Finest Products for Dioramas

[Dulux]

Hi Guys,
First of all I’d like to introduce myself. I’m an airbrush fine artist and self confessed “Normandy
campaign” nut. I find the dioramas that I’ve seen absolutely staggering and wanted to create a scene from the Normandy Bocage. I’ve already made a Panther in 1/35 which I’m about to paint and weather. I wanted to create a scene where the Panther was amongst the Bocage in a field with accompanying troops. With this in mind I wanted to know the best products to buy such as grass, mud effects, foliage etc. Luckily the airbrush side of things should be straightforward as I’ve been airbrushing now for over 10 years.
Thankyou for your comments

[AlanG]

Hi Steven

Thank you for your kind comments on my dio and welcome to the forum. I'm sure the guys and gals are more than willing to answer any questions you may have

[adt70hk]

Welcome Steven.

In the process of doing my first dio myself so can't help much but there are a lot of talented modellers on here who can point you in the right direction.

ATB

Andrew

[Airborne01]

Welcome mate!

[rtfoe]

Hi Steven and welcome.
Always like to help a fellow diorama starter. Here are some tips before you start ordering or look for products.
1. Be aware of scale
2. Try to observe all things around you and you will find some odd stuff that can be used in the dio. The kitchen is a great place to start.
3. If you live in the city then ordering online is the way to go...try diodump.com they have quite a wide range of stuff.
4. If you stay in the suburbs and countryside then you'll save a lot of money scouring for moss, decaying wood chips, roots(good for miniature trees).
5. For groundwork you don't have to use real mud. Most of the effects are textures and painting. Polyfilla mixed with different grades of sand can give you varying textures.
6. White glue helps a lot in fastening the products onto the dio in thick or diluted form as it dries clear.

I hope this is enough to start off...have great fun.

Cheers,
Richard

[Dave Ward]

Steven,
Welcome to the forum! - Just a few random thoughts - don't try to overpopulate your diorama! Think of the actual density of people/vehicles - they didn't park closely, or gather in large groups, for fear a single shell could take them out! Think of the purpose of the diorama, if it's an AA gun, then it'd have a clear field of fire, all round, an ambush - camouflaged.
Diorama bases should be larger than you think! Stability & rigidity! 8mm MDF at least. Draw the layout full size on paper, with paper strips to indicate hedges/roads etc., & move bits around. Don't leave the base flat - bocage country is sunken roads, raised hedgerows. Fields were small, but of a size to actually grow produce, with access by gates big enough to take a horse and cart - not a Sherman! Fighting in trhe bocage was in summer 1944, so the fields, trees & hedges would be lush and green.
Just think of the probability of the layout, is it logical? The materials used are commonly available, railway scenics are a good source for bits, loads of different types of foliage - but don't go over the top it's not a botanical garden! Making figures & vehicles is just a small part of the work on a diorama - fitting them into the scene takes a lot of thought and planning!
Dave

[PaulinKendal]

Hi Steven, welcome. I'm a newbie here too. I joined a year ago, and the advice and encouragement I got from members here made a massive difference for me.

My one piece of advice to you would be to start a thread on your diorama (in the appropriate section, of course) right away.

I was advised to do this, and it meant I got exactly the right help at exactly the right time.

A more general thread (like this one) makes it impossible for others to gauge your abilities, progress, problems and wishes as they relate to your build.

A start would be those paper layout plans already suggested, plus an image or two of the Panther. You'll only get help and encouragement on here, I promise you!

All the best,
Paul.

[Dulux]

Wow! Blown away by the kind help and encouragement! Thankyou Richard, Dave and Paul. I will post periodically

[Dave Ward]

Steven,
between all members of the forum, I reckon we can answer all questions! - or if not, know where to find it! :smiling4:
Seriously, we all have little tit bits of information on our own speciality, and the forum is a great place to pick up do's and dont's, where to source obscure bits etc - I bet you can give a few nuggets on airbrush use! There's a wide range of skill levels from beginners to jaw-dropping - so jump in & mingle!!!
Dave

[JR]

Welcome Steven, nice to see a new member.
Look few'd to you input .

[wasdale32]

5. For groundwork you don't have to use real mud. Most of the effects are textures and painting. Polyfilla mixed with different grades of sand can give you varying textures.
6. White glue helps a lot in fastening the products onto the dio in thick or diluted form as it dries clear.

In regards to using Polyfilla (white plaster) I'd recommend getting some cheap brown or black poster paint or kid's acrylic to tint the plaster before use as it stops white chips showing through.

Remember that white glue (PVA) will usually dry glossy so works great for "wet" scenes but you might need some touching up for a dry scene.

[rtfoe]

When I first started in dios I used to raid the kitchen spice rack for oregano and parsley to use as leaves or scattered autumn leaves. Now ofcourse there are more defined after market ones and stamp cutters for leaves.

Cheers,
Richard.

[rtfoe]

In regards to using Polyfilla (white plaster) I'd recommend getting some cheap brown or black poster paint or kid's acrylic to tint the plaster before use as it stops white chips showing through.

Remember that white glue (PVA) will usually dry glossy so works great for "wet" scenes but you might need some touching up for a dry scene.

Yes, pre-coloring polyfilla helps cover any white showing through.
Diluted white glue basically sinks into the groundwork which still gets painted afterwards to blend with the rest of the surrounding. Even the after market stuff will need painting especially flocking used for grass.

Cheers,
Richard

[Dulux]

So I’m a picture framer by trade and have stock 6mm sheets of MDF. Before I proceed is it a good idea to prep the MDF before I lay the clay?

Regarding the figures are there any specific brands I should be looking for?

[Dave Ward]

So I’m a picture framer by trade and have stock 6mm sheets of MDF. Before I proceed is it a good idea to prep the MDF before I lay the clay?

Regarding the figures are there any specific brands I should be looking for?

I always use moisture resistant MDF, but I always give it a coat of dilute PVA, before doing anything - it may be overkill, but dampness sinking into MDF causes warping & the clay not sticking very well!
What sort of clay are you using? I use DAS air drying clay - applying only thin coats & allowing to really dry in a cool dry place before going onto the next coat, this should prevent cracking when drying. If the base isn't rigid enough, then it will flex & the clay will fall off.................... ( bitter experience ). To minimise use of clay, you can make cores out of thin wood, or plasticard, cut to shape, then the clay applied over the top.
If you're a picture framer, then edging the MDF base with reversed beading should be a doddle - it gives a neat edge ( as you probably already know )

This is the Zvezda 1/350 Knyaz Suvorov the sea was built up in 3 layers, with a couple of days dryng between
Dave