Diorama trees,grass and shrubs

I use Woodland Scenics alot, they make good stuff and make several books that support there products. My personal favorite is There "Scenery Manual". It goes over all of there products and tells you how to use them. And for about $8.00 you cant go wrong. The only problem is that it suggests only Woodland Scenics products and nothing else, so look out for places were you might be able to get a cheaper substitute. Also Woodland Scenics Make these realy cool starter kits that come with all the stuff you need to do specific stuff like make trees, Streams, grass, and railroad track. They teach you well and give you some scenery tools that you can keep re-using

spector822002,

Thanks a bunch that site is great

Thanks once again for the other contrabutions

I now know where I am going to get my trees for the diorama

Richard

For trees I would go nowhere but here www.sweetwaterscenery.com , I have a tree or 2 of these and I am telling you they look so realistic it is not even funny , ( they actually have bark on them ) give it a try ! Highly recommended !

I have used paint brush bristles from big brushes for tall graa around trees and fence posts and such. For bushes there are bags of lichean at craft stores that loks convinceing enough. And there have been more than one trip to the driveway to get small pieces of gravel for rocks.

QUOTE: Originally posted by renarts Now if I can just figure out what to do with all this dog hair.... Mike

If it's short enough mix it in your mud mixture before you slap it on your next tank to give it some texture.
I got that one from our own Shermanfreak.

Did I get it right Robert.

QUOTE: Originally posted by renarts Ditto on the Woodland scenics. Their static grass is probobly the best for short grass, and comes in a variety of colors, or can be painted with a dry brush technique or airbrushed once set. If you want to do it yourself.... Trees: the roots of woody plants make good trees. The bark and branches are "in scale" and you can get some very cool shapes. If you use a very fine piece with lots of branches you can hit it with spray glue and roll it in any of the leaf products, oregano, chopped tea leaves or any ground up plant material for leaves. (Found another good use for my wifes food processor) Mike

Hussah for the cusinart!

Ditto on the Woodland scenics. Their static grass is probobly the best for short grass, and comes in a variety of colors, or can be painted with a dry brush technique or airbrushed once set.

If you want to do it yourself....

Trees: the roots of woody plants make good trees. The bark and branches are "in scale" and you can get some very cool shapes. If you use a very fine piece with lots of branches you can hit it with spray glue and roll it in any of the leaf products, oregano, chopped tea leaves or any ground up plant material for leaves. (Found another good use for my wifes food processor)

Tall grass: Hemp or cisal rope, frayed, makes good grass. The cisal twine again, good for grass but a differnt thickness. Makes good straw for barnyard scenes. Tedious to make a field, but worth the effort. You can paint it if you don't like the dried gass color.

Bushes: Again the roots, but also cruise the dried flower section of the craft stores. Some of the plants used there, make good shrubs and flowered plants.

Some of the better artificial aquarium plant products have some good potential. The more expensive the better the detail and the more realistic.

Kitty litter makes good gravel and ground material. Split peas and anti skid carpet pads make good cobblestones. Broken drywall makes great rubble. Vanilla wafers, not good for dioramas, but are sure tastey and great with milk.

Once you realize the potential for "at home products" to be used in different applications for dioramas you will never look at anything the same again. Now if I can just figure out what to do with all this dog hair....

Mike

Thanks to all

That's what so great about this forum

I guess I should look int Woodland Scenics

Ruchard

In case you didn't notice....Woodland scenics

Matt's right on with Woodland Scenics. Since you're here in the States, you should be able to find a good supply at your LHS. For dried grass, I just discovered El Viejo Dragon's product available through http://www.milminwh.com. It comes in two dried up balls and you pull clumps off. Use hairsparay to hold it together then attach with white glue. Lookls really good in 1/35. (Go to the diorama thread and look for my Brothers in Arms post for an example).

Woodlandic Scenes makes stuff called Fine Leaf Foliage. I would highly recomend it.

Static grass also makes excellent grass for dioramas if you can find it, right now I am experimenting with sheeps wool dolls hair dyed various hues and cut in varied lenghths. As for shrubs and small trees noothing beats the real thing such as roots, just a matter of finding something that works for you. I usually use store bought herbs for the foliage on these, usally crushing it as needed and using a spray adhesive to attach them. These are just some of the Ideas available to you and I use them a lot due to cost factors also many of these things being inexpensive or even free.

Woodland Scenics do all sorts of stuff like that. It is fairly expensive for what it is here in Oz, but some stuff is quite nice. Model Railway shops have lots of this type of stuff.
Sorry I don't have a link or anything.

Matt