Make. Paint. Build: Tips and tutorials for model train enthusiasts, modellers and miniature painters.
Ground Cover
How to make and apply ground cover on models, model railways and wargame mats. Including tools and techniques for professional looking static grass.
Make your own ground foam
Making your own ground foam for scenery is fun, much cheaper than buying the commercial stuff and gives your more flexibility in your scenery.
But [...]
How to make scenic cement: my foolproof 3 part recipe for the best ground cover
There's a lot of misunderstanding around scenic glue but it's surprisingly simple once you know how to make it. [...]
A rake for your static grass, Sunday Scribbles
This is a silly little tool-tip, but one I find myself using a lot since discovering it. [...]
What is a static grass applicator
What is a static grass applicator and what does it do? Read the answer here in the Internet’s largest glossary for model railways. [...]
A quick tip from the school of the blindingly obvious
If you lay your scatter, as I do, by sprinkling the stuff from your fingers you'll love - or perhaps hate - this tip. [...]
How to make your own scatter & why I’ll never buy scatter material again
I'll never buy scatter for my model railway again. [...]
A master class in static grass (creating slopes)
Static grass makes a world of difference to a model landscape but getting it right on slopes is more involved than you might think. [...]
7 Steps To Laying Scatter + Help A Fellow Modeller
Mike M. emailed in recently with what seemed like an easy question. [...]
Best Static grass applicator – which is best, applicators reviewed and rated for 2021
Static grass transforms a layout but laying the stuff is a time hog and getting it to look right even more so.
Static grass applicators promise to solve [...]
Making Your Own Engine Shed Ash
Hot on the heals of the previous post on making your own model railway grass, comes another tip from Stephen Fay, this time a low cost technique to making [...]
How to make your own grass
This is a short but great tip for making your own super-realistic grass by modeller Stephen Fay. [...]
Grass — Everything You Need To Know
Grass fields add life and realism to your railway, as seen in this photo of Miniature Wunderland in Germany.[/caption]If you want to bring your model railway [...]
DIY Budget Hedges – Thrifty Thursday Model Building Tip #3
Using the pre-made commercial hedges on your model railway can be expensive what if there was a way to get hedgerows for a few pounds. Here's how you can make [...]
The Lowest Cost Static Grass Applicator – Thrifty Thursday Model Building Tip #2
This tip is so obvious it's frequently overlooked yet it's possibly one of the most effective and certainly cheapest alternatives to off the shelf static grass [...]
How To Make Landscape Scatter Materials On A Budget – Thrifty Thursday Model Building Tip, #1
If you're looking for soil, dirty or sand material for your landscape, park any thoughts of buying scatter materials and head to the kitchen with this weeks [...]
