Building a small diorama - what are the steps?

[InFullSteam]

In the most basic terms:
1) Paint the plague a base coat?
2) Tie track down and ballast the track
3) Apply static grass
4) Do other scenic stuff - fencing, etc.

Anything else I am missing?

The diorama is about 10" by 8".

[Lofty]

I am a great believer in the statement that there is no right way or wrong way to build a model railway.

If you end up with all the bits you want in the finished article you have achieved your aim.

[Dad-1]

Inspiration was the secret for me.
Something catches your imagination, preferably in conjunction with some
spare scrap of ply, or similar.
Then start creating the scene, doesn't even need to be railway related.
I was given a Hornby resin pig sty and just made a little scene around it

In my signature line is a link to several I've made over the years.

Geoff T.

[glencairn]

I have a saying when doing a diorama, "See what you see and not what you thought you saw."

Life is not perfect.
People seem to stop when coming out of a store.
People fumble for their car keys.
There are 'fifty shades of green' in Nature.
Trees are not all 00 size.
Grass does not grow to one length.
The sky is not 'all blue' or 'all white'.
The fence is broken.
Cows in a field generally stay together.
Cats like to be higher up.
Dogs used to be allowed to follow the Postman on his delivery.

Little scenes collectively make the big picture.

Glencairn

[End2end]

1) Paint the plague

Sometimes spelling mistakes can be so funny.

Thanks
End2end

[InFullSteam]

1) Is it more 'realistic' to have OO gauge ballast vs multi gauge ballast?
2) What's a realistic width of a double track line plus ballast area and from farmers fence on one side to farmers fence on the other side?
3) Is it worth painting a layer of grey paint under where the ballasting will be?

[Dad-1]

My views,
In revers order.
3; I tend to paint an enamel under my tracks - simply because it acts as a water barrier to the 50/50 PVA/Water ballast glue.
2; Totally variable track bed width between fences, anything over 24.0 mm (6ft scale) each side of the tracks. If it's only a small
diorama space so coaches don't clash !!, but I would tend use a red Peco track gauge, you can be tighter, up to you.
1; For '00', 'N' gauge ballast is probably nearest to scale. Personally I use Woodland Scenics medium as it's easier, therefore faster to lay.

Sometimes I have NO railway in a diorama, depends just what small scene you want to create. I think my signature line links
include one that takes you into some of my dioramas.

Geoff T.