New to Dioramas

QUOTE: Originally posted by glen68 Also, I see alot of dio's mounted on a stained piece of wood. What is say the dirt on this wood. (Stained Grout, foam, railroad supplies, etc)

The wood is usually a plaque. You can buy these at craft stores (like Michaels or even Walmart)
Some people use picture frames too.

There are a few ways of making dirt. On of them is to use a product called celluclay (available at craft stores and maybe even you hobbyshop). Celluclay is basically shredded paper mache that you mix with water and then apply.
If you use celluclay
1. mix the celluclay with some water (folow directions on label)
2. mix in some cheap brown acrylic craft paint paint (available at craft stores)
3. then apply to the base.
4. let dry overnight

2nd Way of Making Dirt
This is a pretty cheap way of making your dirt.
get some dirt out of your yard and sift out all of the larger things (rocks, big dirt clumps etc) untill you have fine grade dirt.
then put the dirt on some alluminum foil, put it on a cookie sheet and stick it in the oven.
bake it at 200 degress for about 45 minutes.
then you'll have all the dirt you need.
to apply mix some white glue (like elmers) with water 50% to 50% (50/50) and mix the dirt in with it, then apply to the base.

next way is to go to the craft store and get some moss. There was a post about it a couple pages back. It is simply tree moss, its got your dirt and grass all in one and only requires glue to put it on.
good luck with you dio. Browse around the forums and you'll find what you need. But if you still have a question or two, just post!

Here's a tip for bases...

If you want a small base like 10"X8" or something like that, try a picture frame or, the dollar stores around here have the frames for certificates that work nicely. Also craft stores sell the round routed wood plaques.

On the picture frames you can have 1/4" plywood cut to the dims of the inside of the frame. And on that plywood you could build the dio.

As far as ground work I use mainly stuff from the train section. But for every modeler there is a different technique. These are just some of the basic things I started with when I first started doing Dio's.

Good luck. And Welcome.

There are numerous ways to work up a street base as drucifer mentioned...the easiest way to start is to find a base from a manufacturer that suits your needs and then go ahead and work on painting it until it suits you. These bases are generally castings and can be made from plaster, resin, or foam. Each material requires a slightly different painting technique but they are all very simple to work with. If you want something really unique you can always make a form in the shape you want, then pour an inch or two of plaster of paris in the form. Once the plaster hardens just grab a knife or other sharp tool and start carving in whatever street texture you'd like. It's more labor but you can make something which suits your needs exactly. Don't be afraid to try it, experimenting is half the fun!

I have to agree that there's a risk of biting off more than you can chew, but I have to add also that my first venture after a five-year (or so) hiatus was a diorama...and I haven't slowed down since

Still, I feel inclined to think that it would be safer to start off small.

There are lots of ways to do a street--there are production items available, or you can carve something, sculpt something...

Also, it might help to do a search of the forums, to see what's been said before on the subject. I've done that a few times--the great thing about using the search is, the information is already there, no waiting for replies!

Good luck and welcome back to modeling!

Thank for the advice. I am however still determined to try it. I do not get discuraged easily and the fun for me is attempting new things. I know it will come out looking like nothing I have seen here but it will be fun never the less. So, talking ground cover, when I see a street sceen here or in the mag. Are hese just kits painted or are they carved from foam? Any advice would be great. Also, I see alot of dio's mounted on a stained piece of wood. What is say the dirt on this wood. (Stained Grout, foam, railroad supplies, etc)

Thanks,

Glen

To a point I agree with Sasd. The danger is if you try something too complicated it may go wrong and thus kill your new found enthusiasm. Having said that, as long as you temper your enthusiasm wth a reality/ability check and choose a subject that allows you to refine and develop your skills whilst still giving you a sense of accomplishment.

You will find plenty of helpful tips advice on this subject in this forum, whilst for materials etc. I have always found model railway stores very good.

I agree with Sasd. I'm newly back into the hobby about 2 years ago. I'm just doing my first dio now. Experiment and have fun. Your first project ain't gonna be a masterpiece, but you need to put out a few pigs before you learn.

Not to dampen your enthusiasm but just coming back to the hobby after a long layover
you may want to go a little slower on your first build,to jump into something that is fairly involved may deter that enthusiasm. Go slow and build something simple,work your way up to that idea that you have. Check out all the previous threads for info,study the pics and ask questions.