Good material for simulating dirt/grass?

jeffs i am a model railroader, i use real dirt sifted. for grass i use woodland scenics products

Beat me to the felt! However, another option is to go to a fabric store. Figure guys like using velvet or satin on displays. For my western theme, I use a piece of faux buckskin I picked up as a remnant at the local Joanne's Fabric. At a yard sale, I found a placemat and coasters knit in an Indian like pattern to dress this up further. When I enterred a collection of ACW Texans at the VA Beach Nationals in 2002, they were displayed on grey fabric over styrofoam risers with a fremed Troiani print.

Since you're not setting this up diorama style, you can think beyond regular ground work.

If there's a solid backdrop, artwork, military insignia/medals, trophy plaques/medalions, or a mirror will make your display more interesting.

I don't know what scale you are in but with small scale (1/87, 1/72) felt found at craft/hobby stores makes a nice base and can be had in a variety of colors. Easy to attach, no mess, no breakdown and fairly cheap.

Hi all If your going to display various armour subjects on one shelf why not go for a museum theme. If you want two or even three different levels on one shelf why not make an insert that will sit on the originals using polystyreme for the levels (low weight conciderations) and dress with an appropiate model railway scenic dressing (flocking powder is ok for grass) or my method of choice is to use dry sand stuck on with a water soluble glue painted with a suitable earth colour/s and dry brushed with grass colour.

keep in mind the stress load of the shelves. and the fact that just applying a layer of dirt or celluclay groundwork, will break down over time, and create quite a mess. individual bases would probably work better. but if you dont like that option, the fur idea sounds best to me. actually, coem to tink of it, you could make a simple sheet with the groundwrok on it. you could make it from thin wood, or make it the shelf itself. then use regular groundwrok techniques to complete it. makesure though that you have a good support structure for each shelf. there'll be a bit of added weight with the gorundowrk

Some celluclay mixed with some brown acrylic craft paint ans some kitty litter or rail raod balast will make nice dirt. For grass I use woodland scenics grass, it works great.

QUOTE: Originally posted by tangoromeo Don't use that roll-grass junk! I'd check out a good model RR scenery book at the hobby mart. There are all kinds of methods out there, static grass and fake fur can really do a good job. There's a new a product from Germany I think (Silflor?) I've been meaning to try, from the pix I've seen, it looks like the heat. For bare dirt I like to use a thin layer of Durham's Water Putty with dry DWP sifted onto the top while the first layer is still wet, paint it up and you're GTG.

My LHS has a ton of train stuff, so maybe next time I'm there I'll look for it. Yeah, real dirt makes great dirt...something to think about anyway. What'd be cool is if I could do different contours in the case. It might look a little strange, since I'll have 2 shelves of armor from all over the world in one place and very close to each other...still, might be neat. I'm planning on throwing some figures in for scale...it's hard to get perspective just looking at pieces of armor sitting next to each other.

Oh yeah, and like Shep Paine said, dirt makes really good dirt.

Don't use that roll-grass junk!

I'd check out a good model RR scenery book at the hobby mart. There are all kinds of methods out there, static grass and fake fur can really do a good job. There's a new a product from Germany I think (Silflor?) I've been meaning to try, from the pix I've seen, it looks like the heat.

For bare dirt I like to use a thin layer of Durham's Water Putty with dry DWP sifted onto the top while the first layer is still wet, paint it up and you're GTG.