1:35 Great Plantain (3D-Printed)

Greater plantain in 1:35 scale

Plantain is a plant hardly anyone on a diorama can name, yet everyone knows it: a ground-level rosette of broad, veined leaves from which a thin spike grows. It grows exactly where the soil is trodden down and compacted, that is along the edges of roads, in wheel ruts, between paving stones and in yards. For the builder of a military diorama it is therefore exceptionally apt, because its presence alone says that people walked and vehicles drove through here. 3D printing copes with the thin leaves and the spike, which would not be possible in an injection mold.

Use

• Wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water; residue is left on the surface after printing.
• Cut the print supports off as close to the part as possible and sand the marks away; they have nothing to do with casting.
• Place the plants where the ground is compacted, that is along ruts and next to walls.
• Paint the leaves a more muted green and tone the edges with a dry brush; pure green looks artificial.
• Press the plant into fresh texture paste and it holds by itself once dry.
• Bend a few leaves down to the ground; a trodden plant looks more convincing than an upright one.

Who it is for

The set suits diorama builders, figure painters finishing off their bases and modelers who build terrain around roads and buildings. The work is straightforward; what matters is placing the plant logically rather than at random.

It is not a model. The base, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.