i'm new to the diorama world and i need some basic advice.

i have a styrofoam base carved out to the shape i need, now i need to know what i cover it with. Some type of plaster? tile grout i heard maybe?

any advice is extremely appreciated

-roy

There's a lot of things you can use. Celluclay is good, plaster cloth and plaster work well for some people. I use a mixture of white glue, water, and soil which has good effects for me. I think it is a matter of trying out a few different methods and finding the one you like most. I would recommend Celluclay. Very easy to use, just add water.

Celluclay is instant paper mache. They carry it at Hobby Lobby if you have one nearby. It is what I use.

Shaun

i used this two step process for a hard shell to cover my styrofoam

first you cover the styrofoam in what is called plaster cloth. Its basically plaster already formed in cheesecloth for easy application. Can be found in any craft store (hobby lobby, even Michaels) for $10 for a roll of 8" by 180". Woodland scenics sells a roll with a fancy name for $5 more

You take this and just cut it into the size you want, drop it in water, then pull it out and stick it tho the styrofoam
one layer should be all you would need. Just be sure to take the residue in whereever you dip the sheets and use that to smooth the edges and overlaps

After this, take your basic plaster of paris mix it however told till it is basicaly gray water, then apply to the entire surface to cover any cracks and give a smooth surface. I would use 2 or 3 coats of the runny plaster to remove any cracks

This provides a cheap but still high quality cover for a base

Celluclay works for me. You'll also want to get something of a firmer base to which you can attach your styrofoam, such as a plaque. The styrofoam is not sturdy enough for handling and bearing weight.

Hey there i have come up with a technique that works well for me. I use drywall compound or spackle (the stuff you use to cover holes in walls, u can pick it up at any home improvement store near the sheetrock section)

Okay so i spread the sheetrock compound over my base with a knife or spatula. This stuff is really gooey and sticks to your fingers etc so what i do is sift some dirt from my backyard, remeber sift dry dirt, and keep the consistency finer than sand.

So i have the dirt in a bowl and i sprinkle it over my wet spackle, the dirt allows a non-stick barrier between the wet spackle and my fingers. Now i shape the terrain and if some spackle shows through just sprinkle more dirt ontop. Whats cool about this is that you can take the tires or tracks from vehicles or boots from figures and press in that detail into the groundwork without getting your figure dirty. Also when it dries it gives a nice realistic surface for dirt.

Sometimes with spackle you may make a really thick layer and when it dries it contracts and sometimes forms cracks. U may respackle and dust with dirt in a thin layer to cover it, or u can just take some 50/50 water and white glue and add dirt over the cracks. Generally you should seal down the dirt with the 50/50 glue by spraying it over your base after it is dry. After that you may start painting and drybrushing your groundwork.

TIP: Sheetrock compound is dilutable by water so when your groundwork is dry and there is excess or jagged highspots you may take a damp rag and rub it off gently.

Hope this helps,
Ian

thanks for all the help to a begineer guys

-roy

I use wall putty over styrofoam. I think its similar or exactly the same as what Sticky mentioned in the previous post. The only difference is that I apply the dirt once the putty is dry using diluted PVA. See effect below -- Wall Putty, real earth and glue



Hope we were able to help...

Cheers