Any ideas for snowy' bases...

[Silent bob]

Hi,

Has anyone any ideas for some ‘household’ material that I can use to partially ‘snow’ bases?

I’ve got some Crimean war figures for a skirmish and I’ll like to paint them in ‘winter’ look.

Things I have thought about are flour, salt, baking powder etc.

Cheers

[Dr. Zombie]

Baking soda mixed with pva glue to make a paste and then sprinkle baking soda on top.

The method I prefer for making snow bases however is to hand over my minis to Dr. The Viking and let him do it. The wait is a bit long, but in the end it is worth it. It might not be for everyone though...

[Silent bob]

Baking soda mixed with pva glue to make a paste and then sprinkle baking soda on top.

The method I prefer for making snow bases however is to hand over my minis to Dr. The Viking and let him do it. The wait is a bit long, but in the end it is worth it. It might not be for everyone though...

Thanks

[Archie]

If you are only doing a few I could send you a small bag of GW Snow ... I got some for my sons space marines but I am never going to need all of it. Happy to share.

[grant]

Woodland Scenics snow. Mix it with some white glue and water, to taste. Apply on base. Sprinkle fresh dry snow on top for a crystally snowy surface. As a Canadian, I know snow.

[SotF]

I got an army painter tub for my undead army...still have a LOT of it left over after it, and I've been slowly working my way through it. It was well worth it.

But the first major thing with snow basing is to think it through from the beginning. If you want foliage, use what fits it...a lot of stuff normally used just don't fit a winter area.

Also, an easy way to do ice is to take some old CD cases and cut it to shape and put a bit of superglue on the side you'll eventually want as down. Normally you get an almost frosted look that has that ice feel. If you're good with a knife, smaller shards of it can be cut down and positioned for icicles though you can also get the effect with clear fishing line dipped in clear resin or some glues.

[Archie]

Interesting idea with the CD cases - that's the cases not the CD's themselves right?

[Connectamabob]

I've used superglue frost before with good effects. Takes a bit of practice and care to control, but you can get a nice, powdery pure white look that way.

I know baking soda mixed with glue is popular, but I've had some bad experiences with that yellowing and going fizzy while in storage, so I can't recommend it personally. I have a bottle of glass microballoons (sold as a resin casting filler) I use for snow, and it looks aces.

Some types of clear gloss sprays give a nice crystalline-looking granulated topcoat for snow if you deliberately spray them from too far away. The trick is to find just the right distance so the spray dries in transit enough to form a powdery finish, but without drying so much that the powder will just rub off when you touch it. And of course using a clear that's non-yellowing.

I'd like to try reflective paint powder at some point. Stuffs made of tiny glass beads that are supposed to reflect light in narrow angles back to it's source. Basically the stuff the reflector stripes on bike vests and the like use. Expensive stuff, but it seems like it would have a lot of potentially interesting uses.

I also keep meaning to try some experiments with paraffin wax to simulate pond or glacier ice.

[SotF]

Interesting idea with the CD cases - that's the cases not the CD's themselves right?

Yep, the clear plastic from the cases.

[Silent bob]

Sorry for not replying to your offer, Archie, I haven't been on the forum for a few days.

I'm having second thoughts about the snow at the moment......in true wargaming fashion - the butterfly has glittered off.

I actually work in a bakery, so the baking soda is probably the best option for me (I can get the stuff by the sack full, from the chemical room).

Once again, thank you for your kind offer.