How to model a glacier?

[FifteensAway]

Wondering if there are any tutorials out there for making a glacier - in terms of the Ice Age and Stone Age modeling.  I want something that shows the icy colors below a snowy and crevassed encrusted top, maybe with some rocks being pushed along the forward base.

So, anyone know of such a tutorial?  I tried googling and some stuff but not quite what I am hoping for.

Thank you.

[snitcythedog]

Found this interesting you tube.  With a bit of ink and a couple of layers it might do a trick. 

AK also does a kit but for anything over bases it would be a bit prohibitive.  You might start with the AK kit then use other manufactures to bulk it out. 
If you want to build a wall of the stuff I would use some other material as a backing like plaster or wood painted a neutral color, make a foil mold along the visible face then pour your resin into that.  Similar to this:  https://abarothsworld.com/Tricks/monsters%20&%20minis.htm#Gelatinous%20Cube  The surface can be smoothed again using fresh resin later. 

[Pattus Magnus]

I would probably use insulation foam for the basic shape, then texture the surface. Pretty much like building a hill, except with a different colour palette.

[FifteensAway]

Thanks for the video link - have to see if I can find that product.  Curiously, the video guy's 'disappointment' actually looks pretty good for what I have in mind - as well as his 'snow' mixed cube.  Not so sure about the glitter cube - though I've used glitter quite successfully for giving a sparkle to rivers.

Definitely building a 'base' for the bulk of the project before doing the final touches.

I suspect the biggest challenge will be getting the crevasse effect I'm hoping for, something sort of like this:


Tops of glaciers are anything but 'smooth' from what I've seen.  Never actually been on one.

Major difference for me is that my glacier will be over land rather than approaching an ocean or other water body - though it might be fun to include a melt water river flowing out of the glacier. 

[snitcythedog]

Tops of glaciers are anything but 'smooth' from what I've seen.  Never actually been on one.

The top surface you are looking for might work if you poured sections of resin into crumpled up then opened aluminum foil as you can get the "crinkly" texture for the surface.  Those sections could then be applied to the base and joined with either more resin or artificial snow.  For the crevasse I would have to think a bit on that one as there would be some deep bits of detail that would no be easily replicated with traditional methods. 

Major difference for me is that my glacier will be over land rather than approaching an ocean or other water body - though it might be fun to include a melt water river flowing out of the glacier.

For the melt around the edge, you can make great slush using Woodland Scenic snow flock and gloss medium. 
If you wanted to just model a bit of it, you could do a hanging glacier like this one. 

Might not fit you are looking for but it looks pretty neat.

[DS615]

Depending on how much control you want over the effect, that uneven top could be made pretty quicky is you were to use insulation foam and spray paint it, or use a heat gun.
Both will melt the foam in very uneven ways, but you probably won't be able to control it too much.  Should work well for a completely random surface.

[Patrice]

I've been thinking about it... but not done it yet.

My idea was to use a large bit of transparent plastic / plexiglas or whatever, that they sell in large stores to make half-opaque panels in bathrooms, and glue it to a large layer of insulation foam painted white underneath; probably adding some artificial miniature snow, or perhaps bicarbonate powder, on it randomly.

[FifteensAway]

Many cool ideas so far. 

Been thinking about materials and thought about using a resin but not sure I want to tackle that for this project.  I'm thinking more along the lines of using a very smooth, but not completely smooth everywhere, type spackling compound to do the 'molding' of the shapes on the tops and fronts of a 'base frame' and then underpin with paint using various and appropriate colors for top, leading edge, deeper portions, etc.  And then, where needed, covering with tinted clear acrylic high gloss mediums.  Probably do layers of different colors of blue and green - and maybe some white, too.  Easy to freshen up over time by just cleaning the surface or adding a new layer of gloss medium.  Will also buy and experiment with that SnoWonder product in the video linked above, that might really add a bit more 'realism' to the look if not too sizeable in the granular way.

After some thought, I think I will build two pieces 24" in width with a rock formation on each outer edge and then another piece 12" in width, maybe just a rock formation but maybe some glacier showing.  This allows using at the end of either a 4' or a 5' table (pretty standard sizes in my neck of the woods for gaming tables) for the glacier.  Rock formations will definitely be higher than the glacier itself, probably highest part up to 12" high - need to make a mammoth look relatively small in comparison.

Any glacier out flow will be designed to turn sharply and exit the board near the glacier edge so as not to cover too much table or need to build too much glacier melt river.

One element that might be a little harder to pull off is to include something like a trapped mammoth visible inside the glacier.  That would be pretty cool and quite a showpiece.  I think that might be done by using a hollow space inside the frame to hold the animal with a small bit of plexiglass to cover it, or some thing clear, maybe with some fill inside the cavity once the body is in place.  Going to also have to hunt some mammoth bones in 15 mm - or maybe just elephant bones and model much larger tusks, probably have to hunt in the 3D world for something in 15 mm.

(Uh-oh, just started thinking in terms of a tar pit too.  That would be easier.)

Now I have to find appropriately sized cheap mammoths to 'sacrifice' for some of my wilder thinking here!  . If you know of anything, by all means, let me know.

[edit: Went ahead and ordered some mammals - including one in a tar pit - from MY Miniatures to use as 'sacrificial' models.  One will be inside the glacier, one will be a dead animal, and one I will try and modify to be in a pit trap (saw one here on LAF) or maybe dead from being driven over a cliff.  Got three more to use as younger animals.   And the tar pit one.  Also got three rearing cave bears.  These are adds to an existing order - hopefully!  Means more animals to paint and some extra modeling but I like that side of the hobby so no great shakes.  Does delay getting started perhaps since I like to have everything at hand when I get going - especially so I can paint all the animals at one go so they match up better.  Maybe just work on other elements, like the tribes of humans until arrival.  Well, once I clear some other non-hobby stuff off my plate.]

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

I don't know if this will help? It's a photo of the Khumbu Glacier I took in 2006. Seen here, the glacier is flowing away from Everest. I wonder if you could model the surface with tin foil?

[modelwarrior]

Not sure if this is helps? I made this a few years back from polystyrene, woodland scenics snow and some blue paint. It 28mm Infinity scale wise.

[modelwarrior]

Trying to get the water matching the background was interesting

[modelwarrior]

I used  quiet a lot of flex paste as well.

[FifteensAway]

Mad Lord, yes, that is essentially the top texture I will be looking for - though perhaps with a deeper crevasse or two.  In 15 mm, I think I can get that effect using the right sized brush on the sparkling compound by stippling.  The biggest concern would be fragility.

Modelwarrior, thanks for those photos.  And I'd guess matching the background photo took a few tries to get right.

[Cacique Caribe]

Wow, awesome ideas. 

I have two or three bands of Neanderthals (Copplestone “Picts”) and modern human types, and FOR YEARS I have been wondering how to add the edge of a glacier on one corner of the board.

Thanks

Dan
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=72355

[Vanvlak]

For the crevasses (and the rest) I'd recommend a rigid foam modified with a soldering iron. Do this outside, or at an open window, due to the fumes. Works a treat.