Due to the fact that my work on the module is coming to the end I started to search for new project. It is going to be another diorama (30x40 cm) with the military ramp to show both railway models as well as military models. My inspiration is the ramp in Cybowo on the military training area in north west Poland: The base is made of plywood and the ramp is made of balsa wood:
Concrete panels are made of low quality cardboard (actually the back side of wall calendar). It was painted with Faller concrete paint (180507) and weathered randomly with powders (black, dark brown and "old concrete" from Artitect) and finally they were cut with paper cutter.
Using everyday common materials to produce such realistic models is what it’s all about. Outstanding results!
Dirty roads are prepared: There will be small differences in levels of roads and tracks - according to the prototype:
It is start to balast the track but ... to follow the real place there will be a lot of moss and other plants: The beginning of the work on this aspect of the diorama - different shade of the rust of the rails is not a coincidence. At the end of the day there will be some flat cars serving the ramp:
I finished my job with grass and made dirty roads. Small bushes and 2-3 years old self-sowed pine trees were added as well. The grey belt is waiting for the track with concrete sleepers (I do not have them at home).
You seem to have a natural eye for capturing a prototype scene. That’s what it’s all about. Outstanding job.
It is relatively easy to achive "weeds growing through stepstones" effect. 50% is done when the stepstones are glued into the platform. I use relatively thick layer of white glue and place individual stepstones at the beginning not in final position allowing some space around. Then I move the stepstone into a final position. As the result there is some excessive white glue between stepstones. I apply Woodland scnics Fine Turf T46 immedietely on this excessive white glue. For the chinks with not enough glue (you can not control this process in 100%) I apply some white glue using simple self made tool - old part of the brush with the end of the pin and apply turf again. I belive that some level of reference to prototype is very helpful. Of course one has to make compromizes but this is aware process. Good eye is great tool of modeller - both to make small things as well as to catch ideas from real life. The problem is that sometimes you have too many ideas ... It is time to use some of small items which will make the module lively and more prototypical. The signs were placed in their places. I belive the size of them is OK.