Are you making a flat terrain or an elevated terrain or a mixture of both? You doing a whole scene or just making a one figure stand diorama? You making it in the wilderness and country or going urban and civilization or a mixture? Are You doing a military or a civilian diorama? Are You doing history, real life or sci-fi, fantasy, fiction, etc? You doing a hot desert or cold one? What desert region? What's the story behind it?

 

Sorry I should be.more specific. I'm just looking to make a basic desert terrain for Afrika Korps WW2 figures. North Africa, hot climate, wilderness etc. it can be very basic just a plain flat surface even. I don't know what to use or how to go about it as I'm a complete noob here. Yha ls for your response/help

 

Vehicles? how many figures? Where/how are you positioning them? shape of diorama? Do you have a size you want with measurements? Circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle or diamond shaped?
You got to have an idea of what you want, layout, what you want to convey in your scene and how you want it to look.

Sorry for all the questions.

 

• No vehicles
• One - Two 1/6 scale figure/s
• Standing stance
• Square shaped
• About 35x35cm thereabouts
• North Africa setting

Not looking for much detail just simple desert looking ground. Doesn't need rocks amd high/low terrain flat will do. Honestly I just want the simplest base to stand figures on. It's going to be in a IKEA Detolf cabinet so the size of one of those glass shelves 35/40cm squared!!

 

Okay so you're gonna probably want a light but firm foundation and frame to hold the diorama and foam so I would suggest a 3/4 inch (1.905cm) pine board or plywood.
Some high density polystyrene slabs and do you have any hobby stores that has a diorama section? If you do check to see if they have any pigments and grasses and plants that you might want.
Also look at some photos of the Sahara and the African Korps.

 

A simple and easy desert sand diorama can be made by gluing a piece of 100 grit sandpaper to a thin board. Paint-wash and dry brush the sandpaper if you have the materials and skills. But, it will still look OK if you don't paint it. Make some weeds from a package of moss from the craft store or garden store. (Home Depot has it.) Attach the weeds with white glue that dries clear. I'm sure everyone will be impressed

 

Thanks for the help everyone. Sorry I don't be on the forum much. I will just give it a go and take the suggestions g8ven to me to try my hand at building one.