Diorama Materials

[Zev]

Hi all,

I recently got back to the painting and making dioramas after a very long hiatus, I always loved to build interesting dioramas but was always a little hesitant and would keep them very simple, now I want to jump right in and build something more complicated, my problem is that I am not sure of materials to use. I have been playing a little extruded polystyrene, I have been doing flagstone and then priming and painting or hills and covering it with Vallejo pumice. I also been sculpting a little with milliput and sculpey but I am wondering if there are other materials that I can use.

For example I am thinking of making a broken column with many cracks and I don't love the look of the XPS in that instance and I tired of covering it with milliput but I am too slow and didn't work so now I am thinking going with scupey but don't know if it will be difficult to bake... I mostly do in 75mm scale.

Thaks.

 

[Dexter0015]

Hi,
Welcome back to the hobby.

Ah basing... it's a subject on it's own...

I think you have some good base materials.
You can add cork to it as it is pretty easy to work with and can be use for amy purpose.

And bark too to simulate rocks

I recall seeing a video about a guy creating miniature column out of plaster of paris, using cardboard as mold (the cardboard with a waved side) but I can't find the link to it (sorry).
Or you can create smoth column and sculpt grooves once dry.

 

[Zev]

Thanks Dexter.

 

[bullfrog]

It’s obviously not do it yourself but Figone sell a few broken column pieces from various manufacturers. If you are thinking of making several dioramas then consider getting silicone molds and a big bag of plaster. Woodland Scenics do a wide variety of rocks, boulders and rock faces. Meant mainly for model railway scenery but scale means nothing in this case. J’s work does dozens of molds too. They are good for bricks, cobblestones, concrete paving, curbs, rocks and roofing tiles among others. Many military and railway diorama online shops stock these.
Woodland scenics, Noch, Polak and Mininatur have assorted bags of vegetation supplies. DioDump is a good site for cheaper supplies. Also can’t go past Green Stuff World for pattern rollers, leaf punches and Sculpy tools.

On a side note, Hera Models do a great set of detailed resin skulls in 75mm and larger. I couldn’t find larger skulls for ages. Good for display plinths too.

When it comes to do it yourself stuff just search up Luke Towan and LukesAPS on you tube. They have many tutorials that are easy to understand and replicate on scenery making. Luke’s APS has tutes on how to make your own supplies cheaply. He also has his own web store that sells cheap bags of flock etc. worth checking out if you haven’t already done so. Honourguard’s patreon site has good diorama tutorials if you don’t mind paying for them.

 

[Dragonsreach]

There’s a metric fudge tonne of material suppliers out there, Ainsty Castings have a huge catalogue of pillars flagstone floors etc.

Do a google search on Model scenic materials, but don’t forget to look around in the real world. Dried soil is excellent as are dried twigs, weed roots and plant roots like dead thyme, excellent for trees bushes etc.

 

[Zev]

Thank you so much for the info, this will help a ton!

 

[Werepanda]

Not sure where you're located but art & craft places like Michaels sometimes have a wedding cake decoration section which usually have various columns. You could make a mold from them and then pour plaster. They also have the mold making supplies.