Realistic leaf litter

Modeling Subjects Dioramas
1

I’m in the process of making my first diorama and i need to come up with some sort of realistic leaf litter.
It’s Winter here in Oz at the moment so i gathered some dead leaves that have fallen off Imported European trees and crushed them up but they don’t look realistic.
I have also looked in the supermarkets for herbs and spices but again they don’t look right.
If any one has an idea your help would be appreciated…
Cheers J.S

2

http://www.hometown-hobbies.com
Go to diorama stuff, I know Hudson & Allen have leaves and I believe some of the others do as well.

I don’t know if you have a local distributor for these companies but it’s a start.

3

I’ve used things like tea leaves, oregano and other spices for leaves etc. seem to work fairly well

4

J.S.
Tea leaves work well and some of the herbal types have variations and small “twigs” which can substitute for small branches.

Try a market which has a reasonable supply of herbal / new age places in it.
They usually have tea blends in open containers.

Some of the dried spices work well too. Coriander and parsley are fair approximations of leaves in scale

Winter in Brisbane?.. HAH !
It was minus two here last week.
Cheers, Pete.

5

Thanks for the help guys,i’ll do some experimenting…
Peter7307 yeah mate it’s winter here it’s only getting to about 20 degrees here during the day,the split side is we can get up to 40 during summer(toooo hot!!!)
Cheers J.S

6

I agree with the other guys… Tea Leaves and Dried Parsley make great leaf litter , one other tip if you wish to make the leaves look like fall try drybrushing a little yellow/orange and red paints lightly over the Tea Leaves or Herbs this adds a little of the discolouring that happens in Autumn/Fall.

Cheers
Lori