Making Snow / Ice

[NukeMM]

I'm thinking about putting some snow on my next seaplane tender ship. I'm placing it in the water with floating ice and I've tried out baking soda on the ice, in the water. It looks pretty realistic so, I thought that I'd try some baking soda on the horizontal surfaces of the ship.

Does anyone know of any derogatory effects that baking soda might have on acrylic paint finishes? Will the soda yellow over time? Any other suggestions for snow in 1/350 scale?

[navydavesof]

I'm thinking about putting some snow on my next seaplane tender ship. I'm placing it in the water with floating ice and I've tried out baking soda on the ice, in the water. It looks pretty realistic so, I thought that I'd try some baking soda on the horizontal surfaces of the ship.

Does anyone know of any derogatory effects that baking soda might have on acrylic paint finishes? Will the soda yellow over time? Any other suggestions for snow in 1/350 scale?

Is it this kind of snow?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52W-ahfPjbg

[Russ2146]

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide It is water soluble.

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven.

I don't think you'd see snow so much as ice formed when salt water spray hits the steel of the ship.

Spray snow from the Christmas decoration store, sprayed from directly in front of the bow, towards the stern, rather than down onto the top. That way it will stick on the structure in the same way it does in the Bering Sea.

You could also check Woodland Scenics stuff at the local craft store.

Ice does a number on the hull paint too.

[ArizonaBB39]

I use baking soda for the snow in my armor dioramas and have never had a problem with it turning yellow. I would make a mixture of soda, water, and white elmers glue mixed to a thick paste. As it is drying I sprinkle more soda on top until it is dry. I like using baking soda because it wont yellow (so I've been told) and it kind of sparkles like snow. I feel it represents snow better than other expensive fake snows. I could take some pics if you'd like.

[codythecatt]

In the short term Baking Soda will remain white ... but over a period of years (10+) it will yellow. Count on it

[Russ2146]

http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics. ... item/sn140

[wefalck]

I have used 'icing' made from powder sugar and cellulose glue for snow and foam on breaking waves. More recently I replaced the cellulose glue by acrylic gel medium, though the cellulose glue has the advantage that it can be dissolved in water, if you don't like what you did. The cellulose glue I used is the one used for wallpaper, which has anti-mould agents added.

wefalck

[NukeMM]

Thank you, All! I have some great suggestions, here! I'll experiment with each one of them.

I'm glad to know that the baking soda will yellow over the years. I won't use that. It is disappointing, though, because like Abram said, ".........it sparkles.......".

[NukeMM]

Russ,

Thanks for the chemistry / cooking lesson!

I'm planning on a slow moving ship in calm water sneaking through the floating ice sheets and just a little snow, here and there, on the ship. No ice............maybe next time.

Keep the suggestions coming for this thread. Hopefully it will be useful to others in the future.

[NukeMM]

I'm thinking about putting some snow on my next seaplane tender ship. I'm placing it in the water with floating ice and I've tried out baking soda on the ice, in the water. It looks pretty realistic so, I thought that I'd try some baking soda on the horizontal surfaces of the ship.

Does anyone know of any derogatory effects that baking soda might have on acrylic paint finishes? Will the soda yellow over time? Any other suggestions for snow in 1/350 scale?

Is it this kind of snow?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52W-ahfPjbg

That made me creap out a little, Dave. Thanks!

[codythecatt]

what is it they say about 'yellow snow' ????

roflmao!

actually the reason it yellows is that baking soda is very chemically active with it's surrounding atmoshere. If it were kept in a hermetically sealed container it would probably only gain a small bit of color ... but otherwise it just 'sucks up' all the nasty junk in the air and discolors.

[Timmy C]

Would a layer or several of varnish be enough to seal in the soda?

[codythecatt]

it might ... but wouldn't that just 'melt' the 'snow' and ruin the effect?

[wefalck]

I would stay away from anything that can react easily with the atmosphere. Soaking the baking soda will kill some of the powder effect.

wefalck

[Cliffy B]

For ice on a ship I've seen white glue painted white and then gloss coated. Looks fairly good to me.

I did a small dio with a U-boat sailing through some broken surface ice. I took 0.5mm thick styrene, cut into odd shapes, pressed them into the wet acrylic gel medium and then spread modeling paste (thick and opaque) over it (with a palette knife and left an irregular surface) and then painted with bright white acrylic. It didn't look half bad to me at least Made a chunk of land out a piece of Styrofoam the same way.

Granted that was all in 1/700.

[JIM BAUMANN]

Hi Carl!


sorry to weigh in late....

I used in my Krassin Icebreaker =- 1/700 scale-- Windsor and newton acrylic white medium matt fine ground

all images here:

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... /index.htm



here is a brutally large ( remember its 1/700!!! ) photo showing a really close up of the snow effects...
on boat-covers, swept and cleared walkways on deck etc etc

click below on link

and then click on the image again to enlarge biiig!


http://www.modelshipgallery.com/galler ... in_018.jpg


hope it is of help or interest.

[drdoom1337]

you could always use plaster of paris for the ice around the ship. then grind some up, or just wack a sheet of it with a hammer. Then sprinkle the dust into certain spots coated with future as an adhesive? A good alternative for the wet kind of snow is the craft snow flakes mixed with some water and dish detergent and a drop or two of white glue for adhesion

[codythecatt]

Jim,
that is some mighty fine looking snow!!!

[NukeMM]

For ice on a ship I've seen white glue painted white and then gloss coated. Looks fairly good to me.

I did a small dio with a U-boat sailing through some broken surface ice. I took 0.5mm thick styrene, cut into odd shapes, pressed them into the wet acrylic gel medium and then spread modeling paste (thick and opaque) over it (with a palette knife and left an irregular surface) and then painted with bright white acrylic. It didn't look half bad to me at least Made a chunk of land out a piece of Styrofoam the same way.

Granted that was all in 1/700.

Thanks for this tip, Mike. I think my dio will have a combination of effects and this might be one of them.

[NukeMM]

Hi Carl!


sorry to weigh in late....

I used in my Krassin Icebreaker =- 1/700 scale-- Windsor and newton acrylic white medium matt fine ground

all images here:

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... /index.htm



here is a brutally large ( remember its 1/700!!! ) photo showing a really close up of the snow effects...
on boat-covers, swept and cleared walkways on deck etc etc

click below on link

and then click on the image again to enlarge biiig!


http://www.modelshipgallery.com/galler ... in_018.jpg


hope it is of help or interest.

Thank you, Jim, for this great example! I'd like mine to turn out as realistic as your Krassin. The suttle effect of the snow, here and there, on the ship's surface is what I'll be trying to depct, as well.

What exactly is Windsor and newton acrylic white medium matt fine ground? At first it sounds like a brand of acrylic medium gel but, you mention "fine ground". What is it intended for originally? What type of place would I find it, here?