Lichen

May I respectfully ask, Joe, why would you want to use lichen? I have used (in the "distant" past) some of it,  like here, but...

Frank

I buy it off eBay when I can find deals.  I spray it with 3m adhesive and dip it in corse turf  I'll post a link to the eBay source I bought from last year if I can find it.

Hey Joe

I used to go to Greenburgs show near Ft. Washington Pa.,I haven't been to a show in years.

I can't remember who I got it off of.But it look's like the Woodland Scenics stuff in Spring green,and autumn mix.I got such large bags,that I put it in to freezer bags to use,and I know it was not that expensive,compared to the little bags you see in hobby shops.

Here's woodlands link

http://woodlandscenics.woodlan...show/category/Lichen

I don't know what Monsoon is talking about,But I couldn't live without it.

When I do my mountains,linchen fills in between all the rocks and cracks,also when I expanded my tunnell portals I just use linchen to hide the joints.

I'm sure you know that,that's why you're looking for it.

Here's my example of one of the many things I use it for

This piece is on the right of the tunnell portal,

before and after

Hey Joe,

Woodlands large bags seem about the best I can find right now,let me know if you find bulk in better sizes and price.

Good luck

My layout is basically a toy train layout. The only scenery I really use on it is lichen.

Hi Joe, The reason I offered my perspective w/in your thread where you ask for economical sources for lichen (I'd go to Scenic Express,) is to share w/ you what I have been told and had some, limited experience (and to invite others to correct me, with substantiated viewpoints, if I am wrong) about lichen's undesirability as foliage. 

That is, regardless of the style of layout, yours or mine, for example, my understanding is that lichen dries out after a time, since it is harvested as a living plant (from tundra?) Have you ever noticed, upon opening a sealed bag of it, that it has a particular fragrance and feels damp? I have. I don't know if it keeps on living once utilized on a layout, but I have been told that to keep it supple (and not dried-out, ready to crumble at being touched or moved) we must mist it w/ a glycerin/water mixture . Since I have never had any intention of doing any such misting on my layout, close at hand or up in the hills, I have had it crumble on my layout, which convinced me to stay away from it, despite how nice it can look as shrubbery. 

As Transman said, wondering what I was talking about, "I couldn't live w/out it," I felt that way too, when I first started buiding my layout, back in 1994-95. Since then, I have stopped using it entirely, on newer sections I've re-crafted, esp. due to so many worthwhile other products available that can readily be used in place of it, IMveryHO. 

These photos will further illustrate my point. Several show places where I used lichen, in the early days of the layout. Other photos, in a following reply, will demonstrate other products I used in its place, during more recent craftwork on my layout, all purchased from Scenic Express, BTW.

Perhaps, offering you my perspective here can save you money in the long-run, and perhaps, invite a further sharing of experiences and advice in this regard from other forum members. If not, at least, I have paid you the respect of trying to be helpful.  Frank

Hi Joe, Completing my reply, here are a variety of places where I have crafted scenes using no lichen at all, wanting longer lasting, non-perishable foliage...

Moonson,

I like your work! Very nice!

Joe,

Try Scenic Express. I usually buy a large bag when I go to York. Their prices are best best I have found so far. Plus you can get all kinds of colors, not just your basic green.

Don't bother trying to "roll your own"! Untreated, the stuff turns brittle in about a year. Treating it can be messy and hazardous.

Chris

LVHR

Frank,

Thank you for your response. Your comments are right on the money. The main reason I was looking for a source of lichen was to replace the dried out crumbed pieces just like you described. Based on your insights I will give this some additional thought.

Scenic Express for me. The Bulk Bags.........Paul

I guess lichen is considered pretty "old school": state of the art these days are the various ground foam products from scenic express etc.   

Having said that, i do use some lichen:

1) the natural branching structure of the plant is impossible to imitate with artificial products, and gives great detail.  I like having the natural material for scenery, like using sedum and other weeds for trees instead of all fake plastic.

2) mixing lichens and ground foam products gives a variety of texture not available when using only one or the other

3) i soak it all down with woodland scenic cement, and when it dries soak it again.  i do not know the long-term longevity of lichen when soaked like this, but i don't see how it can dry out and become brittle if saturated with the glue (which stays flexible when dry) just like the foam.  The branches of the lichen are more delicate than the foam, but that's its appeal.

The lichens you buy are no longer living, there's no point in misting them.  they have been dried and then dyed various shades of green.  if you have a "michael's" craft store in your area they have bags of it cheap.

Michael's has linchen?

Like the same stuff you would get from scenic express?

bags of it hanging in the dried flower basket section.  i was heading for the picture frames and said, whoa..

caveat on my above comments, though - mine is also a toy tinplate layout, my scenery is nothing close to frank/monsoon's artwork.  from his pictures, i think he's the one who knows what he's talking about here.

Sometimes the dollar stores have it, too.

Michael's actually has all kinds of interesting organic materials in the flower arrangement section.

--Pete

The stuff in my Michaels store was hard and didn't look very nice.

Google "bulk reindeer moss" and there are lots of bulk resources out there.  Be very careful as the wording is 'artfully' crafted so its hard to figure out what the final packaging is.  The best I saw was the 3 lb bulk which came out to be the best per ounce.  Don't worry about the color, a rattle can will fix it!  As far as longivity is concerned remember that most of us spray the finished scenery with a mixture of white glue and water, this acts to seal the moisture in somewhat and adds a little to the longivity.  As part of my annual layout cleanup I respray everything and that clears a little of the dust, brings back a little of the color and helps to reseal everything.  Russ

Same here - it ought to to be renamed deer droppings, because that is about what it is worth.  I found a bulk bag on ebay last year that was more aggressively priced than woodland scenics.  I think you just have to hunt around.

sorry if michael's turned out to be a bum steer.  the bags i bought were great.  keep in mind that it is dried and compressed to fill the bag.  when placed on the layout and soaked with scenic cement, you can see the pieces fill out and expand as it absorbs the moisture.  it goes from crunchy to rubbery.  anyway, it is wierd stuff.   by the time it's dyed and sprayed with cement i guess there isn't much 'natural' left about it.  just adds some variety, i guess.