High Grass and Weeds for 1/24, 25 Scale?

Modeling Subjects Dioramas
1

Hello All,

Many times I go to the scale railroading world for landscaping needs for a diorama project. However, many times I see great stuff available but the scale is way off. I am going to be building a 1/25 scale diorama that requires high grass and weeds. I have some material but its just grass that stands straight up (Doesn’t look good at all).

So can any recommend a teqnique or product that would help me emulate the following (Weeds at base of truck and tall grass everywhere) ??

Trucks at 18 and 40 seconds in this vid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8udbFIFfznE

2

A buddy of mine, an armor modeler, made a wheat field base using sisal rope strands. He drilled random closely spaced holes in his base and glued lengths of rope strands into the holes. The appearance was of a field which had been topped - maybe not what you are interested in

I have seen Jef Verswyfel of Squadron use deer hair in a similar manner. Better looking than the rope as the tips are pointed and the color varies through th length. Check your hunting buddies or a fly tying shop. Can be dyed with household dye to vary the color, but natural looks good as dead grass

3

It appears that my original reply got lost in yesterday’s outage, so I’ll post again…

I have “Mexican” Deer Grass that I cut in 3-4" lengths to use as tall grass in a 1/35th armor dio I’m building. It’s light tan/yellow in color and has very fine fronds. I haven’t tried to dye or paint it, 'cause it’s perfect for my use.

I’m between cameras so I can’t post a picture, but if you’re interested PM me your address and I’ll send you a bag of it.

4

Yeah mine is gone too.

It said something something yada yada static grass.

Got mine from scenic Express. Cheap applicator from micro mark.

Have fun.

T e d

5

Crap! My reply was lost, too.

I use sisal twine, too. I recycle the twine I use in my garden to tie up bushes and other plants. It’s exposed to the elements all year, and I replace it in the spring. It weathers nicely into various shades of gray and brown. I cut this into pieces of random length, and then stick it in holes in the base, secured with white glue. It takes paint or dye pretty well.

6

That’s a great idea…thanks for sharing that

7

Cheap natural fiber paint brush might be helpful.

Hit up the craft stores, especially in the dollhouse sections.

8

Hi;

I have seen a lot of natural stuff that would work. Milkweed would work superbly!

9

One of the guys in our club used cheap 3"-wide brushes, bought in packs at Harbor Freight.

He removed the metal ferrules, and then removed the bristles, which were glued onto a piece of fabric of some kind.

Once cut, he used them to make a thatched roof, laying the bristles out like a course, until he had the roof covered.

The “string” of bristles can be cut into small, irregular pieces, too, and stuck into the groundwork.

10

I’m with Capt on this one. In several scenes I’ve created, I used old, worn out horse hair paint brush bristles for reeds or tall grasses.