Diorama base

[StephenN]

Hi, I'm Stephen and I've just registered here. I've been making some diorama bases for the scene to be built on top of them. I've gone by the usual method. Get a compacted polystyrene base, surround it with wood, then begin layering the sculptamold on top of it. What I've noticed though, is that as the sculptamold has dried, the sculptamold has started coming away from the side wood and in some cases, I think the base has detached itself as well. Has anyone had that same experience at all? I'd love to be able to sell some of these eventually. Could someone tell me if there is anything I can do to stop the sculptamold pulling itself away from the side? Thank you.

[Mark1]

Hi,haven't done any bases myself yet but I've heard that a coat of pva on the foam helps adherence, I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along shortly with the advice you need.

[scottie3158]

Hi Stephen,
I can't say I have used sculptamold before. I and a few other people tend to mix a bit of PVA in to the mix to help adhesion.

[The Smythe Meister]

Hi Stephen,
That`s a bit of a vague question IMHO... What scenario are you going for?.... What scale?.... and what type of setting... Armour,Planes,Figures?!!
.... Just wondering?.....
... Also,"Hello" to the site from me.

[Tim Marlow]

Sculptamold is a brand of papier mache powder isn’t it? If it is, I use something similar for basing figures, and mix it with water and some PVA. This makes it stick well. I also add powder paint to pre colour the groundwork when I mix it.
I would add it in more than one layer if possible, the thicker the application the more it will shrink.
The other thing I would suggest is making as dry a mix as you can to still have it workable. The less water you add, the less the shrinkage will be.

[Jim R]

Hi Stephen
I think Tim has the best approach. Mix the Sculptamold with a water/PVA mix. Adding powder paint or cheap acrylic (that stuff sold in The Works) will prevent any white spots on the groundwork. Multiple thin layers. Mark's idea of painting the area with PVA before adding the Sculptamold is also worth trying.
Jim

[adt70hk]

Hi Stephen
I think Tim has the best approach. Mix the Sculptamold with a water/PVA mix. Adding powder paint or cheap acrylic (that stuff sold in The Works) will prevent any white spots on the groundwork. Multiple thin layers. Mark's idea of painting the area with PVA before adding the Sculptamold is also worth trying.
Jim

Jim

He does seen to be quite good at this doesn't he, with lots of good ideas? Anyone would think he's been doing this for a while?!?!?! :smiling5:

Andrew

[JR]

Yes agree, I always add PVA to the mix. Just gives it some additional strength.
Your separation Stephen is more than likely the fact that the timber and sculptmold has dried out ,the PVA would have stopped that .

[StephenN]

Sculptamold is a brand of papier mache powder isn’t it? If it is, I use something similar for basing figures, and mix it with water and some PVA. This makes it stick well. I also add powder paint to pre colour the groundwork when I mix it.
I would add it in more than one layer if possible, the thicker the application the more it will shrink.
The other thing I would suggest is making as dry a mix as you can to still have it workable. The less water you add, the less the shrinkage will be.

Hi Tim, thank you for those tips. I will try them out. I can see your logic and I just need to give it a try. I may have to try using less water as that will need to evaporate, but I think everything is trial and error. My brother told me about sculptamold and now I'm ordering loads of the stuff as I've been told it's a standard modelling compound. The joy about modelling is you begin thinking about all sorts of materials.

[StephenN]

Hi Stephen
I think Tim has the best approach. Mix the Sculptamold with a water/PVA mix. Adding powder paint or cheap acrylic (that stuff sold in The Works) will prevent any white spots on the groundwork. Multiple thin layers. Mark's idea of painting the area with PVA before adding the Sculptamold is also worth trying.
Jim

Hi Jim, thanks for that

[StephenN]

Yes agree, I always add PVA to the mix. Just gives it some additional strength.
Your separation Stephen is more than likely the fact that the timber and sculptmold has dried out ,the PVA would have stopped that .

Thanks John for that. Will probably try PVA. Everyone seems to be saying that. Will give it a try.

[Tim Marlow]

Something I forgot to say Stephen. Don’t throw your excess mix away. If you store it in an air tight container it stays workable until you need it again. This means if you do get cracks or shrinkage you can use the spare stuff to patch it up.