Need advice on creating cattails, water reeds, etc ,for diorama

good ideas here thanks folks !, I am not going to have to make too many as the stream portion of the diorama is at one corner just need a few to come through the ice .

For cattails you might try taking small insulated wire and frmoving the insolaion for the stem. the wire sreipers should leave a nice rounded finifh to the heads of the cattail, the a nice flat paint should finish them off

Cattails can be made from an old house painting brush, some white glue and Woodland Scenics "Fine Turf" shredded foam product, (preferably the buff colored) or something similar. Cut off several fibers of the paint brush and stick them in a piece of florist's foam or modeling clay to hold them. Paint the ends with white glue, making sure to leave the tips bare, (just like the real ones) and sprinkle the wet glue with very fine shredded foam. Paint when dry and plant.

spector,

Cattails can be made from a short worm of epoxie putty (the brown thing) and a small sprid of broom straw or evern wire for the shoot.. Reeds could be made from paper though very tedious and time consuming. Do you have Shep Paine's diorama book? If you don't GET it... It is dated but very good...

and thanx 4 the compliments on my ersatz !
yeah, they were getting pretty desperate, no doubt ....
frosty

wouldn't put me out in the least....
in fact, i'd b thrilled at the chance 2 help !
just let me know if u want the article so i can look 4 it, finding it mite b the hardest part (my room is a real mess rite now!) LOL...
frosty

thanks frosty ... but I don't want to put anyone out here ... its not that important, hey that tank you made looks awesome BTW very nice version of the panther , sure sign of a country losing the war huh ... doing crafty stuff like making them look like the enemies machines! Also seems like a good way to die VIA friendly fire !

i have found an article on doing this in a model railroading mag...
it's 4 1/87 scale, but could b adapted 2 just about any scale, i think.
if u like i can make copies & fax or mail 'em 2 u
(sorry, no scanner...)
frosty