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Snow effect help?


Deadman Disciple

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Almost finished with my latest build, but im having problems getting the snow effect right.

I tried the PVA+White Paint+Baking Soda technique from a youtube video, using 1 equal part of each in the mix, but I couldnt get the crusty consistency when it dried.

My wife suggested that I use the grass powder I have spare from my Munster House & paint it white, but im not sure if the grass will come loose (once dried) as I dab the white paint down with my brush.

Im thinking about trying again with the baking soda, but using a lot more this time & I might also try the grass with the white paint on a bit of card later on.

Any other tips?

Cheers in advance,

Wayne.

Edited by Deadman Disciple
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Don't add white paint to the PVA/bicarbonate of soda mix! That will ruin the sparkly crystal effect of the bicarb.

Another way for snow on the ground is to use hairspray & sprinkle the bicarb straight over. That's what I did in my 1/72 King Tiger dio

IMG_20141106_183241.jpg

Cheers

Patrick

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Thats gone down really well on your KT Dio, thats pretty much what I wanted on my dio.

You were right, the paint did tone down the effect when it dried.

I'll pick up some hairspray from poundland OMW home from work.

Cheers,

Wayne.

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I had a little practice with the hairspray & bicarb on a microwave pizza card box last night & it worked a treat.

So I will be using that on my Star Wars dio.

Cheers & thanks again.

Wayne.

Edited by Deadman Disciple
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Whilst the bicarb looks nice, I wouldn't dream of using it, and certainly not on its own. Bicarb is anhydrous and it will gradually soak up moisture from the atmosphere, giving off carbon dioxide, swelling up, and breaking down.

The best method would be to use PVA and lots and lots of very fine sand. It's only the surface you want looking like snow, what's underneath doesn't matter. So you can build up drifts/banks/piles of snow using polyfilla or whatever, then coat with PVA, then sprinkle your sand over it. Allow to fully dry. Paint flat white. Dry brush with gloss white. Maybe apply the odd brown wash in cavities, or yellow washes around where the dogs have been....

Regards,

Badder

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I'm with Deanflyer.....The Precision Ice & Snow product is probably the most convincing I've seen. :coolio:

It's the best I've seen as well, IF you don't mind spending a shovelful of dosh on the stuff.

I'll spend money on realistic water, cos there's not really any homemade option other than using real water! But there are cheaper ways of doing snow. I will be doing a snow and ice diorama in the not-to-distant future (a Tiger 1 late in a snowy forest and frozen pond scene) so I am currently doing research on the 'how to'. I didn't know about the bicarb washing-up liquid and PVA thing until today. That looks quite good too.

Regards,

Badder.

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  • 6 months later...

Thanks for the mention guys!

It might seem expensive but suprisingly a little can go an awful long way.. The trick is to use it sparingly, or build up your landscape a smuch as possible beofre creating drifts and similar effects.

Because our material has scale weight, it will settle beneath and between grasses etc.

Like in this 1/76th Orchard

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and with more cover...........

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Or will settle on top of grasses and foliage........

Diorama%20Idea%20-%20No%20ice_zpsoehb0uh

It all depends on how you use it, but at this level of cover the cost should not be an issue and you could treat countless dio's with one bag of refill 115g's

Remember the material is only limited by the imagination of the user and is interactive and intuitive to use with as many adhesives and scenarios you care to mention.

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+1 for Precision Snow and Ice. Since i have used it, i keep wanting to make models on a snowy background. It's really easy to use and works well. A little goes a long way too

Andy

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Many years ago before the advent of 'all seeing camera lenses' I used plain flour .

It worked OK for the photographs but never considered making in permanent so cant suggest a permanent solution but that shown about looks really convincing.

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