What is foamboard? Guys I have ALOT of questions about dioramas.

[DARTH_SKELETOR]

I need to know some things about Foamboard guys

1)what is it?

2)can i get it at wal-mart?

3)is it paitible?
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Also, what else to you use for dioramas? What is paster? Do you make it, or does it come as is? If you make it, please tell me how!

Anything else I should know before getting into the world of making dioramas?????

[dirtybones]

You can pretty much use anything you want when you make your dioramas. I use all kinds of around the house materials for mine. Instead of using plaster try the old fashion flour and water mixture. You would be surprised how good it works for all your creations.
You just have to look at your dioramas as your creation, What I mean by that is what ever you put into it your going to get out of it. Good luck.

[DARTH_SKELETOR]

I have heard of the flour and water thing, but never done it. Is there anything to it? I mean, just put flour in some water, nothing else? That dont seem like it would harden very good I want them to last.

[ACPin]

That's the spirit! Hoping you'll be able to keep it up for your projects in the future.

Now to your Qs.

1)what is it? Foamcore or foamboard is the material used by scale modelers for architectural firms. As such, a lot of diorama creators also use it (me included). It's comes mostly in white but you can get it in a variety of colors which can easily cost twice as much. It also comes in varying thickness from 1/4" up to 1". You could just as easily use the used cardboard boxes instead of this though it may not be as flexible for your needs.

2)can i get it at wal-mart?
Probably, though they may have less variety than a hobby shop or an arts and crafts store (like Michael's or Rag Shop). I generally wait when they a sale on it and then stock up on it.

3)is it paintible?
Yes, you can paint it since it's really nothing more than a thick cardboard on both ends with a foam sandwiched between. Hence the name foamcore/foamboard.

Also, what else to you use for dioramas? What is plaster? Do you make it, or does it come as is? If you make it, please tell me how!
Plaster or plaster of paris is used for sculpting or making busts and what not. You can also buy this from the arts and crafts stores (could be expensive). If you know how to do papier mache, it would be a cheaper alternative. Then there's the homemade recipes like what dirtybones mentioned.

Anything else I should know before getting into the world of making dioramas?????
Patience and persistence, attention to detail and have fun while you're at it. Or try the easy way and just print the backgrounds and then stand up your figs in front. Not as much fun of actually having a structure for your figs to display, but it's a start.

Lastly, try doing some scene that you like in a small scale first. Just to get your feet wet and then proceed with bigger projects. When you're done with them, keep us posted and also show us the pics. Good luck!