Woodland Scenics Field Grass Question

[KevinKrey]

That looks great. But my layout is 20'x10', and most of it needs grass. That will be a lot of $$$.

[Spitfire]

That looks great. But my layout is 20'x10', and most of it needs grass. That will be a lot of $$$.

Well, the other, and much cheaper option is fake fur fabric. I've never used it myself but I've seen others get amazing results with it. Funny thing is, I once "planted" a small hillside with the WS grass (the stuff that comes in long strands) and when I was done I thought it looked like fur!

I think the key to covering an area that large is going to be some kind of mat or fabric. I can't imagine gluing down all those individual clumps of grass over such a large area in one lifetime!

cheers
Val

[MasonJar]

Try

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/mink_grass/">http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/mink_grass/</a><!-- m -->
and
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/grass_clumps/">http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/grass_clumps/</a><!-- m -->

by Harold Minkwitz (hminky) for tips on using faux fur for grass.

Andrew

[LynnB]

And there you have it,Thanks Andrew

[KevinKrey]

I have some fur i bought, along with some RIT dye, but I never could get it too work, I dont think I got a good kind of fur though, but it was cheap. I think Ill be trying again with something else.

[deckroid]

I tried the fake fur too with the same results... until I figured out my problem. I went with the wrong kind of fake fur. The right kind to use, as it was pointed out to me, is the kind that looks like a deer pelt. Its not so clumpy as my first attempt.

With the fake fur I did end up buying, for about the same price as the first kind - roughly $6.00 a yard (US), I tried the dye thing and found that dry brushing my green Liquitex acrylic from Michael's does the job. Your best bet is to dab a bit here and there then work it in. This stuff is a heavy body acrylic which means a little goes a long way. Of course, I am modeling Fall colors, so adjust accordingly.

And the fake deer pelt has the strands that can stick up, lay down, whatever you wish to do... also use pinking shears, the crazy zigzag scissors, to vary the height. To me, IMO, it can look better than most static grass as it isn't all standing at attention. I know I will get static from those guys who do it the other way... no pun intended. Well, maybe a bit.

George

** EDIT ** Ok, I didn't follow MasonJar's links until after I posted. That is the way to do it, in fact, that was the exact site I hit to find out that I had bought 12 bucks worth of the wrong kind of fur. Another 12 bucks and I had it right. I still have no idea what to do with my other stuff...

[Sumpter250]

also use pinking shears, the crazy zigzag scissors, to vary the height.

While I don't have much hair now, as a kid, my hair was thick, and the barber would use "thinning shears" to thin it a bit. The thought is, that these could be used to vary the thickness (and we're talking "hairs"/square inch) of different areas of faux fur field grass, after the height "adjustment" with the pinking shears.
As in all new techniques......experiment first!

[doctorwayne]

Any advice on making a large field of tall grass? I cant spend the $300 on the grass master from noch.

If we wait a bit, doctorwayne may recreate his tutorial on building the Gern Grassblaster (or something like that). He had it on the old site, but who knows if it is still intact? I will see what I can find...

Andrew

The GERN Turfmaster Grass Blaster construction was outlined HERE, in April.

Wayne

[MasonJar]

Thanks Wayne!

Andrew