I’ll guide you through the process of taking a small piece of foam and turning it into your next masterpiece. Even a small diorama that can fit in the palm of your hand can be full of detail and intrigue.

In this tutorial I’ll take you on a journey and show you some interesting techniques for getting great results when it comes to adding detail to very small areas, especially on a small diorama.

The techniques used here can easily be applied to all manners of modeling whether you specifically model dioramas or maybe you model war gaming terrain and for all those who build model railways that are HO scale, OO scale or even N scale and O scale then this video will be a good reference for your modeling should you decide to add some of these small intricate details.

*Materials List*

- BASE -

Glass dome display case – Most home depot stores have them otherwise eBay/Amazon

KNAUF Foam insulation board – Bunnings Warehouse (Australia)

Amaco Sculptamold

Jo Sonja’s Fawn

Jo Sonja’s Burnt Umber

Vallejo Black

Rustoleum Flat Black

- SCENERY –

Dirt Texture – 50/50 mix of a light colored dirt that has been sifted through a stocking and a lighter colored grout (Davco Tumbleweed was the color used).

Dirt Mound – Sifted dirt however it has not been mixed with grout, just used the natural color which is much darker and it has been sifted to provide two different grades (Fine - sifted through a strainer & Ultra fine – sifted through a stocking).

Static Grass – Mininature, 4-5mm Late Fall, 2mm Late Fall & 2mm Early Fall.

Leaves – Real dried leaves put into a blended and then sifted through a strainer to remove unwanted larger pieces.

Path – Weathered with Yellow Ochre Pastel

- TREE -

Salt Bush – A natural plant that grows mostly in desert areas. Sage Brush can be used as a good substitute or any other natural plant that has good definition in the trunk.

- DETAILS -

Tomb Stone:

         Made using the Anet A8 3D printer and a free design program called http://www.TinkerCad.com

Chain Barrier:

0.8mm (size of each individual link) Jewelry Necklace

Ferric Chloride – Used to weather and darken the necklace

Basswood – 0.0416 x 0.0416 inches, Midwest Products

India Ink – Used to weather posts

32 gauge jewelry wire – Used to create small loops at top of post

Ladder:

Basswood – 0.0208 x 0.0416 (Uprights) & 0.0208 x 0.0208 (Cross Steps) Midwest Products

Vallejo Light Mud – Main color of ladder

Vallejo English Uniform – Color used to weather the ladder

Super Glue used to assemble ladder

Wheel Barrow:

From the Bachmann HO scale construction workers package

Man Digging:

From the Preiser track workers package

Man in grave:

A figure from a cheap bulk pack of figures ordered from eBay (China) – Repainted to look much better

Open Grave:

Assembled with pieces of strip wood ‘North East Scale

Lumber Co.’ HO scale 2” x 4” Weathered with India Ink diluted in water

- TOOLS -

Home made Static Grass Applicator –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gYmeRaaaL8&index=7&list=PLA1bRusvoCbTCjYz5MnvnxWyhV5ckRD5q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5o2l5EaeNE&index=6&list=PLA1bRusvoCbTCjYz5MnvnxWyhV5ckRD5q

Home made Hot Wire Foam Cutter –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GWzHb4Hd8Y&index=1&list=PLA1bRusvoCbTCjYz5MnvnxWyhV5ckRD5q

Anet A8 3D Printer

MicroMark Chop-It

Iwata Revolution Airbrush

Tweezers

Pin Vice

Sand paper – Various grades

Paint Brushes – Various types

Jewelers Files

- GLUES -

Mod Podge Matte

Isopropyl Alcohol

Helmars Super Tac Glue

Selleys Super Glue – With brush

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