I am just ready to start ground cover on my layout. I have brought some ground cover in the shaker container's. I have been reading train books, and it seem's that the easier way to go is by using a earthtone paint to put down on the layout. Then sparkle the ground cover over the wet paint as it dries. It doesn't tell me what type of paint to use or the color. I'm, fairly new to model railroading. Ant help is apprecaited. Thanks
Latex interior house paint is traditional. Most folk recommend thinning it with water so that it soaks in rather than leaving a thick film. I am about to do my new layout. I'm debating between using a brown earthtone paint or a green grass colored paint. I plan to sprinkle green died sawdust into the wet paint to give a grass like texture. I'll have at least two colors of sawdust. Many use ground foam instead of sawdust, but I have lots of sawdust so I'm going with it. My plan is to do the entire layout with a base coat of "grass" and later add trees shrubs and structures. I'm thinking the entire layout will look better with the blue foamboard covered.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Craft paint works fine. So does flat latex house paint. This is a pic of tan base paint with green ground foam on it.Grass, trees and bushes grow in dirt, so I use a tan dirt colored base paint. You could use green is you wanted. Try to match the colors of the area you are modelling.
dstarr: That sounds good, because that's about what I had in mind. Although I won't be using sawdust. I will be using 2 different colors of grass groundfoam. I will also probably have 2 layers of grass to fill in.
Trainman11
I use sand and flat latex paint, brownish green. Here are pics of the base and the final product.
Check out the Deming Sub by clicking on the pics:
Hi trainman 11: If you receive 12 posts, you'll probably get 12 different methods for modeling ground cover, everyone has their favorite method, all good, by the way. Here's mine: I use Gypsolite for the basic terrain, has texture. Then I paint it with a basic earth color, latex paint thinned with water. Then I apply Elmer's white glue, full strength, so it doesn't run too much. Then I sprinkle various shades and textures of green, brown, and mixes of WS foam, in random patches into the glue. I, also sprinkle static grass, green and burnt. Unless I'm modeling a lawn, some of the basic earth will show through in spots. Then, I add bushes, vines, trees, etc. Just one way of doing it. Here's an example.
I try to simulate nature as much as I can. That means dirt first, then grass, next bushes, then trees.
Some color of brown latex flat paint with turf blend ground foam or brown sawdust applied while the paint is wet. Then apply the greenery with dilute white glue and wet water. Then the trees.
I also ballast after the 'ground' is down but before the greenery.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
And once again, Grampy puts us all to shame. (I think I'm gonna quit posting pictures...)
Hi loathar: That was certainly not my intent. I'm just, in my own small way, trying to help other modelers with methods that worked for me. And, keep posting pics, I for one, am interested in your progress. And thanks for your reply.
Hello I would like to ask few questions if I may.
are you guys making the ground foam ?
what are you making out of ?
and how do you grind it up ? I am getting to the point that I need to start putting ground cover down and wanted to get ready. Thanks Frank
Grampys Trains Hi loathar: That was certainly not my intent. I'm just, in my own small way, trying to help other modelers with methods that worked for me. And, keep posting pics, I for one, am interested in your progress. And thanks for your reply.
Grampy, I don't want to step on Loathar's toes, but I'm sure he meant it purely as a compliment on your skills - which we all admire!!