Introduction

Matho Models has released a new range of 1/35 sets of fine photo-etched plants for dioramas. This is Plants & Weeds E, item 35039.

These are intriguing diorama accessories. The fine veining caught my attention immediately and I wanted a set. Let's see what these models look like and how well they work.

Plants & Weeds E

Plants & Weeds E is a set of 48 individual leaves:

Large leaves X 6
Medium leaves X 16
Small leaves X 12
"Sprouts" X 14

These are low ground cover plants and perhaps the 'sprouts" are young grows or a second type. Matho Models used some very fine .1mm brass sheet for these etchings. The metal feels and bends like photo paper. Sheet size is 6.3 x 9.6 cm (2.48" x 3.78").

Fine and crisp edges distinguish these models. They are etched with fine veins which are very shallow, as one would expect with 1/10 millimeter brass. Matho Models has a detailed How to use and paint section on their webpage.

The first image of the fret - it looks black because I scanned it on a scan instead of photographing it. It is actually a shiny pretty brass.

Painting and Planting

Like the first two sets, I deviated from the webpage instructions and painted a tan from a rattlecan on both sides of the fret. It baked in the 90°F early summer sun for a couple of hours. I used a common craft acrylic paint on the leaves and applied it with a Sea Silk artist sponge. I like the sponge because I can dab it into gobs of paint, or swirled gobs of paint, and daub it on the surface for a completely random finish. The sponge even brushed over the leaves without getting paint in some of the veins.

Now, many plants are very uniform in color but I like simulating plants with a bit of blight or insect damage. I used a couple of greens, a yellow and an orange. Near my house I saw a plant with similar leaves that are dark green while the new growth is a scarlet. Similar leaves in my yard have light yellow interiors that look like unrealistic paint jobs. Let your own creativity be your guide!

Not all the veins were obvious so I applied several washes with different media - acrylic and solvent. Games Workshop wargaming washes flowed best into the veins.

When the paints were dry I used a sharp blade of a heavy hobby knife to separate the weeds from the fret. The leaves have small connectors and they are not only easy to cut through cleanly, they are also easy to simply snap apart. There were only a couple that I had to nip away with the blade.

Matho guides us to use two tweezers to form the leaves and stems. I deviated from that a bit and used a paintbrush handle or pencil tip to round the leaves, and the other I did with my fingers.

Mathos's thin brass is malleable and easy to form. The photos show plants around Matho Models item 35028 Wooden Fence.

Conclusion

Plants & Weeds E are beautifully etched upon wonderfully thin brass. The brass is near-scale thin with excellent detail. They are easy to cut out and form and position. This mini foliage paints up into very impressive foilage.

For your viewing pleasure, the bottom of this review features all three types in a "family portrait".

Plants & Weeds E is an impressive set of 1/35 flora that can enhance any diorama, camouflage a vehicle or uniform, and limited only by one's imagination. Happily recommended.

Please remember to tell vendors and retailers that you saw this product here - on Armorama.