Title rather says it.. I've started to build my own scenery. So I need to know what's a good place to buy stuff for it. Unfortunatly there doesn't appear to be much closeby, and the ones I can find online tend to be a bit messy when you don't yet know what you're looking for. Also, does anyone know of any good places with guides/tutorials/etc. Searching on the internet is fun and all but results ina bit too many hits to figure out which ones are actually any good..
Hardware stores and dollar stores mostly. For terrain, I use a lot of these ideas and then expand on them: Basing Tutorials: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX1fXqW4h5RRcMWPdKQaOoskc-XsyeV9Z And a bit from here: http://www.miniwargaming.com/search?q=Terrain
Big box stores like Wal-Mart or Target sometime have useful supplies, For specialized items you can try Michel's or Hobby Lobby, or your local game store. It's also worth checking stores that sell model trains and pet stores for terrarium stuff. Ps. actually you should see what you can get for free first.
If you have one near you, Hobby Town might work. They typically have a large model train section and materials for battlefield scenes. You can also check out Gale Force 9's website. They do scenery in the Battlefield in a Box line. These range from WW1/2 to Fantasy to WarmaHordes and space.
the hobby store near me is rather small and doesn't seem to have much. And unfortunatly there's only one nearby. And hardware stores tend to be on the more expensive side here. On the bright side I have a crapton of cardboard boxes & old newspapers I could paper maché something from. But so far that seems fairly ineffective. It makes for nice mountains, but getting the angle of the slopes right so that something can stand on em is a pain. I'l havea look around.
Ebay if you can and try and pick up one of the books GW did on making terrain they are a wealth of information
O that reminds me, I should have a bunch of old magazines from back when they had one for the Lotr stuff. I vaguely remember there being stuff about terrain in their too besides how to paint the 1 model you'd get with the magazine each time. Seems like I'l have to go visit my parents.
I made huge jungle scenery pieces using mostly: - cardboard - polystyrene - wire - fake aquarium plants - moss - pebbles/gravel Papier-mâché, polyfiller (so versatile <3), and various glues were used for adhesives/molding. Pebbles are the most easily gotten however they really add on the weight, so think about how you want to use them. Small gravel is great for lesser boulders. My biggest resource was actually moss. Wash it and dry it out and you've got a great and versatile resource for foliage, from canopy to shrubs. Places like hardware stores, garden centres, and craft shops are probably your best bet for traditional materials. Hardware stores are ok but don't tend to have the model-friendly range of shops in garden centres (which I find generally have a crafty area, albeit geared towards kids and domestic crafts.)
This guy does a lot with cardboard and paper mache and other cheap bits. DM's Craft the Whole Shebang!: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvHnaAPK1_Jg0i7Ykfv8tWLiH47rd569G
@Slanputin plants and moss? Doesn't that eventually dry out and wither? Eventually just becoming a brown mush as it completly decays? .
By aquarium plants I meant the plastic ones. Edited for clarity. Moss is a frequently used craft item - I made my mossy jungle over a decade ago and no mush. If it's dried out well then it should be fine: you can buy dried out moss online if you're worried about the process. You can also buy "craft moss" (usually reindeer moss) especially for crafts. Paints and other materials can be used to fashion them. You could potentially not dry it and keep it living on your scenery for a more vibrant look but then will eventually discolour after a few years. Remember: moss is a microphyte and different to more demanding vascular plants which are an obvious no (although I imagine some craft/horticulture expert could make some stunning scenery.) I've said moss so many times in this post... I'm by no means a moss expert, but I've not had a bad experience using it.
Stuff worth buying from the hardware store: Heavy duty PVA (white glue) or professional grade wood glue. Strong Super glue. spools of fine wire or for really difficult to glue things, 2 part Epoxy. I can also recommend Water Putty (for covering foam) silicone calk (for water) and insulation foam (the pink and blue kinds are usually good) also any craft tools you might find like craft knives, offset snips, and hot knives. also various spray paints and clear finishes, (water based spray paint if you can find it).
Mmm right, when I asked my mum if the stuff she was using for Christmas decorations (wood, some moss and pine and such) she said that apart from the wood all she had would rapidly perish hence my confusion. I'l look into the various things and see what I can come up with.
Any plastic plants will do, "Plastic Aquarium Plants" are usually fish safe and cost a bit more, any other fake plants in the floral section of whatever store you are in will also work fine, if you can find bits that make sense at model scale.
By the way, this guy is fairly amazing looking at a few of his videos. This should be a good place to start from.
Also, loads of great-quality scenery materials in woodland scenics, including plenty of tutorials to use all of their products. They are a bit pricey, though. You can search on their webpage your closest retailer. Also if you are searching terrain tips too check out the terrain tutor at youtube Hope it helps