I was wondering if you guys could brainstorm with me a little.

I would like to pull of a diorama that has the effect of a explosion from, say an IED, going on. I was thinking fishing line could make debris look airborne but what about dust clouds and the like?

Lets brainstorm and get something rolling here guys!

This was my first thought

Dash for Cover

Other ideas are to go with Pollyfill from a craft store, it 'puffs' out nicely. I would paint it with Tamiya dark yellow in the middle and progress to a buff color on the outside.

Also, take example from ship builders who do splashes and missle shots from the water. Use a resin base and expand off that.

I'm back - fishing line may be to flexible, but clear styrene rods would be suitable.
You can also use a rod down a stream of polly fill that holds a piece of debris

if you can find a copy Stan Catchpool s THE COMPLETE MODELLING WORKSHOP. he details with sketches and text how to model explosions and just about anything else you can think of to put in a diorama. a must have book for the diorama builder.

There are a couple copies on amazon.com for 19 bucks

I really wouldn't suggest trying to simulate something dynamic, like an explosion, which is, after all, mostly hot, expanding gas. It's impossible to create anything translucent without using some really exotic material, like NASA Aerogel (used to trap cosmic dust particles in asteroid probes, and not something you're likely to find at the local art supply store). Even attempts to create a lazy curl of smoke from a camp fire usually just look like teased out cotton fibers from an old cotton ball (which is what they generally are).
The diorama in the link above was a noble effort, but it features an explosion that looks for all the world like a giant alien fungus growing out of the diorama. Take a look at one frame of a video of an IED explosion, and you basically just see an orange and black blur. How exactly does one model "blur"?
The only marginally convincing explosions I've ever seen modeled were explosions in the ocean in small scale warship dioramas. These were basically just white, fluffy ovals.

Gday Chris
I reckon Gerald is pretty right in what he is saying... I think the best way of going about it is to create the illusion of an explosion that has happened... ie. An explosion near a building could feature a wall or roof to be in a state of collapse, with debris suspended to a degree... Same with a tree uprooted etc. Of course this is more difficult to convey with a IED on a road for example... Trying to recreate any stage of the explosion that has the actual 'flash' and gaseous content is like pushing $h1t uphill... But the stages just after are a possibility... you will need to show it's effect on the surroundings...
Cheers
Brad

I completely agree w/Gerald & Brad. Most times when fire, smoke or explosions are modelled, they never manage to trick our brains.

Here's an example: do you know the difference between the old clay animanted movies (e.g. "Jason and the Argonauts" by Ray Harryhausen) and current CGI special effects? It's the fact that modern CGI software inserts a "blur" into the animation -- this blur is registered by our brains and expected. The former Harryhausen images moved but were "unnatural" to our eyes because of the lack of "blur".

Same thing with capturing fire/smoke/explosions -- our brains won't be tricked.

I think the poster's suggestion of modelling the immediate aftermath of an explosion might be carried out well. Good luck to you

I was staring at my fly tying desk the other day and the gears started turning on this subject when I realized how much acrylic fly tying dubbing looks like smoke. It can be purchased in huge array of colors and densities from "normal" which is rough the consistency of a cotton ball to ultra fine. I will post pics of some when I get home, but it might be worth taking a look at if you have a fly shop near you.

Cheers
Branden