🌍 Complete Guide to Vallejo Diorama FX

🎯 What is Diorama FX and why use it?

Diorama FX is Vallejo's range of texture pastes, mud effects, water gels, and scenic auxiliaries designed for basing and scene building on scale models and miniatures — from beaches and deserts to ruined cities and fantasy environments. The range includes sands, gravels, and rocks in multiple shades and grain sizes, as well as water effects gels and terrain pastes built for fast, clean application with a realistic finish.

👉 Shop the full range at Mr Resin: Diorama FX Vallejo

🪨 Landscape & Earth Textures — Mineral textures with realistic results

Two ranges offering seven colours and three grain sizes for recreating natural ground surfaces. Apply with a palette knife or brush, and mix freely between colours.

Alkaline White

Dry, chalky terrain ranging from very light grey to a bright sun-bleached white. Perfect for arid scenes, ruins, and high-contrast minimalist vignettes.

Vulcan Black

A deep, dark mineral tone for arid volcanic ground. Works equally well for lush, forested environments and high-contrast desert landscapes.

Arid Yellow

Ideal for dry, eroded ground with a sun-baked feel. Pairs beautifully with dusty weathering effects applied by airbrush or natural pigments.

Moss Green

A subtle green-tinted earth for damp areas, riverbanks, moss, and grass. Instantly conveys a sense of lush vegetation and wet climates.

Mars Red

Inspired by iron-rich Mediterranean soils and the red sands of Mars. A go-to for vehicles, historical figures, and sci-fi basing alike.

Warm Orange

One of the most versatile sand tones in the range — equally at home on D-Day landing beaches, classic desert settings, and WWII North African scenarios.

Granite Grey

Captures the look of volcanic grey granite, ideal for buildings, quarries, urban ground, and rocky terrain.

Pro tip: Combine two grain sizes to break up uniformity. Use the fine grade as a base layer, then work in medium or coarse grit at transitions and edges.

🧴 Terrain Fixer (26.322)

Matte, transparent acrylic fixative with high capillary action. Perfect for securing sand and gravel on bases and dioramas.

• Apply with a dropper or applicator tip.

• Can be thinned 3:1 with Airbrush Thinner 71.161 if needed.

• Dries in approx. 24 hours. Preserves tones and textures.

👉 Apply by capillary action at the end to lock the entire surface in place.

🌊 Water Textures — Realistic Water Effect Gels

Thick gels in a range of tones to simulate deep water, waves, currents, puddles, and calm surfaces. Apply with a brush or palette knife, and build up in layers.

• Pacific Blue 26.203: tropical waters with great depth over dark bases.

• Atlantic Blue 26.204: characterful ocean tones, perfect for waves and open seas.

• Mediterranean Blue 26.202: Mediterranean hues, ideal for historical coastal scenes or urban waterfront settings.

• Still Water 26.235: transparent, self-levelling water effect for calm, flat water surfaces.

• Transparent Water 26.201: clear gel for ripples, currents, and moving water surfaces.

• Stagnant Water 26.220: green gel for swamps and standing water.

• Brown Water 26.222 / River Water 26.224: brown gels for murky rivers and muddy puddles.

• Muddy Water 26.221: dense brown tone for churned, turbid water.

• Foam 26.231: high-density white paint for wave crests and foam effects (apply with a brush, dry brush, or sponge).

Tip: You'll achieve greater depth by applying the gels over a dark base and working in layers (12–24 hours between coats depending on thickness).

🟤 Ground & Thick Mud Textures — Mud and Dense Pastes

Designed for muddy terrain, urban environments, and vehicles.

• Light Brown Mud 26.810 and Brown Mud 26.811: earthy clay browns in different intensities.

• Dark Mud 26.218 / European Mud 26.807 / Russian Mud 26.808: dark tones with traces of vegetation (depending on reference) for wet environments.

• Black Mud 26.812 / Industrial Mud 26.809: greys and blacks for urban/industrial settings.

• White Pumice 26.212 / Coarse Pumice 26.213: dense textures for relief and rocky surfaces.

• Grey Sand 26.215: adhesive sand for dunes, non-slip surfaces, corrosion, or rust effects.

Sets & Collections: There are sets available for wet mud and puddles (e.g., Mud & Puddles 73.189) that combine several complementary textures.

🧪 Safety and Regulations

Diorama FX complies with European standards and ASTM D-4236 for art materials. Labels include warnings and usage precautions.

🧰 How to Choose and Combine (Quick Guide)

1. Define your biome: desert, forest, urban, volcanic, coastal…

2. Choose your base texture (Earth/Landscape or Mud) and the grain size according to your scale.

3. Layers and shading: add stones, gravel, pigments, or airbrushing for variation.

4. Seal by capillary action with Terrain Fixer.

5. Water and foam: apply Water Textures in layers and finish with Foam 26.231.

6. Drying times: allow 12–24 hours between coats to avoid cracking or milky residue.

🧪 Mini Step-by-Step — Deep Water Effect (Summary)

1. Dark base coat (paint) to build depth.

2. Layer 1 of gel (e.g., Pacific Blue 26.203).

3. Layers 2–3 to build optical depth (allow to dry between coats).

4. Shape waves/currents with a flat brush.

5. Add Foam 26.231 to crests and shorelines.

🔗 Useful Links (Mr Resin Categories)

• Diorama FX Vallejo

• Painting Auxiliaries

• Varnishes

• Primers

• Brushes

• Airbrushes

• Paint Sets

🏁 Conclusion

With Diorama FX you can take your dioramas to the next level: believable terrain, water effects with real depth, and mud textures that look genuinely realistic. Mix references, work in layers, and seal everything properly for long-lasting results.

👉 Explore the full range at Mr Resin and start your next project today.

✨ Happy Printing & Happy Painting! 🚀