Just because I haven't been doing doesn't mean I haven't been thinking.

There is some floral wire that comes wrapped in a green tape. Do you think I can use it as the frond stem, then white glue green construction paper fronds to it? What is the best way to make paper fronds that look real? Hmmm... time for some 'sperimentin', I think...

amazing diorama!! very cool; reminds me of some pictures in a book called "Pacific Legacy;" I got it from Military Book Club some time ago; all kinds of pics of rusting hardware, etc. and even 2 skeletons of Japanese soldiers unearthed on one of the islands; your dio reflects the reality of what is still being uncovered in the Pacific as well as Europe and Russia

Looking really good, for the grass, if you want to bolster it a bit, get some cheap household paint brushes with light bristles and cut the grass from them, it is a bit thicker so stands upright better, I used that and some of the stuff you are using as well in my Afghan scrap yard diorama on here, it allows you to fill areas, spread it better so it doesnt look too clumped and also blend in with the grass giving it texture and a subtle change of colour. when you glue it down push gently into the middle as it dries to spread it open if that makes sense so your clumps overlap and appear as one area, you can always add more, I also varied the lengths and then cut the bottom end i was glueing down level, so the clumps look more natural with varied lengths.

LOL, listen at me on only my second Diorama and first with long grasses LOL

Can you give me an ISBN number and I will try to find the publication!

Thanks for the nice words. It is my first real dio and my first with armor, rust, grass... well, just about all of it is a first! LOL!

Great idea with the brushes! I will check that out! Home improvement centers have lots of the inexpensive brushes...

Thanks and yes, I would consider you an expert! You are one completed diorama ahead of me!

great work !!!

I have achieved ficus leafdom!

Palm trees at last! What do you think?

All comments are welcome!

Looking good !

Kurt

I really like it! You've done well to capture the look of long-abandoned rusting steel.

Gaz

Beauty job on the Arecales cocos nucifera .

Nicely done Patrick !!!

Nice to see you back at it after the long long move.
The dio is coming along nicely I see. The palm trunks look good. In my eye,you could use more yellow at the ends of the leaves maybe? And more bend to them as well,so the ends dip down more. Plus.the real trees usually have some older/dead leaves under the green top leaves. But that's me,the nit picker,picking nits.
No one else would probably notice,so. You could just forget what I said,LoL
J

Well this is the first try, Jerry, and I appreciate your comments. Don't know how to get "dead" fronds... understand about the yellow on the tips.

I will post some pics when I get home but that really nice look goes away in a few hours as the leaves dry out. You will what I mean... it is not a bad effect but it isn't the ideal either.

The trunks are not permanently attached to the base so they can be relocated or the ground around can still be worked.

I am still in the process of moving. I have a 10'x 30' storage space where most of my model and craft supplies reside. The last three weeks have been 6- 10 or 12 hour days a week. And I teach a prehospital trauma life support class every other month but provide EMT services to the junior rodeo association and the dressage society who do everything in the summer. And it has been over 90 degrees all week even up at our elevation (4000 K+). Not very conducive to doing much outdoors...

But thanks for the tips and I will post some other pics tonight to show you how the "fronds" are curling in just 12-24 hours.

Day 2 of the palm tree experiment.

In the photos below, you will see the newest trees on the left and trees after 24 hours on the right. Notice the marked curling of the "fronds" on the trees on the right.

Does this bother anyone? At first, I was really annoyed but then, I thought it gave a bit more realistic feeling.

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

Doesn't bother me. In fact,exactly the opposite. I think it is way more authentic with the curls.
J

Patrick,
Firstly the dio looks fantastic with the palms in place, so my comments will address the "curling" you mention. In my experience natural materials aren't the best for dioramas as over time as they first curl, fade and then dry up to the point they become brittle and eventually crumble. I suspect since you live in an arid part of the country with low humidity, this effect may be accelerated. In my model railroad days, I've seen folks delay this drying by dissolving fine mineral oil in boiling water and then letting the natural material soak in the water a few hours, then drying it on paper towels for a few days. It won't completely cure the drying of the material, but it does delay it by years rather than months. I don't make a lot of palms, but when I do I like to use paper leaves or the old Verlinden metal leaves just because of the drying effect. I've seen the mineral oil method work with lichens, air ferns, and other natural materials. You might give it a try with your next batch of ficus.
VR Russ

Thank you both for the replies.

I will keep the mineral oil trick in mind next time, Russ. Eventually, I may replace them with paper. Don't think I can foot the bill for photo-etch leaves...

I need to bite my tongue and get to work on the figures, the ground cover and the "dig pile" from the skeleton. I would really like to have this as an entry in November contest in Palmdale, CA.

Patrick-- I don't know if Verlinden even makes those palm leaves anymore-- I picked up several sets for a bargain at a show a few years ago-- there are really only enough on the fret for 1or 2 trees anyway, and I'm not sure they look any better. Really paper is the best bet, and cheap too! I use a ficus shaped piece of paper folded in half over a wire with Elmer's on it. Green paper works best, but I paint it anyway-- by folding them in half and making the cuts, you can cut the work in half (pun intended). Paper too will deteriorate over time, but we're talking decades here.
VR Russ

Hi Patrick,
Been following on the quiet, you are doing an awesome job looking forward to its completion.

Cheers

Chris

I found this lone leaf lying under my keyboard. I think I have the solution!

Some guys showed up at Runamoc Atoll...

Is this better? Unpainted on the right, and obviously painted on the left...


And the whole thing with painted trees...


Your comments are always welcome!

I really am diggin the palms Patrick , lookin great .
However I also agree with the mineral oil cut with water and even better linseed oil .

The whole scene is coming together beautifully man , great work !!!

Thanks, Cheyenne! Had a great talk with David at Last Cavalry yesterday and will be ordering some items from him in the way of ground cover.

As far as the mineral oil/linseed etc., I was following a tutorial here from another guy on palm trees and he didn't mention anything about it, so it will be considered a lesson learned! If I ever do palm trees again, I will know what to do! You are a great group of mentors!

Figures are a pain. But this is my first attempt... how you guys do it so well is amazing. I know that it is the same way as getting to Carnegie Hall but...

Look forward to seeing your work progress.

I think everything is looking very good. The palm leaves included. Figures are indeed a challenge but like all things once you strip away the mystery you will find not at all daunting to work on them.
J