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Light turfs — a finished grassy surface for a diorama

Light turfs are finished turfs, that is pieces of grassy surface intended to be laid onto the base board of a diorama. It is not a kit and not a loose static grass you would have to apply with an applicator — the turf is simply laid against the surface, glued and its edges hidden. It is the fastest way to get finished grassy growth with a natural texture and uneven stem height into a scene.

What color the turfs are

The light shade matches grass in a sunlit, drier place — a grassy area in full sun, a worn field margin or the crest of an embankment, where the soil is shallow and the growth is lighter. In a diorama it pays to mix the shades: a natural grassy area never has one color, and it is precisely the transitions between lighter and darker sections that make terrain credible. Lighter tones belong on raised and sunlit spots, darker ones in hollows, by walls and under trees.

Placing it in the scene

Paint the substrate an earth tone, so that any gaps do not shine through. Lay the turf against the surface, check that it sits down onto the terrain, and glue it with PVA glue spread evenly underneath it. Do not tear the edges to a straight line — an irregular, thinned-out fringe works into its surroundings better than a cut edge. Hide the gaps between individual pieces with a fine scatter, static fiber or low bushes. Fill the transition to a track, to rails or to a structure with fine gravel and soil. Once dry, the whole can be dusted gently with pigment so that it fits the overall tuning of the scene.

Who the turfs are for

• Diorama builders who want terrain finished quickly and without an applicator
• Modelers building display-case bases under finished models
• Railroad modelers covering embankments and areas along lines
• Beginners who are only just trying scene building

This is a scenery accessory for building dioramas, not a model kit. The glue, the paints and the base board are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.