Do you think it is acceptable to build dioramas that have un-fixed features like snow or sand?

Or should the goal be to create a model that looks like sand or snow in a medium that is perminant?

Cheers,

Mike

Model Railroaders do it all the time. Loose coal in hoppers, and in piles, some even have loose ballast gravel in larger scales. I know of one guy with real water in an HO layout.

A dio is 100% ur creation - unlike a model kit - so imagination is the only limitation (sides cash of course :) )

I took it to mean that u r unsure if it is necessary to secure "down" earth materials. If that is the case, then I'd say it would depend on how permanant u want that part of dio to be - train guys change things around it seems more than they EXPAND the actual space. If it's gonna always be snow, etc. in that space then I'd go 4 a permanant bond to the base or object.

I think the only thing you need to consider is, are you going to be transporting the diorama? Like, will you be taking it to contests? In that case, it's probably best to not have anything that will fall off.

Speaking of model RRs, my great uncle had an O-gauge layout that filled a room, and all the track was hand layed brass rail with loose gravel ballast, individual ties, and thousands of scale brass spikes! It laso had a babbling brook using real water cycled thru with a pump.

I think the only thing you need to consider is, are you going to be transporting the diorama?

Excellent point. I'm always moving models and dios around.. but the obvious often eludes me. lol

Good points, thanks.

The reason I ask is that I've always felt as though I am cheating when I use something that would blow off if I sneezed near it. I've always considered it to be part of that grey area like using cloth on a figure, or having real smoke etc. To me, it's like saying "Oh I give up, I can't 'make' real looking snow/sand without using powder or real sand etc." - but then, I'm weird like that!

Cheers,

Mike