Best way to creating sand dunes?

Create a base from styrofoam (pink or blue). Once you have the shape you want, apply some adhesive and glue on some sand.

That sounds pretty simple! How would you create tire tracks? Could you press them into the foam?

Carve the tracks into the foam...

  Making your terrain features outta styrofoam is probably the best way, IMHO...  Simply "mounding" another material, like celluclay or plaster, will work but means it'll be heavy and take forever to dry...   

But regular sand (like what you use for concrete-mixing or the kid's sandbox) is way outta scale... In 1/35th, it'd be like driving over a desert covered with four-inch wide rocks...

I'd recommend using aquarium sand...

Great tips...thanks! Would you seal the sand with something after application?

You can if it makes you feel more secure about it, but I never do..

I spray it with a mixture of water, white glue, and a few drops of dish-washing detergent (About 60-40 glue/water and DON'T shake it to mix) in order to ensure that no wayward grains are going to come off during final assembly, but a clear flat would do the same, I guess...

Also, I add straight-pins to the wheels (especially if you're gonna have any wheels off the ground, since there's a lot of stress on the joint otherwise), feet, and any walls and push them down into the diorama base deep enough to hit the foam to secure the vehicles/ figures/structures...

Sounds great! 

Here's another question...

Would it be possible to create a little dust cloud off the wheels similar to the photo here? I was thinking about using cotton...but I don't know if that would work.

Aerogel?

It’s [dinkywongo] expensive, but
it’s the lightest material on earth.

They have really fine grade sand at Micheal's in the area with all the rocks and floral accessories.

That Aerogel looks interesting. I'm sure it's way out of the price range.

RatPatrol

Sounds great! 

Here's another question...

Would it be possible to create a little dust cloud off the wheels similar to the photo here? I was thinking about using cotton...but I don't know if that would work.

With very few exceptions (like when it's used for rocket/missile exhaust plumes or a lazy smoke-curl from a cooking-fire), cotton just looks like cotton on a diorama...  The best way to re-create vehicle dust on a diorama is to use smoke during the photography... 

You can try it though...  I've just nver had any luck with it...

RatPatrol

That Aerogel looks interesting. I'm sure it's way out of the price range.

Eventually I expect Edmund Scientific, et al., will have Aerogel for lower than Unobtainium prices, but $325.00 for 2 x 1.75 x 1.25 inches!

If you can get your hands on the AFV Modeller magazine issue 58, it has an article from Volker Bembennek to where he creates an amazing windblown desert. The description is fairly short but the pictures are worth a thousand words so they say. He sculpted the wavy windblown surface from plaster and then covered it with sand and dirt.

K-dawg

If you can get your hands on the AFV Modeller magazine issue 58, it has an article from Volker Bembennek to where he creates an amazing windblown desert. The description is fairly short but the pictures are worth a thousand words so they say. He sculpted the wavy windblown surface from plaster and then covered it with sand and dirt.

http://shop.afvmodeller.com/customer/product.php?productid=18023&cat=422&page=1

The Desert Hulk - 1:35th Scale Bishop #18023

The Desert Hulk Volker Bembennek describes how he built his impressive 1:35 Bishop Details   Manufacturer AFV Modeller Ltd Price: £ 1.00 Options   Quantity 1 (this product is downloadable)

Great tip on the aquarium sand, Hans. I was shocked how fine it is [ they even have differant grades].Not to mention the price, 16.99 for a 25# bag .I don't think you'd ever run out no matter how many desert or beach Dio's you'd do. Again, it's so fine, I wouldn't be surprised if it came from the Namib desert !.Now if I could find artificial snow that fine. Thanks, keith r.

I've heard Chinchilla "Bath Dust" works well as small scale sand

Chinchilla blue dust does work, and it works well. The styrofoam idea is a good one. As far as tire tracks go, a bit of celluclay laid on the vehicle's path will give you something to put impressions in without the need for carving. I'd do a bit of extra white glue in the mix for this.

Regards,

Mark