Quilt Batting for Groundcover Base

[grove den]

Finaly I could start with the "how to"...
I don't have much pictures about the proces of covering this diorama. But I'll try to write it down as correct as possible.
chapter one:

The shopping list:
I used these kind of grassfibres/flock:
0,5- 1mm grass flock , light and dark brown( Mininatur/Silflor
2mm grass flock: kind of “straw”/”dried”/beige gras colour( MiniNatur/Silflor , Model scene or NOCH
4mm grass-flock 4,5 mm - Late Summer  ( Model scene)
4mm grass-flock  beige  ( Model scene, MiniNatur/Silflor or NOCH)
6,5mm grass- flock beige and “late summer” ( Model scene )
12 mm grass -flock : straw ( NOCH  )
a pipette or a eyedropper.
White glue and Bookbindingglue to attach the fibres ,small roots etc etc.
Some acryl paint: I mostly use just 3 colours: black, buff and ocre and mix them in the right colour
a static grass applicator-35kV to add the grass/flock on  the surface  Also:
 Fine turf  from Woodland scenics: earth , burnt, and yellow grass.( kitchensieve)
Some – dry and prepared- small roots and twigs from Buxus sempervirens and a little bit of fine Sand.( garden(s)  )and sieved gravel

I started with:
Covering the rough surface of the complete diorama with a layer of real eart/dust, some sand and very small little sieved gravel. Glued with (deluted) whiteglue in which I added some darkbrownblackish acrylpaint.
I try to avoid a flat smooth surface! Just like  nature( well mostly ….)
Let it dry overnight.
To glue the flock/fibres I use- approx.- a mix of 1/3 white glue and 2/3 bookbindingglue (it makes the glue not so “shiny”/glossy as if using  only whiteglue.)
The whole trick is not to glue large areas but small tiny spotts / dots of glue.

To accomplish this I use :

A rough course sponge or even better:  a piece of a fish tank filter sponge. This kind of filter sponge has wider “holes” comparing to a normal sponge. With this piece of filtersponge you can splash/generate   irregular many/tiny small dots of the mixed glue .

 I just dip the sponge in a small flat container filled with the mixed glue and squeeze it a little bit before the next movements:  just keep the piece of sponge or filter gently between your fingers and “throw” the sponge- (still keep it between your fingertips!) -with glue with a fast quick movement over the place you want the dots/spots of glue. It needs some exercise to get the best results….( à la Jackson Pollock)

A long hair brush can be used too to splashe /dabble the glue  irregular on the surface of the diorama.
 It – also-needs some excersise to get the right results!   
Keep the static grass applic. ready for use when you add the glue.
Btw: cover only max 30 x30 cm( =one foot x one foot)  at a time.
Add the groundpine of the applic. and hold it just an inch above the surface with the small dots of glue.
On the picture - in the front-you can see clearly the small “dots”with the fibers in/on it. Also the sand and sieved gravel between the grassfibres.
I used , first the 1 mm fibres and 2 hours later the second layer of 2 mm – both light and dark brown fibres.

to be continued....

Jos
 

[Lemosteam]

@grove den , this quote: "I used , first the 1 mm fibres and 2 hours later the second layer of 2 mm – both light and dark brown fibres."

I interpreted that you mean this to add different lengths to the same patch you are working on?  If so after two hours, is the original glue still wet when the longer grass is applied or is more glue added? 

[grove den]

Hello John,

I interpreted that you mean this to add different lengths to the same patch you are working on

yes that is correct !

If so after two hours, is the original glue still wet when the longer grass is applied or is more glue added?

NO the original glue was  dry...well I was working outside in august and we had temp of + 33 Celsius( 91.4 Fahrenheit)! the glue was dry within even 1/2 an hour!
I added more glue with a pipet/eyedropper and because the pattern of the "drops/spots of glue I added before there is still  enough "room"to make a lot of new spots/small tiny dots of glue!
Btw if the glue is still wet ...of course you can add other/more fibres...just a matter of taste! To me- working with grassfibres-  is still something I have to figure out ...a lot! The combinations of all kind of fibres and colours  to use..pfff

[Missaberoad]

Awesome tutorial so far, thank you for this @grove den. 

[DeltaBravo]

Finaly I could start with the "how to"...
I don't have much pictures about the proces of covering this diorama. But I'll try to write it down as correct as possible.
chapter one:

The shopping list:
I used these kind of grassfibres/flock:
0,5- 1mm grass flock , light and dark brown( Mininatur/Silflor
2mm grass flock: kind of “straw”/”dried”/beige gras colour( MiniNatur/Silflor , Model scene or NOCH
4mm grass-flock 4,5 mm - Late Summer  ( Model scene)
4mm grass-flock  beige  ( Model scene, MiniNatur/Silflor or NOCH)
6,5mm grass- flock beige and “late summer” ( Model scene )
12 mm grass -flock : straw ( NOCH  )
a pipette or a eyedropper.
White glue and Bookbindingglue to attach the fibres ,small roots etc etc.
Some acryl paint: I mostly use just 3 colours: black, buff and ocre and mix them in the right colour
a static grass applicator-35kV to add the grass/flock on  the surface  Also:
 Fine turf  from Woodland scenics: earth , burnt, and yellow grass.( kitchensieve)
Some – dry and prepared- small roots and twigs from Buxus sempervirens and a little bit of fine Sand.( garden(s)  )and sieved gravel

I started with:
Covering the rough surface of the complete diorama with a layer of real eart/dust, some sand and very small little sieved gravel. Glued with (deluted) whiteglue in which I added some darkbrownblackish acrylpaint.
I try to avoid a flat smooth surface! Just like  nature( well mostly ….)
Let it dry overnight.
To glue the flock/fibres I use- approx.- a mix of 1/3 white glue and 2/3 bookbindingglue (it makes the glue not so “shiny”/glossy as if using  only whiteglue.)
The whole trick is not to glue large areas but small tiny spotts / dots of glue.

To accomplish this I use :

A rough course sponge or even better:  a piece of a fish tank filter sponge. This kind of filter sponge has wider “holes” comparing to a normal sponge. With this piece of filtersponge you can splash/generate   irregular many/tiny small dots of the mixed glue .

 I just dip the sponge in a small flat container filled with the mixed glue and squeeze it a little bit before the next movements:  just keep the piece of sponge or filter gently between your fingers and “throw” the sponge- (still keep it between your fingertips!) -with glue with a fast quick movement over the place you want the dots/spots of glue. It needs some exercise to get the best results….( à la Jackson Pollock)

A long hair brush can be used too to splashe /dabble the glue  irregular on the surface of the diorama.
 It – also-needs some excersise to get the right results!   
Keep the static grass applic. ready for use when you add the glue.
Btw: cover only max 30 x30 cm( =one foot x one foot)  at a time.
Add the groundpine of the applic. and hold it just an inch above the surface with the small dots of glue.
On the picture - in the front-you can see clearly the small “dots”with the fibers in/on it. Also the sand and sieved gravel between the grassfibres.
I used , first the 1 mm fibres and 2 hours later the second layer of 2 mm – both light and dark brown fibres.

to be continued....

Jos

This is amazing work, can't wait to see a new installment.