I use a thin, almost watery coat of Gypsolite. I put down the structures and mark their positions with a Sharpie (because it writes on pink foam.) Then I remove the building and apply the cover right up to the edge of the structure lines. This allows the structure to sit down inside a think layer of ground cover. It reduces light leakage under the building, and makes it look like the building is set into the ground, rather than sitting on top of it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Roy,
Here are some steps to successful ground work. I have used these over the past several years on 1/35 scale military dioramas as well as my HO layout, which is nothing more that an large diorama.
1.) Use caulk in a tube, the white or tan works equally well and thinned with water to about the consistancy of pancake batter.
2.) Mix with any colored acrylic paint, this will give you the basic colors for ground work.
3.) Apply this mix directly to foam with a paint brush, or in my case plain white paper towel sheets that drape over crumpled brown wrapping paper. This technique adds depth to any features. Simply let the ground goop soak into the towels and apply.
4.) As this mix is drying I apply sifted real dirt that I have collected from various part of the desert and mountain areas where I live. (SW New Mexico- lots of sand!)
5.) An extra bit of carpenters glue added to the mix will assure a good adhesive to any surface. Let all of this dry as it will serve as a base for further detailing of the ground. All of this is no more that 1/8th - 1/4 of an inch thick.
6.) After this first application is complety dry, I spray a mix of white glue, water and acrylic paint through a spray bottle onto the ground work, as I spray I'll add more sifted dirt, scenic grass, lichen or whatever final layers of detailing I choose. The Desert areas of course are the easiest but my farmland has to reflect very green pastures (my wife's property rights grew out of developing farmland).
7.) The key to the entire scenery sceme of things is acrylic based products, I have posted several threads on this subject throughout this site and FSM, the sister magazine. The other key is to experiment with all of the products, any of which can be purchased in bulk at a hardware store and craft center for the craft paints.
Good luck,
johncpo
I had gotten to the point that I was tired of looking at the pink dessert so I painted it brown and spent a day rounding up the ingrediants for ground goop. I mixed a test batch and applied it to a small hill and I was quite happy with that. Then I looked at the 34 buildings that will occupy the formerly pink now brown foam flatland and the questions popped up: do you cover it all or carefully spread it around the outlines of each building? Question two is the desired thickness. I learned that caulk has to be spread THINLY the hard way and don't care to recreate a similar mess. In the flatlands with a few hills and gullies added should I spread this goop paper thin or more like a 1/4 inch thick? My major fear in this is that if it is too thick it may never really dry in my humid Corpus Christi garage. My test batch was a thin coat that looked like I wanted it to on that little hill after it was given a bunch of weeds and a bush or two. Thanks for your help once again,
Roy
Roy Onward into the fog http://s1014.photobucket.com/albums/af269/looseclu/