introduction

Once you have completed a model, the most effective way to display it is on a base, in it's 'natural environment'. Creating a soil like surface can be achieved in different ways, with varying degrees of realism. Modellers who do not have the option of collecting, sifting and 'blasting' real sand, have to look at commercially available (railway)scenic products, which don't always look realistic, or in scale. A solution to this is now offered by new company, Treemendus, who produce a line of tree and scenic materials specifically aimed at scale modelling.

review

This product from Treemendus is designed to re-create a simple, lightly textured, sand base. The product is very fine, and gives an initial impression of a plaster like consistency. It is actually rather dusty when you apply it, so the use of a mask is not a bad idea. Unlike plaster however, it does not dissolve in water/glue, and gives a very fine textured surface. Coloured in a Dark Earth tone, to represent moist, but not wet soil, it can be used straight from the bag, or coloured afterwards to represent drier or wetter ground.

200 grams of the product is packaged in a clear plastic zip lock bag with a simple card board header sealing the top of the bag. The card has the company logo printed on the front, and the product title on the back. The plastic bag, although resealable, is not strong enough to be used for storage, and to avoid spillage, it is advisable to store it in a more sturdy jar.

Using it is simple, just apply some white glue where you want the ground work, sprinkle the product on, and when this has dried, shake off the excess. It is advisable to mist a layer of glue over the finished base, to seal it in. The resulting surface is very realistic straight from the bag, and responds also very well to dry-brushing. I used this to create the ground work on the base for my Boxer MRAV, and together with the Forest Floor scatter from Treemendus, a very realistic effect was achieved, with minimum effort.

Highly recommended.