How to make simple snow for suspension and armor

the_doog · January 31, 2015, 10:36am

“DisasterMaster” Steve also posted this mini-tutorial in my other thread, so I’ve copied it here to add to the wealth of knowledge and techniques presented in this thread. THANKS, STEVE!! [t$t]

Steve,

That’s a killer presentation! I love how the snow is all chewed up! Very cool model! How did you do the snow?

Thank you doog.

That was done back in the stone ages before there was a local hobby shop around here or internet connections.

What I did was find a old 12" x 12" plaque at the salvage store, mask off the area to be covered and did it in the image on the box top, which was all snow.

!http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mI7EdTGMWHmd-1oxCw50L0g.jpg

Even when you’re standing in real snow (1/1 scale) it’s nearly impossible to see any grain or texture in it so I opted to use (old school) wall joint compound. In my opinion there would not be ANY texture in 1/35 scale snow. So I laid down a nice even layer and pressed the tank treads into it repeatedly to get a nice tread trail going.

!http://static.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/YaBBImages/avatars/Muppets_-_Cookie_Monster.gifThen,

I sat the tank aside and built up more layers of the joint compound but left the track impression area untouched as it was imprinted with the tracks. This will give the effect of a deep snow trail.

!http://www.picgifs.com/icon-graphics/sesame-street/cookie-monster/icon-graphics-cookie-monster-942296.gifAnd Then,

Take a soft small 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide flat brush and dip it in a container of water and wipe over the snow to contour and smooth it out like fresh fallen snow. You can do this repeatedly until you like how it looks - you can even come back the next day, wet it again and carry on since this stuff can be re-hydrated many times over.

!http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs27/f/2008/100/b/4/cookie_monster_by_dracoluvr.jpgAnd then, and THEN…

After placing the tank into the track pattern you can add small snow areas onto/into the track in the same manner. The churned up look is from small dried pieces of the compound inside the container. You strategically put the chunks (don’t wet the chunks, gee that sounds bad) into position after wiping the wet brush across the snow surface, placing them and letting them dry in place. For all reasonable handling they will stay in place after the wet surface dries. It’s been 24 years now and it’s still all together but dusty.

By the way, don’t forget to mangle those clumps into the running gear too.

The only thing I did different with the icicles was to attach them with elmers glue instead of C/A to let gravity hang them properly in relation to the stance of the vehicle as the glue slowly dried; they aren’t heavy enough to fall from the glue. You can also gently tease them out with white glue after they have completely dried in place.

Well Karl, hope this explains it well enough… if it doesn’t, just let me know.

!http://www.smilys.net/smiley_generator/smilies/smiley_000772523_3.png

M_Brindos · January 31, 2015, 12:46pm

Thanks doog.

It’s what I do at Gennesis Models for my guys there. We have an extremely helpful bunch of mates over there and we pride ourselves on our spirit of cooperation. So this is nothing new to me.

I does look I can learn a lot from you however, so I will be paying attention.

the_doog · January 31, 2015, 3:45pm

Thanks too, Mike! I’ll have to check your site out when I get a few minutes to spare. I have a lot of tutorials and threads up on this site–I"ve been here since 2007–so feel free to look som of them up in the Search feature and pick through them.

You sound like exectly the kind of guy we love to have around here, too!

M_Brindos · January 31, 2015, 3:47pm

I hope so lol. Thanks again doog.

Gamera · January 31, 2015, 6:10pm

Karl, Mike, DM: Thanks guys!!! I’m hoping to use some of your techniques soon- thanks for the help!

M_Brindos · January 31, 2015, 6:15pm

If you choose to try the baking soda remember to test it out on scraps first. I have not ever tested any of my solutions with other bands other than the one’s I’ve listed and I do not know how they will react with other brands of paints, glue, or solvents.

Karl has the right of it. You should use non reactive materials if you have the option.

Gamera · February 3, 2015, 8:07am

Thanks Mike, I do have a big bottle of the Woodland Scenics stuff so I’m planning on using that but it’s nice to have an alternative solution.

Bucksco · February 3, 2015, 8:30am

I used baking soda on a Marder III. It looked great for a year or two and then it turned yellow with age. I never used it again because nothing looks worse than “yellow snow”…

Vladimir · February 4, 2015, 1:20am

in this article modeller has used soda and it looks grate and i guess it’s not yellow now

the_doog · February 4, 2015, 7:11am

…just wait until it starts to attract bugs…they like to eat it.

Thanks for adding to the discussion, Bucksco! [:)]

the_doog · February 4, 2015, 7:30am

The model was also photographed immediately after completion, so the photos would only reflect a brand-new, fresh coating of baking soda. We have no idea what the model looks like now, and in any case, it usually takes a year or two for the soda to start to degrade. [:S]

udel09 · February 4, 2015, 10:32pm

Doog, Thanks for the tips! Using your technique I was able to update one of my older builds.

disastermaster · February 7, 2015, 5:51am

Hey,

with that snow camo it looks pretty !http://www.brooonzyah.net/vb/images/smilies/wrong.gif

DUSTER · February 10, 2015, 5:58pm

Dang! That looks COLD