I did some tests recently to create realistic snow for my KV-1 diorama. I’ve made a simple diorama with left over bits and pieces to try different solutions.
So far I have tried the following products to simulate snow:
- Woodland scenic soft flake snow SN140
- Vallejo Environment snow (73.820)
- Citadel snow
- Baking soda
To make it stick to the diorama, I have used:
- white glue (and yellowish construction “white” glue too)
- hairspray
- semi-gloss varnish (liquid)
- matt varnish (spray)
As for now, I am stuck and here’s why:
- Woodland scenic snow seems too grainy to my liking at 1/35th scale when sprinkled. Mixed with glue or liquid varnish, it is better and looking like melting snow, but still too grainy to my liking.
- Vallejo Environment snow is even worst: Way to bright and way too chunky to look realistic at 1/35. It may be better suited for miniature basing but I certainly would’nt cover a fine 1/35th model with that stuff.
- Citadel snow look good from a distance, but when you look closer you understand that it is not a powder but tiny white… fibers! Not realistic at all…
- Baking soda? Not really… The best result I achieved was with baking soda sprinkled on a fresh coating of matt varnish (hairspray works fine too, with similar looking results). The effect looks really like soft, smooth snow that just fell on things in a very cold environment (I am from Canada: I know the stuff!). But the problem is that, from what I read on many web sites and forums, baking soda tends to get yellowish with time and sometimes even reacts with paint and varnish and melts in a sticky goo… Not something I want to happen on (or even near) my precious models.
Alas, no solution was satisfactory to simulate snow the way I want…
I then did some research on the net and found this company called Precision Ice and Snow (http://www.precisioniceandsnow.com/) that sells a product that seems promising to achieve the look I want. I just placed an order for their Krycell FINE snow powder. I’ll post my tests with that product as soon as I get it.
So I am now waiting for Santa to bring the white powder to me.
Yeah, I now: that last sentence sounds weird 🙂
MINIONVAULT 