Static Grass Alternative

[robw_uk]

All, I am building my first diorama (well more "small base" for the Tamiya wespe, and need to add some grass, Uncle NighShift uses static grass and applicator but, as this may be the first & last base I build am not wanting to layout that cash, what alternatives are there? I don't envisage the whole base being covered, just some patches here & there - so would grass "tuft sheets" work? Anything else I can try?

 

Also, U. NightShift paints his bases, anyone else (don't mind trying that either).....

[Niall]

I use static grass without a applicator.

 

Paint the base with a suitable earth colour and when dry paint the base with thinned down PVA and sprinkle the static grass from about 2-4 inches onto the base. Do this on an old newspaper and tap off the exess when the glue has dried(I leave it an hour or so). There is a photo of som Airfix multipose conversions -

 

 

 

[Alex Gordon]

Pretty much what Niall said.

 

 

This was made the same way in the LTAT2 group build https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235093713-airfix-scots-grey-in-54mm-scalefinished/

 

 

[dcrfan]

You can purchase tufts or tailor make your own by dripping PVA onto a plastic bag surface and adding your own static crass mix.  Once dry the tufts will peal off and you can glue them in the pattern you want.

[robw_uk]

oohhh thanks all... may try and make some form some garden twine (seen that done) and use the pva method outlined above

[matti64]

On 5/5/2022 at 2:44 PM, robw_uk said:

oohhh thanks all... may try and make some form some garden twine (seen that done) and use the pva method outlined above

I have made static grass from  Sisal  twine  myself as  you  can have complete control over the length and colour of the strands. I use it for simple diorama bases for armour, I am not a scenic modeller and  could not justify the expense of investing in a variety of lengths and colours of commercial grass flock. Conversely there is the question of how much you value the time spent  preparing  your own grass flock. Then you  have to deal with storing whatever you  don't use, !  Ultimately  its a question of priorities

[robw_uk]

5 hours ago, matti64 said:

I have made static grass from  Sisal  twine  myself as  you  can have complete control over the length and colour of the strands. I use it for simple diorama bases for armour, I am not a scenic modeller and  could not justify the expense of investing in a variety of lengths and colours of commercial grass flock. Conversely there is the question of how much you value the time spent  preparing  your own grass flock. Then you  have to deal with storing whatever you  don't use, !  Ultimately  its a question of priorities

yeah made my own, not sure if I will do it again but have a few small storage pots so there is soil, stones, leaves and now "grass" in 4 of them

[ErikT]

I've used bits cut from a large paintbrush; one could vary the length and coarseness by purchasing different size brushes at the dollar store (or whatever you have in your neck of the woods).

[Robert Stuart]

Bit late, but, depending on scale, you could consider plush.
Plush is furry fabric, often used in soft furnishings or teddy bears.

This is a model I made earlier:

 

 

The furry stuff was a light brown, trimmed and then sprayed with (I think) greens and yellows.

Depending on your sample, plush can start quite long, but sharp scissors will cure that: