1:35 Cowhide

1:35 Cowhide – a printed accessory for a diorama, 1:35 scale, ETA diorama

A sheet of printed paper for scenes at a size of 1:35. It is not a plastic model and not a decal: it is worked like paper, that is by cutting, gluing and then patinating. A hide is specific among diorama accessories in that it has no regular shape – and the irregular outline is both the greatest benefit and the greatest pitfall when trimming.

Use in a scene

A hide rug suits a living interior, a fireside, a plank floor and the roughly hewn boards of a barn. Because the outline is intricate, it also works well where a regular carpet would look too orderly. In a scene it is worth leaving one edge overhanging an edge – over a step or over the edge of a bed, say – the hide then reads as a soft, pliable material and not as a sticker. The combination with wooden furniture and with figures gives an interior its scale.

Tips on gluing and patinating

Cut the outline out with a sharp scalpel with a new blade, on the curves in small steps; scissors crush the paper at the bends. It is glued with a thin layer of PVA glue, ideally onto a flat and non-absorbent undercoat, so that the paper does not buckle once dry. If you want the impression of thickness, pack the center out with a thin layer of paper or card. Patinating is enough in moderation: fine pigments into the edges, light darkening in the places that are walked over and, on the contrary, lightening where the light falls. Matte or mildly satin clear coat unifies the surface with the rest of the scene; apply it in very thin layers.

Who the sheet is for

• Builders of interior dioramas and vignettes in 1:35.
• Modelers who want an irregular organic shape in a scene without working with textiles.
• Figure builders completing a living or farm setting around their figures.
• Beginners – a paper accessory forgives a mistake, which can easily be put right with a new cutout.

It is a printed paper accessory for a diorama. Glue, paints, clear coats and other modeling material are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.