Groundwork... done? (Patreon)

My friends, it's weird when the groundwork is basically finished but it covers only about 20% of the diorama. 

But what's more interesting is the magic lightweight putty I used to create it, including the flooded areas! It's a foamy acrylic putty from Bergswerk (thanks Marco!) and it's excellent for groundwork. It's not sticky at all, so it doesn't mess up your tools, fingers, or models. Thanks to this, I was able to sink the Mark IV into it, hiding most of the uneven cuts - and I can just as easily remove it. 

To make the thrown up dirt textured enough, I made a muddy paste first and then sprinkled it with stones and large chunks of earth - those I'd normally avoid in any other diorama. 

I felt like a blown-up tree would add to the atmosphere, this is a twig covered with Tamiya Epoxy Putty Smooth type textured with a hobby blade. 

Next I'd like to add some barbed wire, flimsy cans, and wooden crates. Maybe some additional detailing and damage to the tank, and I'll probably have to replace the bayonet on the soldier's rifle with a plastic one from the provided Tamiya figures. That resin blade is bending like crazy!