hey buddies, jsut wondering, ia mthinking of many ideas for upcomign projects btu before starting, i want to make sur on how il build the ground work....

iam wodnering ,besides static grass, can anyone give me soemthing else that is cheap for grass?

Thanks, frank

I've never used it but I understand that you can cut the bristles of a broom and use them for grass. There are all sorts of things you can use in modeling, the trick is to always be looking for things. Items sold as "modeling" items are always much more than similar things sold in the regular store. If they have stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby up in Canada leave the model section and wander around where they have the stuff for decorative flowers, floral arranging, like that. Those stores down in the states are gold mines for products that can be used, cheaply, in dioramas.

so wait, if i get this right...could i simply cut a whole bunch of bristles, put a water/white glue mixter to my base, put the bristle o nthe glue, let dry. and after use and airbrush to piant them?

Frank

Depends. If you are trying to do tall grass you have to ptick it into the ground so that it stands on end. You have to coordinate the plaster/celluclay or whatever you use to make your ground, so that you can stick the bristles in while wet.

IF you like corn on the cob, you can an excellents source of Model grade grass. That's right if you buy corn with the leaves still arround it at the Market all those little hair make great grass and there was even a forum run on using it here on the BigA. It's even precolored for late summer or fall. It can also be paint if you wish HTH STUG

Old paint brush bristles make decent grass, also
go to the dollar store, or craft shop, I pick up cheap ass china bristle brushes for less than a dollar for three brushes. You get a lot of longer grass from one brush.
Cut to various lengths, and stuck into small holes drilled into you ground work, they can be colored with felt tip pens, or something simular.
Also twine, untwist it, and do the same thing,
Get yourself a toy kids wig, fake hair on it will give you a life time of longer grass, also fine saw dust, but for the look of shorter grass standing up, you can't beat static grass.
I use any kind but try to stay away from the GREEN stuff, try using a winter, or spring coloring, and yep, just like paint, you can mix them to to get a better looking grass color.
I also paint my static grass (as per good old Shepard). Try some herbs alos, they can represent leaves etc.

Being cheap (fruggle) is fun, I'd rather try making stuff (fancy word for that is the all intimidating "scratcbuilding" word) than buy it.

Gook luck, and have fun finding what works for you, and what doesn't work for you.

hey dave, you gave me a great idea, well, il see if its so great once i try it! il try stealing my moms coocking herbs, they stay a nice grean so i dont have to paint them nothing

Frank

Just remember that too bright a green looks unnatural, and toy like in 1/35 scale.

If you use herbs, you have to spray a matte cover over them, or they will turn brown.

Sealhead

again the best and cheapest way to make grass is to buy a wig,halloween,costume stores or ask dept stores to sell you their old ones.cut in the lengths you need and your done.blonde wigs look like dried grass and other colors can be airbrushed.

go to deals to get the paint brush

you sure the cooking herbs wil turn brown, i checked my moms herbs and tried to find desent one( hard to do) but i dont get why thell turn brown, if i leave them o nthe counter they will stay green so what would it change on a dio?

Frank

Francois,

The guys are right, herbs will turn brown upon prolonged exposure to air. If you are using it as tree leaves it will give it a nice mottled leaf appearance if you drybrush some it back to green. Dill is the herb closest to resembling grass if you want to use herbs.

Grumpyoldman and the guys have covered most of it. Tea leaves is another cheap option. Buy the cheapest tea bags you can get, the chinese green tea is the best. Hop down to Chinatown or your local Asian store you should be able to get some. The cheaper tea bags are good because they are uneven sized when dry and contain tiny twigs that can be use to simulate dried twigs and leaves. Dry and paint to desired color.

Coconut fibre used in "Welcome" mats is another option or hemp as mentioned by the guys. The grass I used in my swamp dio (in my pic gallery) were from brush of camel hair used for varnishing wood.