Need help w/groundwork...

you can try drywall compound, that might work well. For the texture use an old brush and stiple the texture into it while it is still wet.

Also try a surface that has the basic shape and add the texture. Plastic in the 'corduroy' shape you need to scale can be coated with fine sand, painted in suitable earth enamel color then washed in a darker acrylic and finally dry-brush in lighter shade of base color enamel.

Is this anything like the look you are going for? (The dirt texture)

If so, it is done with celluclay, sand blast sand, white glue and water. I can show you some in progress shots if it is the look you are after.

Ken

Can you find a picture on-line of what you're aiming for? Then a picture of the less than satisfying effort will make it easier to give directions and assistance.

Celuclay is the perfect medium for that. The key is not to use too much water in it, and don't add plaster--that just defeats the workability of the celluclay.

Here's a link to one of my dio's showing how I worked the groundwork with Celluclay.

Thanks guys. Doog, your "recipe" is what I have been using  for all my normal groundwork I got the "ploughed field" idea from a diorama I saw in a different mag...

Here are a cpl pics of the look and texture I'm after, I apologize for the picture quality.

and here is what I have so far...like i said, ugly.

Brutus, I see now.

Well, to be honest, I think what you have is not very far from what you're looking for? I just believe that if you leave out the plaster and add some water to your finger and shape the top of those "rows" there that you can easily get that look.

Add glue to your Celluclay, and acrylic brown paint. Maybe some small rocks--add the bigger ones later. But you should easily be able to make what you have already into what you want with just a little work, in my opinion!

Thanks Doog. I usually will add glue and brown craft paint(the stuff @ WM for .50), and I am gonna retry this with more glue, more dirt and no plaster. As always thanks, and I'll keep ya posted on how she turns out.

Here's another one I did over the winter with the Doog's recipe

and a base for a Gepard I need to finish

Glad to help Brutus!

Only other thing I would recommend is to not be too "avante garde" with you base perimeter designs. If you make them too crazy looking or sloppy, you detract from the models, in my opinion. Tidying them up a bit would help in your presentation.