Back to CoolMiniOrNot
How to make nice snow bases
Beginner
Return to article index
Rating: 9.61 Votes: 28
Views: 26461
By: NWMP
Category: General Subcategory: MiscDate: 2005-02-09 06:35:47
Equipment needed

- PVA Glue. (wood glue)
- Bicarbonate of soda.
- An empty plastic cup.
- A mixing container. (We use the tops off undercoat sprays)
- A mixing stick. (We use the wrong end of a brush, easier to clean off after)
- The base or whatever you are using it on.

This tutorial is showing the way we make snow bases. We have made this tutorial as everyone is asking me how we do it.

1. To start with, mix some bicarbonate and PVA in your mixing container until you get a thick gritty paste (you may need to add some water after to keep it a bit moist)




2. Once you have the gritty paste sorted you are now up to the fun part. Using the mixing stick, apply the paste to the base (or whatever you want to put it on) and try to be random with it.




3. Once applied to the area, take the base and using the empty cup sprinkle bicarbonate over all of the area where you have applied the paste (so that the cup catches the excess bicarbonate). You will end up with something like this.




4. Now leave it to dry overnight and then you are ready to paint the side of the base (whatever colour you like) and then spray it with your favourite sealer (purity seal satin is the best we have found for it) and you are done!!


Here is a finished model of ours.




Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any questions then please contact us at nwmp01@yahoo.co.uk


NWMP
Lady Kito
04 August 08
Rating: 10
this article is good but DONT USE BAKING SODA ever!!! it gets yellow over time, really, it's a bad long-term solution

Rash Ktah
22 April 08
Rating: 10
Brilliant! Must... do... snowbases...

bardh
25 February 08
Rating: 10
i like it

yack
28 August 06
Rating: 9
Greatacular!!!!!! Now to put it on the base of a night goblin
I got free with WD!
(God Bless those night goblins)...

Dark Seraphim
01 May 06
Rating: 8
Lovely... but it just aint working for me! After I sprinkle the base, it bubbles up like crazy! If I leave it to dry over night, next day it crumbles and I'm left with something that doesn't look like snow... Could you tell me what I'm doing wrong here ?!

Da Mighty Camel
03 February 06
Rating: 9
Great tutorial!

Dexter
21 December 05
Rating: 10
awsome

Ste
01 December 05
Rating: 10
clever!

Joey joe joe
14 November 05
Rating: 10
great - i've always wanted to do cool snow bases without shelling out $$$ for snow flock type stuff. I'm going to go try it right now...

Lareon
24 September 05
Rating: 10
Very Nice!
I use it for my minia, thanks! ^__^

SerioN
29 August 05
Rating: 10
I must have done sumthing wrong cuz my snow "breaks" all the time. Just a small touch and it can crumble

fmargem
07 August 05
Rating: 8
great effect, but donīt you think that the minis are a bit too clean? Have they arrived ther in a helicopter?

bayrodney
23 June 05
Rating: 10
VERY NICE!! simply wicked

gremlare
01 June 05
Rating: 10
So simple and so effective. Brillant.

Cill Chainnigh
22 March 05
Rating: 10
Excellent tutorial! How is it to shape, say like if I wanted to create snow drifts? TIA.

dumpass
01 March 05
Rating: 9
simple but cool

Antenociti
21 February 05
Rating: 8
""- PVA Glue. (wood glue)""

Just a little note that "wood glue" is in fact aliphatic resin or "yellow glue" which dries yellow. It IS a PVA emulsion type of glue but the fact it dries yellow will make your snow yellowish (could be useful but lets not go there).

PVA glue without any filler (or with a white filler) will dry clear (or white) and is probably what you mean.

Thought that might help stop people getting it wrong by using (yellow) "wood glue" and wondering why it looks like Santa took a leak on their snow base.

theeo123
16 February 05
Rating: 10
Bicarbonate of Soda is infact baking Soda,
for those of the scientific nature, I've oincluded a link with morei nfo about it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicarbonate_of_soda

fratellitekken
15 February 05
Rating: 10
so simple!incredible!

Nilgar
15 February 05
Rating: 10
Thx very much, for two years I fight with a sugar on a transparent glue and seek for a better way. I will try

Shadzar
14 February 05
Rating: 10
darn its so simple its too hard!

great now i just got to practice it and apply it to 200 bases that already have space wolves glued to them.

WurzagUdUraZahuba
12 February 05
Rating: 10
Bicarbonate soda is just baking soda right (anybody)? I have been trying snow bases for some time now but the snow keeps turing out grey and brown when I put the snow on top of paint.. I will try your method instead.

spike 92
12 February 05
Rating: 10
nice, i really like the simplicity of it all

Klute
12 February 05
Rating: 10
Easy to follow,great pics,great results.

RoninXiC
12 February 05
Rating: 9
Like it
Quite simple but still effective

You are not logged in.
If you would like to leave a comment and don't have an account, please signup.
You'll get access to Vote tracking so you will never see the same miniature twice (unless you want to) and many other enhancements to your browsing experience.

Start voting!
Menu
Home
Browse gallery
Top 10
Top 50 Artists
Top Last 7 days
Competition Gallery
Recent Auctions
Account Functions
Member Login
Sign-up

Get an account for:
-Vote Tracker
-Theme Manager
-Comments
-Forums
-Messages
-Shouts
Signup Now!
Community
Articles
Forums
Blogs
Advertise
Supporters
CoolMiniOrNot Shop
News
FAQ
Contact Us
Submit News
Statistics

Search images


eg. "Confrontation"

the id of the picture
Recent Articles
Bone-colored Cryx bonejack, step by step
- Pate5 24-10
Nurgle Armor
- Aliengod3 12-8
Simple rust tutorial
- lord von braken 9-8
How to make Double Twist barbed wire
- mickc22 16-7
How to make a Lava Themed Gaming Table
- Menelker 12-6
Making Army Transport Trays for Storing Figures
- Menelker 11-6
Recently on the Forums
I need top ten help
- Hinton 21-11 10:09pm
Pimping my Troll
- wereweevil 21-11 09:54pm
looking for a mini line (have description but no name)
- jahminis 21-11 08:51pm
Anyone near Vancouver?
- Aliengod3 21-11 06:04pm
Minis, fresh from your gaming table...
- BPI 21-11 05:14pm
Nearly my 2nd Anniversary - Looking for advice and Wisdom :)
- Byronic 21-11 04:12pm
Recent Blogs
Quick update
- RevMini 21-Nov 11:53am
Cirith Ungol - next step
- Observer 20-Nov 02:05am
Inquisitorial land rader. More flatwork
- skeeve 17-Nov 07:17am
Welcome!
- CaptainAnarchy 23-Oct 09:04am
Techpriest Conversion + Sky-Earth NMM Chrome
- slobby 23-Oct 07:32am