Toning Down Brightness of Static Grass

[Guilford Railman]

I posted previously in my layout thread that the static grass I applied comes off too bright. I bought light green 2 mm and medium green 4 mm grass from woodland scenics but the results are very off-putting.

I’d like to tone down the brightness somehow as opposed to removing my first attempt and trying a different brand of static grass. I thought I could maybe use my weathering powders to tone down the brightness. Has anyone tried this method?

@Smudge617 mentioned in my layout thread of applying another layer of the darker static grass on top and sprinkling darker turf around the static grass areas as well.

Any other ideas?

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Test a SMALL area by spraying a light coat of hair spray over the grass. Most cheap hair sprays will act like a dull coat.
If your hair spray is dull when dry, add light layers of darker static grass and coarse foam to imitate different depth plants. Light layers in irregular shapes works best.

 

[NWP Dave]

I have used weathering stains dabbed on with a brush.

 

[Guilford Railman]

Test a SMALL area by spraying a light coat of hair spray over the grass. Most cheap hair sprays will act like a dull coat.
If your hair spray is dull when dry, add light layers of darker static grass and coarse foam to imitate different depth plants. Light layers in irregular shapes works best.

Thanks! I’m going to test everyone’s ideas and see what turns out the best.

 

[Guilford Railman]

I have used weathering stains dabbed on with a brush.

How did you like the results? Any particular colors work better?

 

[Guilford Railman]

I have so far tried the technique of using weathering powders to tone down the static grass color. It seems to work well! I’ll post the results on my layout build thread.

I’ve also gone ahead and purchased some strong-hold hairspray to use for the next technique.

 

[boatwrench]

I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS.

Years ago when MRR was building the N scale Clinchfield Project layout Gordie Odegard stated he over sprayed the entire layout with a misting of a flat gray paint to blend everything homogenously and tone down colors.

 

[Guilford Railman]

I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS.

Years ago when MRR was building the N scale Clinchfield Project layout Gordie Odegard stated he over sprayed the entire layout with a misting of a flat gray paint to blend everything homogenously and tone down colors.

Interesting…I would have never thought to use spray paint to tone down everything.

 

[michaeljoe]

I posted previously in my layout thread that the static grass I applied comes off too bright. I bought light green 2 mm and medium green 4 mm grass from woodland scenics but the results are very off-putting.

I’d like to tone down the brightness somehow as opposed to removing my first attempt and trying a different brand of static grass. I thought I could maybe use my weathering powders to tone down the brightness. Has anyone tried this method?

@Smudge617 mentioned in my layout thread of applying another layer of the darker static grass on top and sprinkling darker turf around the static grass areas as well.

Any other ideas?

I would like to know what you mean by the word ......"static grass"...... thanks.
I know what you mean by toning down the grass on your layout, I just don't know what static is.

 

[Guilford Railman]

I would like to know what you mean by the word ......"static grass"...... thanks.
I know what you mean by toning down the grass on your layout, I just don't know what static is.

Static grass is a type of scenic material. It’s small fibers that stand up vertically when used with a static grass applicator to simulate the look of real grass.

 

[Marlin39]

I found that Heki and Noch grass is more matte than WS. I believe they are nylon and not polyester.

 

[Guilford Railman]

I found that Heki and Noch grass is more matte than WS. I believe they are nylon and not polyester.

Noted! I will have to look into these brands for my next build.

 

[NorthBrit]

Real grass is a multitude of colours; more dark than bright. It is not perfectly flat. Nature seems to hate perfect. Patches of earth (even tiny ones) show through where grass hasn't grown. In places tiny flowers show themselves; mainly yellow ones. The soil is not flat therefore the grass isn't either.

Have a mix of greens. Add a small amount of browns for earth. An even smaller amount of yellows. Mix together and spread around for a field. Somewhere on the field add a very few tiny specks of red.

 

[Marlin39]

Real grass is a multitude of colours; more dark than bright. It is not perfectly flat. Nature seems to hate perfect. Patches of earth (even tiny ones) show through where grass hasn't grown. In places tiny flowers show themselves; mainly yellow ones. The soil is not flat therefore the grass isn't either.

Have a mix of greens. Add a small amount of browns for earth. An even smaller amount of yellows. Mix together and spread around for a field. Somewhere on the field add a very few tiny specks of red.

View attachment 205122


View attachment 205123

Exactly! Textural Variance

 

[NorthBrit]

Exactly! Textural Variance

YES!!! Excellent. Seeing what you see and not what you thought you saw. I love the rear of the first picture. The darker shade plus what looks like of rusty red near the building, hardly noticeable, but makes the scene.

The second scene of more earth. Showing that earth is there before any grass. Then the 'fifty shades of green. Well done.