Model Terrains and Village Backdrops - Use Plaster Cloth

If you are setting up a model village, Christmas village, railroad or gaming terrain, you may want to try plaster cloth. Easy to mold and shape, you can use it over an armature of wire, woven cardboard, or crumpled newspaper to create hard terrain surfaces with easily modelled textures. It can help you add detail to stone walls made from foam insulation, or make slopes to elevate your miniature village.

Plastic cloth can be messy to use. You can try the spray bottle method of moistening the plaster cloth if you have difficulty keeping the strips from getting too waterlogged. It is often used over High Density Insulation Board to make lightweight, moveable display bases.

Photo copyright 2009 Lesley Shepherd, Licensed to About.com Inc.