Realistic grass for your models
The blade-like texture of grass and weeds is one of the most difficult effects to re-create on a diorama or model railroad.
But a little felt will produce grass that appears to grow out of the soil.
You can buy felt at a fabric store in 9-by-12-inch squares or by the yard in 6-foot widths. Use dark green, or buy beige felt and paint it with green ink (from an art supply store). The beige felt can also be used to simulate dried grass for winter scenes.
Use scissors to cut the felt to fit your project. Use plaster, papier-mùché or insulation board (like Styrofoam) to create the shapes for the hills you will cover with grass. Apply a thick coat of water-based contact cement and press the felt into the still-wet cement. Let it dry. Wash your hands and the brush.
Now the fun part: Get dirty! Sift some real soil through a door screen to remove debris and larger stones, then pour it through a fine-mesh tea strainer. Shake the strainer to distribute the soil onto the felt. Try to cover about three-fourths of the felt.
Use a wire bristle brush such as a pet brush to stroke the felt so loose strands fluff up.
Sift on more soil as needed. You want the individual fibers of teased-up felt protruding through the soil, just like real grass. Trim excess with scissors.
When youâre satisfied with the scene, spray the area with a mixture of five parts water to one part Artistâs Matte Medium (available at art supply stores). Add a drop of detergent to the mixture to help soften the fluid so it doesnât puddle as easily.
Youâll need to spray on enough of the mixture so the entire area has a white cast. It will turn the soil and felt a darker shade. Let it dry for about a week, and the original colors will return.
Thank you. Perfect for my desert nativity scene!
Looks great – I will try it! Thanks for posting.
super fun
its really awsome
cool next step make a model
thank you so much for putting this on
it looks cool i want to try it
cool
Wow! I almost thought it was real grass at first!
I like that tank, too. We used ground parsley for grass on our diorama.
I bet it will make my boy scout train look good!
great for my my world war 2 models!
ya i luv it, and i otta try that! i like 2 make ww3 models. đ and i use barbies for civilian causlties. lol.
Looks good for model trains I love trains. đ
Awesome! Used it for one of my projects. (got an A+) đ
this is perfect for my town for my train set
that is really neat u could use it alot
i love the texture and coler.if i had a bet between this and and grass blades on how reilistic it is, i would put my money on this.
awsome it would really help me put together a scene of d-day! thank u!
awesome!!! can’t wait to try and make a scene for my 1:72 sherman tank!!
I want to use it because I’m macking a WW2 model
Cool.
love the idea!
Excellent article. Simple to do. Cheap to do. And easy to do. Thanks.
i made it and i like it really looks life like toy
it looks so cool i want to make it
COOL but my mom wont let me do it[!?]
Useful for my wargaming!
Do you have to use felt? Can you substitute it?
wow thank you soooooo much this will help alot on me and my science partners african savanah project ill probably use more sand for the land scapeing though any idea how to place realistic trees?? anybody comment back for this ??
perfect for my warhammer 40k models
HOW DO U MAKE MODELS
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
awsome!!
if you are reading this TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i should try it
i us it all the time like my civil war and world war II modle.It makes it look so realistik and life like.Also I hope this is annoying you.So I will contin you.I like it.
Wow, amazing
awsome!
IT IS REALY COOL.IT ADDS SO LIFE LIKE.
My Hummvee model iz broke. It was cool while it lasted.
looks cool
use a glue stick to get dirt on
P.S. Use a spray can to spray it on.
Now I want to make a model!
it sounds fun and ezey
i don’t know why i don’t do it
thats cool but how do you spray on the mixture(i dont have an airbrush)
SO SWEEEEEEET!!!!!!!! I should try this at home!!!
Good for Civil War battle scenes. Cool!
wow this is a great idea for my warhammer models i collect
way awsome you can use this for an airport!!!!
sweet ill try it
wow cool