Easy cheap diorama bases

[Cliverdee]

Just to pass on how I made some easy diorama base with little (or no) skill. I bought an unused Battle of Waterloo scenery base off e bay which comes in 2 pieces, and cut them to the size of some old dinner plate mats that were past their best. I fixed the base to the mat with PVA glue, filling any gaps at the edges with the PVA. After letting it set I had some sand & earth Humbrol enamels that were past their best and otherwise unusable for models...thinned them a bit and just spread the paint roughly over the base with a brush, trying to get a bit of contrast and texture ... the bits of dried paint in the tins added to the effect. found I've not that much patience to spend too much time on scenery so it is very rough & ready but looks OK to me. Although it's 1:76 scale it looks fine for any scale and currently it's got a 1:35 Italeri WC 55 gun carriage joined by a Tamiya M5A1 tank with added figures. The photo is just the WC 55 to show more of the base ... hope useful as proper plaster bases are quite heavy and expensive ... this is  very light but solid and will make quite a few cheap bases from the Waterloo set with different ground contours for each one...easy to add whatever you wish for more detail. 
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[Airfix81mode]

[Ratch]

Not much use without any explanation I'm afraid...

[Airfix81mode]

EASY MODEL BASE

i used a sand block balsa wood cut to size of the sand block using a craft knife. I used all purpose wood glue to affix the balsa wood to the edges of the sand block let the glue stand to dry.

I Applied glue to the base of the sand block I then applied desert like grass to the sand block I also applied a green moss bush to one corner of the sand block also applied some scatter.

i let all this set to the sand block. Once dry carefully shake the excess off the sand block.

[Airfix81mode]

Easy Model Base

[Airfix81mode]

Model Air drying Clay

I Applied green paint to fill the clay base once dry I applied brown to the edges of the model base. I then applied lines with brown paint to decorate the base. Leave paint to set dry.

[Airfix81mode]

i made these grave stones using a balsa wood sheet. I applied a coat of black acrylic paint with a brush let it stand to dry I apply another coat of black paint I then apply a coat of clear model varnish. While wet I applied a layer of fine basing to the balsa wood sheet make sure to cover the sheet. Once dry apply bits of basing cork around to edge. I then applied green basing bushes with basing glue. Let it stand to dry.

I used air drying clay and wood sticks cut using model cutters to create the pointed gravestones. I Apply basing glue to the clay apply fine basing. Let this set to dry. Once dry apply basing glue to the clay base apply this to your balsa wood sheet to each corner of your gravestones. Let stand to dry.

[Ratch]

Airfix81mode, these posts are pointless without some form of narrative!

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