Closing up on a diorama idea

[geezerman35]

I've been told that this lichen won't hold ny better than the weeds !

[geezerman35]

Here's an update to MY pitiful saga.
Took a couple of my gathered lichens and some fresh picked weeds and cooked a small batch of them according to a model RR link.
I bought a small bottle of Glycerin at CVS for about five and a half bucks and went at it this morning.


When they cooled, I spread them all out on an old tray to dry. Getting them to this stage was akin to trying to completely untangle a platefull of freshly cooked spinach.


I have no idea what to expect whenever they dry ! However, MY lichen looks a lot more promising than the crap I bought off the internet.

[harron68]

Model railroading should have a wealth of info, if u can find it on the web. Maybe You Tube has something. I had the same prob. jeez, over 35 yrs ago with an abandoned Woody turned into a kids meeting house dio. I added a few weed bits and said it was from the Dust Bowl era when everything died! Good luck with this beautiful rendition of rust and rot!

[geezerman35]

Well, my glycerined weeds turned out crap, so I'm still fighting the nature stuff.
I did attach the outhouse corner permanantly to the base, but it needs more blending in.
I have been fighting the creek all along also. Everything I have tried just soaks down into the dirt and sand that I detailed the creek bed with. I can't seem to get it sealed where the water effects will stay.
I have sealed parts of it with Elmers carpenter glue and tried a section with brown acrylic paint. Both of those methods have covered the riverbed effects I had modeled.
I have tried automotive catalized clear and Future floor wax as water but both have been soaking down in.
Model RR sites have touted Future as a good alternative for high priced speciality stuff. One modeler even went so far as to say he thought that Woodland Scenics water effects was just repackaged Future.
I am slowly building up the creek bed with Future and it seems to be sealing itself up and staying longer.

[dogfish7]

No wonder those weeds grow so good! Your Dio is Top Notch Clay!