A quick diorama base

[Ratch]

I came across one of my old Bellona vac-formed diorama bases. After thirty-odd years it had become rather tatty and in need of some renovation to make it useable. Unfortunately, I didn't think about taking pictures when I started, so let me explain; one corner was totally missing and there were a couple of raised areas. I cut a piece of hardboard to size and I decided to pack these from below with expanded polystyrene all stuck down with PVA. The exposed pieces were coated with plaster of paris.

The existing vac form had been painted with enamels - no need to alter this as it will act as a base colour. When everything had dried and was set the plaster of paris was painted with burnt umber poster paint using the leopard spotting method.

I then brushed PVA over the base.

The thick coat was then ready for various ground scatters:

• Grey stone
• Ballast
• Sand
• Cork granules
• Dried tea leaves
• Mid-green scatter
• Summer mix

A few sprigs of lichen were also added


This will be allowed to dry overnight before I shake off any loose scatter (and recycle it)

[Badder]

Hi Ratch,

 

Waste not want not!

Can I ask what scale this diorama is?

 

BTW, I'd be a bit worried about the skim of plaster cracking, saying as the base is vacu-formed. I'd suggest packing the underside with plaster of paris too. I have other suggestions if that one isn't an option.

 

Rearguards

Badder

 

 

[Ratch]

Its 1/72-6 Badder. The scatters should hide any cracking. Its not too big and fairly light. Not really big enough for wargaming on its own - though it could be used with other bases as part of a terrain. More of a photographic base really

[Ratch]

Here's the finished article

 

with a couple of 1/76 vehicles to give it scale

 

and with my other two Bellona bases

the one on the left is sort of Napoleonic with the broken guns and limbers moulded into the base, while the one on the right is a small trench section.

I packed the undersides of the other bases with expanding polystyrene foam (like plumbers use) and this worked pretty well (though a bit expensive).

Whilst not designed to 'interlock' I guess they could be used as war-gaming terrains