starting my first Dio ,need some input?

[buck smallwood]

im starting my first Dio of a rusted out car ,what would be a good thing to use as dirt,i was thinking real dirt but wasnt shure..any input about the dio would be great.thank you...

BUCK...

[JamesW]

I have picked up a few tips, but haven't tried them yet. Use acrylic paint, a toothbrush, sponge and alcohol.

[Eshaver]

Buck , there are a couple of routes you can go to including using "Finely strained " real dirt . In the past Ive mixed Flour along with acrylic paints to re- create mud . Ive of course used the Woodland Scenes stuff found within Michiaels Art Supply stores . You could use ground up styrofoam mixed with Acrylic paints too if you needed some real coarse stuff. . As for rust , Iron filings immersed in an Alcohol solution make the most realistic rust I have ever seen . Ed Shaver

[buck smallwood]

Thanks guys I think thats what ill be working on today..

[Mike Whatshisname]

Hey Buck,

Ed's got it with sifting real dirt. Sometimes it is best to bake it for 10 minutes at about 200F. This will kill any germs/bugs/thingies that might be alive in it.

Put a brillo pad in a jar, cover the pad with water and let it evaporate (about 30 days). Grind it up...Real rust!

[Eshaver]

Mike , over the years , Ive actually saved the shavings from a couple of lathes . It decomposes real fast. Then too, you can always get a handful of metal dust from a brake lathe too. Ed Shaver

[Longbox55]

Mike , over the years , Ive actually saved the shavings from a couple of lathes . It decomposes real fast. Then too, you can always get a handful of metal dust from a brake lathe too. Ed Shaver

I'll have to try that. Thanks for the tip.

[Sixties Sam]

Buck, I used the Brillo pad rust on the fire pit in my 1/12 scale campground diorama. I randomly sprinkled the powdered rust over red oxide primer while it was wet, then sprayed matte clear over it. It came out good.

Sam