snow bases for gaming

Corvus

Corvus

New member
I have read about several techniques to create snow bases: salt, baking powder, etc. But IMO these aren\'t very suitable for gaming miniatures, because it can be rubbed off easily.

So I need something stronger, and something I can put a layer of varnish over. I was thinking of applying putty and painting that white (shaded a bit with light blue), but I don\'t think that will even look remotely realistic :)

other suggestions?

Thanks!

-Gerrie.
 
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gilibran

New member
Have to quote myself :innocent:

\"Try out No-Fire Snow by DUNCAN Ceramics or SNOW-TEX by Decoart.
These nontoxic, nonfired self-sealing paste makes realistic snow and textured effects over finished pieces. These product can be used on nearly everything. Fast and easy and most important highly controllable.

http://www.duncanceramics.com/ceramics/products/product.asp?ID=5224&SID=8


Alternatively you can make snow the following way:
One layer of plaster of paris over the areas to be covered with thick snow. When the plaster was dry it was painted over with thinned white PVA glue. At last some layers of white marble powder have been added and fixed with aerosol varnish. Ask your local tombstonemaker for white marble powder...
Instead of white marble powder you can use baking soda or the powder from sanded down plaster of paris.\"


Michael
 
Corvus

Corvus

New member
Originally posted by gilibran
Instead of white marble powder you can use baking soda or the powder from sanded down plaster of paris.\"
Click to expand...

Sounds good, but won\'t this powder be rubbed off when gaming?

Thanks Michael!
 
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gilibran

New member
Originally posted by Corvus
Sounds good, but won\'t this powder be rubbed off when gaming?

Thanks Michael!
Click to expand...

First, this depends on how rough you handle you miniatures.
But to solve the problem, you can use a PVA glue which is drying up very hard.
I usually use -Ponal Express-, don´t if this is available in your country.
Furthermore you can use a \"hard\" varnish on the powder.
But these are just some alternatives...

For gaming purposes I would recommend the pastes offered by Duncan or DecoArt (
http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Snow-Tex).

google for decoart snow

Michael
 
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kittykat23uk

New member
The way I do snow was described in the other recent thread about snow. I think this method would be very suitable for your gaming pieces because mixing woodland scenics snow into a paste with PVA means that it sets really solid so will not rub off. :D

Regards

Kat
 
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Taer

New member
I have a daemon army with snow bases (pics will be up when I get around to taking them) done with Baking soda. The baking soda won\'t come off if you varnish it.:flip::bouncy:
 
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ahmacrom

New member
snow bases

You can use Marble dust.I asked my local
bathroom cabinet store for some dust when they cut counter tops.It has that \"morning sparkle sun snow\"look to it.
It also adds to the price of a painted miniature.\"Yes that\'s white marble there.\"
Very stable and durable too.
 
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Kith

New member
Originally posted by kittykat23uk
The way I do snow was described in the other recent thread about snow. I think this method would be very suitable for your gaming pieces because mixing woodland scenics snow into a paste with PVA means that it sets really solid so will not rub off. :D

Regards

Kat
Click to expand...

PVA... oh yeah is that white glue or elmer\'s here in the states?
 
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Taer

New member
Originally posted by Kith
PVA... oh yeah is that white glue or elmer\'s here in the states?
Click to expand...

Yes, yes it is. Or you could buy the $5 bottle of Elmers GW tries to sell you because PVA is to exotic a word for us Americans to know what the hell they are babbling about.:mad:
 
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Kith

New member
Yeah I think we need a lexicon of british - american, american - british (or other languages) of mini terms. That would keep people from shelling out $5 on white glue.
 
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Duncan106

New member
Something that works for snowbases is if you take really fine sand, glue it on, paint it white and then shade it with blue. Worked for my guys
 
Chrispy

Chrispy

Active member
My method is to bluid up mounds for deeper snow with a paste called Snowtex (must use wet instruments and going over it with a wet brush helps) and then I put some white powder on it that is used to simulate upholstry in model cars. This can also be put on other bases to look like melting snow. Someone once used flaked of stryofoam on their base of a fiary, I think it was Drodo, and the effect was very striking. I\'m getting kinda sick of the Gingerbread Frosting GW is pushing on everyone nowadyas...
 
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supervike

Super Moderator
I like this idea...

Originally posted by ahmacrom
You can use Marble dust.I asked my local
bathroom cabinet store for some dust when they cut counter tops.It has that \"morning sparkle sun snow\"look to it.
It also adds to the price of a painted miniature.\"Yes that\'s white marble there.\"
Very stable and durable too.
Click to expand...

This seems to be a really good idea and I would like to try it. The sparkly sun snow would be very neat, but just curious, how does the local counter top dealer react when you come in with such a strange request?
 
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Grumbold Ironbrow

Guest
Snow-Tex by DecoArt

Originally posted by gilibran
Have to quote myself :innocent:

\"Try out No-Fire Snow by DUNCAN Ceramics or SNOW-TEX by Decoart.

Michael
Click to expand...

I have to agree with Gilibran on this one. I just switched over to using Snow-Tex recently and have been very pleased with the results. I had been using the Woodland Scenics snow, which while good can take a long time to layer up where you want it thicker and does come off fairly easily. The Snow-Tex is like a granular paste that can be applied as thick or thin (just add water) as you want it and dries pretty hard. It can then be painted, sealed varnished, whatever. And it\'s pretty cheap. A 59ml container at the craft store was just a few dollars (US.)

Cheers,
Grumb :cool:
 
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kittykat23uk

New member
Originally posted by Grumbold Ironbrow
Originally posted by gilibran
Have to quote myself :innocent:

\"Try out No-Fire Snow by DUNCAN Ceramics or SNOW-TEX by Decoart.

Michael
Click to expand...

I have to agree with Gilibran on this one. I just switched over to using Snow-Tex recently and have been very pleased with the results. I had been using the Woodland Scenics snow, which while good can take a long time to layer up where you want it thicker and does come off fairly easily. The Snow-Tex is like a granular paste that can be applied as thick or thin (just add water) as you want it and dries pretty hard. It can then be painted, sealed varnished, whatever. And it\'s pretty cheap. A 59ml container at the craft store was just a few dollars (US.)

Cheers,
Grumb :cool:
Click to expand...

Grumb, how were you using the woodland scenics snow? If you just paint the base with glue and dip your model in to the snow, like you do with flock, then it will take a long tome to build up the layers and it does come off. But if you mix it with PVA into a paste you can build up nice thick areras that look really nice. then just shade the edges with ink to make it look like its melting.

Regards

Kat
 
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The Artisans Edge

Guest
Kittykat has it right. Trust me on this. Once you start using this technique you won\'t bother with the snow text. I\'ve been using this technique exstensively for almost 2 years. I started using the snow made by techstar. If you have any doubts check out my Dwarf and Chaos army on my site. They\'re all based like this.

www.artisansedge.com
 
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