once applied and [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >Pat Don't laugh. There is a guy in my city who does beautiful figures of Napoleanic and medieval figures posed on a diaroma base. The figures are around 6 inches high (scale size?) in white metal or resin. For grass he uses clumps of dense moss you find growing in bald spots in the yard, under evergreen trees or in nooks of dirt between cement blocks. For trees he uses discarded (dead) Bonsai trees from the greenhouse. The Bonsai trees are just the right size and shape for the figures. Use varnish to secure whatever leaves remain and touch them up with the appropriate colors. I don't have a source for dead Bonsai trees. Otherwise I would use them for 1/35 armor dioramas too. on 2/25/2008 6:40 AM PaPaPeng said the following: > >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Napoleanic and medieval figures posed on a diaroma base. The figures > are around 6 inches high (scale size?) in white metal or resin. 1" scale, or 1/12, or 1:12 ( 1 inch = 1 foot ), which is the most popular dollhouse size. > For > grass he uses clumps of dense moss you find growing in bald spots in [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Bonsai trees. Otherwise I would use them for 1/35 armor dioramas too. > SignatureBill In Hamptonburgh, NY To email, remove the double zeroes after @ >Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds >to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Tom I bought what is probably deerskin with 4 cm length hair from GoodWill (read cheap). That provides a lot of browned grass of just the right stiffness and shape, the shape being a taper to a point at the tip. I haven't figured how to dye fur hairs green yet. Any suggestions? Cutting Dollar Store nylon wig fibers (many suitable diorama colors available) doesn't quite do the job as simulated grass as the fibers are of equal diameter, they curl up into unrealistic shapes and they can't stand up realistically if more than a centimetre or so. To anchor fur hairs onto the ground I used acrylic Sludge (follow up link below for details). Brush a coat or Sludge onto the base. Dip the bottom of a tuft of fur hairs to ensure a good bond between the hair and the base. Then use screendoor mesh to spread out and to support the hairs while the Sludge gels. Gelling should occur within 20 minutes but let the gel harden overnight to ensure a good bond. Acrylic Sludge is a wonderful modelling product and I keep finding new uses for it. Its color is like the purplish lint from a clothes dryer. As it dries it shrinks into a thin meniscus and practically disappears from sight. I use Sludge to attach equipment for 1/35 figures. You can paint the figures and equipment separately. When dry and ready just daub a glob of Sludge, yes a glob, onto the equipment and press it onto the figure as is. That is there is no need to scrape off the paint for the glue spot and there is no need to touch up any excess dried glue. The adhesion is better than any glue bond and its practically invisible. You have to try it to appreciate its properties. Sludge will also "glue" different materials. I used screen door mesh as screen covers for my 1/25 German tank rear deck screens. They went on beautifully, showed no signs of any "gluing" and did not need touching up. The best part is if you make a mistake all you need to do is peel off the part and scrape off the Sludge skin. The original paint work will be unharmed. Sludge http://tri-art.ca/en/products/sludge/ What is it? SLUDGE is the newest Tri-Art acrylic to hit the shelves. It is a by-product of acrylic paint manufacturing. It is the combination of the precipitated solids amassed from our wash water, which has then been re-processed into thick and thin acrylic paint formats. Thanks, guys.Plenty of stuff to look into and try.TomOn Feb 24, 9:11 am, PaPaPeng <PaPaP...@yahoo.com> wrote:> On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:11:43 -0800 (PST), "maies...@netscape.com"> > <maies...@netscape.com> wrote:> >Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds> >to a vignette/diorama?> > >I'm using standard railroad diorama grass, which seems to be a pain in> >the a.s to use. When I get a clump together and try to put it in a> >drilled hole it tends to spread out and does not want to go into the> >hole. Should I make a larger hole and put the grass in then add> >adhesive?> > >Any help appreciated.> > >TIA,> > >Tom> > I bought what is probably deerskin with 4 cm length hair from GoodWill> (read cheap). That provides a lot of browned grass of just the right> stiffness and shape, the shape being a taper to a point at the tip. I> haven't figured how to dye fur hairs green yet. Any suggestions?> > Cutting Dollar Store nylon wig fibers (many suitable diorama colors> available) doesn't quite do the job as simulated grass as the fibers> are of equal diameter, they curl up into unrealistic shapes and they> can't stand up realistically if more than a centimetre or so. > > To anchor fur hairs onto the ground I used acrylic Sludge (follow up> link below for details). Brush a coat or Sludge onto the base. Dip> the bottom of a tuft of fur hairs to ensure a good bond between the> hair and the base. Then use screendoor mesh to spread out and to> support the hairs while the Sludge gels. Gelling should occur within> 20 minutes but let the gel harden overnight to ensure a good bond.> > Acrylic Sludge is a wonderful modelling product and I keep finding new> uses for it. Its color is like the purplish lint from a clothes> dryer. As it dries it shrinks into a thin meniscus and practically> disappears from sight. I use Sludge to attach equipment for 1/35> figures. You can paint the figures and equipment separately. When> dry and ready just daub a glob of Sludge, yes a glob, onto the> equipment and press it onto the figure as is. That is there is no> need to scrape off the paint for the glue spot and there is no need to> touch up any excess dried glue. The adhesion is better than any glue> bond and its practically invisible. You have to try it to appreciate> its properties. Sludge will also "glue" different materials. I used> screen door mesh as screen covers for my 1/25 German tank rear deck> screens. They went on beautifully, showed no signs of any "gluing"> and did not need touching up. The best part is if you make a mistake> all you need to do is peel off the part and scrape off the Sludge> skin. The original paint work will be unharmed.> > Sludge http://tri-art.ca/en/products/sludge/> > What is it?> SLUDGE is the newest Tri-Art acrylic to hit the shelves. It is a> by-product of acrylic paint manufacturing. It is the combination of> the precipitated solids amassed from our wash water, which has then> been re-processed into thick and thin acrylic paint formats. >Anybody have suggestions as to technique for adding tall grass/weeds >to a vignette/diorama? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Tom One more tip. If that railroad grass is polymer hold the tuft together and burn the base a little. Else use a hot metal tip if that helps. The molten plastic will hold the fibers together. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.