Scenic Experimentation

Whilst packing the 009 layout into it's box the other day I reflected on the production of grass areas and wondered if some of the learning from the project could be used towards a technique that did not use hanging basket liner (shock horror!). 

I decided to carry out an experiment using a diorama base that I had started some time ago with the intention of displaying a Black Dog mine tub on it. A change of heart saw it abandoned and I removed the polystyrene layer (itself an experiment) from the MDF base, although I did then use it in experimentation for the layout. 

Cleaned up and with the carved polystyrene stuck to mounting card I re-purposed it as a test piece.

The layers of scenery added are:

• Paint/plaster/PVA mix with a mix of brown scatters over the top.
• Patches of the Javis autumn grass mat
• Green Scene meadow grass, torn into patches, trimmed and sprayed with hairspray then ground foam sprinkled over - then glued into place
• Silfor grass tufts in two shades
• Mossy areas made using ground foam

The next step will be to dry brush the Silfor tufts and use weathering powders to add extra tones to the ground colour, rail sides and trackbed.

Colin