Snow on Bases

[Thryth]

I wanted to try snow on the bases of some miniatures on my to-do list, and I can really only shop online, so I purchased Vallejo "Foam & Snow" 26231 sight unseen. The instructions on the bottle don't make much sense to me. Does anyone know how to use this stuff? Looks like white paint to me.

If not this, does anyone have receipes for adding snow to bases?

Thanks,
Thryth

[Frustrated Father]

Never heard of the stuff but I'm sure someone on here has used it. I'm curious now. Have to go look up the stuff.

I've done snow before with elmers glue and baking soda with a touch of blue ink in the glue to give it an ice/snow look. Bought tossed the whole thing out the door too as it didn't work out the first two times, though third time was the charm, though some folks swear by it.

[Malebolgia]

Baking Soda rocks! I woudln't add the blue ink though...makes it look too much like tooth paste (and snow isn't blue...not even a teenyweeny tiny bit and I don't really believe it helps against yellowing). Some good tutorials:

http://www.dysartes.com/model/modelling/snowbase.php
http://www.drunkdwarves.com/pages/artttgttcn9snow.html
http://www.librarium-online.com/content/view/53/17/

I love Baking Soda. Works like a charm and looks great. Here are some of my own baking soda bases:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/malebolgia/WARMACHINE/mortar21.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/malebolgia/WARMACHINE/sorchas.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/malebolgia/WARMACHINE/juggernaut.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/malebolgia/WARMACHINE/graylords2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/malebolgia/WARMACHINE/butcher_finished2.jpg

[pete-h]

Yeah I do the same as the baking soda approach only I use Woodland Scenics snow instead - paranoid about rumours that the baking soda goes yellow over time and somehow yellow snow doesn't appeal.

A couple of examples using it are:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a57/pete--h/3Shot.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a57/pete--h/Silvia2-mk2.jpg

I've also experimented with the PVA-snow mixture to get a more defrosting appearence and I've also tried adding a tiny amount of white paint into the mix which has worked quite well.

Hope that helps.

[Jabberwocky]

One of the tutorials I like is over at Brushthralls.
I have only done one snow base--it was a mixture of watered down elmer's glue, baking soda and a touch of GW modeling snow. This is how mine turned out:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/Jabberwocky1169/ReaperExchange/Dwarf2viewtan.jpg

[TheMasses]

Hey Thryth,

I just bought this also but I havn't tried it yet. All I could find on it is from Vallejo's site.

About half way down the page.

http://www.ttfxmedia.com/vallejo/cgi-bin/_modelis.asp?p1=ing&p2=aguapiedra

[tidoco2222]

I have done a couple of snowy bases and I have used Baking Soda mixed in with PVA glue, mix to a paste and then add to the base while it is drying sprinkle on a bit more Baking soda, this then gives you the crystaline reflection you get on snow and makes it look that little bit more realistic.

[Frustrated Father]

When I did that all the baking powder fell off. One of the reasons why I hated working with it so much. Eventually got it to look right, but it was a chore.

[green stuff]

For those in Europe, I'd recommend Andrea Artificial Snow.

I've used it on a few minis and appreciate the different effects you can get with it (wet, heavy, fresh, powdery, ...) :

http://greenstuff.free.fr/img/Figurines/GD/2006/FR/DwarfGrandBannerBearer/DwarfGrandBannerBearerBackFinalCollage.jpg
http://greenstuff.free.fr/img/Valerie/Figurines/GW/Warhammer/Nains/GuerrierNain1/GuerrierNain1FinalWithGreenStuff.jpg
http://www.coolminiornot.com/pics/pics10/img43ebc98c704fe.jpg
http://www.coolminiornot.com/pics/pics7/img41c601d46b6d7.jpg

[EricJ]

I've used baking soda and liked the results quite a bit. My advise is don't use ancient baking soda that's been in the fridge for years, you're mini will end up smelling like old eggs! :(

[Thryth]

Thank you all for your input, links, and . Everyone's miniatures looks great, BTW. :)

I'm a little leery of using baking soda, as I do not know what will happen with it long term (discolor, break-down, etc.). I guess I will have to do some experimenting.

Thanks again for the advice and links!.