Wild Tuft – Swamp

What the tufts are for

A grass tuft is a finished clump of vegetation that is set into a scene as a whole. It saves the work of making growth of your own and above all it gives a scene height: a scatter on its own is flat, whereas a tuft rises above the terrain and casts a shadow, so the landscape stops looking like a painted board. The designation wild tuft points to irregular growth, with blades of differing lengths, of the kind that grows without human intervention.

What the name says about the shade

The shade named Swamp refers to a bog, that is to the green-brown tones of damp places where grass mixes with sedge and with dead blades. It suits the edges of pools and ditches, waterlogged meadows and scenes that are meant to look damp and overgrown. The material is not tied to one scale; what changes with the size of the model is only how large the tufts you use are and how densely you set them out. The size of a tuft, the number in the package and the recommended method of fixing are given by the manufacturer on the packaging.

• set them in irregular clumps, as a continuous even strip gives a scene away
• by water, alternate two or three shades, as single-colored growth looks artificial
• set a tuft on a drop of PVA or cyanoacrylate glue and hold it for a moment
• cover the foot of a tuft with a fine scatter, so that the trace of glue disappears
• taller blades can be trimmed with scissors to an irregular height once set

Who they are for

The tufts will be appreciated by builders of dioramas, display-case scenes and bases for figures who are after quick and convincing growth. A board, terrain paste, a model, glue and paints are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.