TerranScapes - Deep Snow experiments

Just an over view of some of the experiments I have been doing to develop a good deep snow technique for an upcoming project.
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[@WigWagWorkshop]

You are the Mr. Wizard of Terrain, I love how you share your experiments with us.

[@gazeebo88]

Looking forward to seeing the complete set. Instead of using the flex paste, you could try using left over plaster castings. You know, the plaster that goes over the edge of your molds. They have a nice flat bottom and the top is always unique.

[@437cosimo]

Liked this one a lot. Everything I was thinking of suggesting you covered. I am going to have to try the last one you did. Well done.

[@deathman14677]

I was thinking of doing an Iceburg table the same way, and this video helped. A suggestion for the gap between board pieces, a tape (with the same texture) or some sort of thin overhang that will conceal it. Maybe a L joint plastic card, or .010" plastic sheet over the top, it will restrict the overall different layouts needed.

[@SightlessBlind]

WGC sent me here & this video solved my method worries about how to handle this 40k winter nurgle board I am about to start. As always you do amazing work & I learn alot from your videos :)

[@Zwilliamo]

Great looking snow effects! Makes me want to try my hand at some snow terrain.

[@VingloLeClerc]

To integrate the seams between the tiles, you could do a more icy look with black cracks on the boards. You have a picture in your preview with a lot of ice and not a lot of snow. That ice had cracks on it. Or use the cracked snow look of some of the glaciers. Also in your preview images.

[@christhemodelpainter]

looking forward to seeing the final board. i am liking the testing you have done so far

[@brianblather]

Using acetate or plexi-glass sprayed with mold release and then taped flat to the edge would give you the flat 90 degree. Once the initial opposing edges are made you can butt an uncovered board against one that has been covered. The finished edge is then covered with cling wrap and sprayed with mold release. This allows you to match the edged together and not bind them to each other. The slumping actually looks fairly natural.

[@MrRLN2010]

I knew the angles would not be an absolute...Just an other tool in the box. I need to say, you do good work and are dedicated towards perfection....all good things will come with that attitude. Good luck with the air brush.

[@astreick]

Live in Winnipeg, Canada. It was -30C this week. Last one does look good, but be careful adding too much gritty texture, as snow is quite smooth in appearance. Good idea to add a blue tint underneath.

[@terrainoob]

Nicely done! I've never had anything but fits trying to do snow. Your explanation really helped this to click for me and gave me some new things to try. You had mentioned tinting some areas with translucent blue...which led me to wonder how some Liquitex Pouring Medium with a touch of light blue tint or ink would look in a snowy environment. Thanks for sharing this!

[@darttheold]

Don't know if anyone's said this or if you've tried this. But my friend uses VERY fine white sand mixed with elmers glue and gets a great snow effect. He puts a coarse black gravel like sand first then applies the sand mix. Then uses mat finish to make it stick. Don't know if this helps but thought I'd throw it out there.

[@PirexianStalker]

Awesome, thanks for sharing all your creative process. great work!

[@ParkaSpace]

I wonder if a thin, white flexible strip of something, such as the foam in furniture or a gummy plastic, could be put inside of the seams to fill in the shadow. There would still be a break in the texture, but the shadow might be less noticeable that way, and the user could just crush strips between any of the modular pieces as needed.

[@PeterAgostiniJdcap26]

Put a over lapping drift of snow over the seams, also use a fine sponge 🧽 or one with varying holes to texture your snow as well . Awesome what you have done so far 👍🏻

[@MrRLN2010]

opposing angles could help in some circumstances for a better seam. Its used in wood working for more of a concealment.

[@tibris]

i agree with dannymarashi, perhaps a modular piece to sit on the seams? a tectonic shift were the plates have slide under or on top of one another to hide the irregular heights maybe?

[@Zhool]

Very well done vid, as usual. I'm seeing in the provided example pictures a very great deal of tonal ranges in the colors. I see almost pure blacks all the way up to pure whites. I don't see you achieving this using just a modeled snow. I think what gives those example pictures the feel of desolation, sharpness and extreme cold are these wide ranges in very sharp shades and highlights. They also seem dominated by ice and not snow. Maybe that is where you are going, just my 2cents.

[@radovangjaic6039]

I love the texture of the snow! The connecting lines could be a problem, maybe make them following some naturally curved lines?

[@consistent999]

As you said in the video text, you'll need a blue undercoat to give you some contrast. Was going to suggest you use an over lap ( thinking thin plasti card ) on two sides to sort the gap issue but Jamie beat me to the punch. Looking forward to your progress.

[@dannymarashi]

Impressive snow techniques, I was thinking of how to get the seams to be flush, how about put your frozen lakes or something of that nature to hide it, or have the moving glacier look, although it will look awkward on all four sides to be glaciers but its a thought

[@MrRLN2010]

An example ...2 -45's make a 90 when when joined, but when opposing the angles they remain flat. If a 2x4 were laid flat on a chop saw table, and the blade was tilted to cut a 45, then without repositioning the now cut board they would remain 180 degrees, and therefore be opposing angles. I think, however a more subtle approach may work better for you. It's just food for thought over the 90 degree edge approach. Possibly 2 -15 degree matching or facing angles, if angles will work at all.

[@Flasdingleray]

I love the detail in your videos and seeing the whole process involved its very inspiring. That is all just had to say, thanks for the great videos :)

[@BuIIhax]

This is almost the same I ended up after a lot of experimenting.. I ended up adding caster sugar to the final sprinkling mix (1:1 or 2:1 softflake snow to caster sugar) gives it even more texture.. I spray with matt varnish..

[@TheUberGravy]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!I just recently got into Malifuax, and I was wondering how I could do some decent snow for my Rasputina crew. You just blew my idea of decent out of the water. :P Thanks again.

[@DM-ICE]

Looking forward to seeing every single step of the way! :D I would LOVE to do my own modular snow/ice board. Will you be doing a frozen river, lake and/or waterfall? :)) For the cracks between the boards I considered making some kind of rubbery (cloth perhaps, as was mentioned for some kind of rollout mats in the video with girl painting) textured strips that covers the seams. I have no idea how that would actually work though. ;)

[@jamieoliver1976]

How about on the edges use an overhanging edge to sit on top of the adjacent board? this will make less possible configurations but it might get rid of the majority of the 'shadows' in between boards

[@vladtimoftescu2919]

This will be a really cool project!

[@unkhter]

great vid, thx for sharing your experiments and thoughts on some of the progress :) the end result does create a cool snow effect :) some snowy shrubbery of snow covered bushes here and there on the edge might break up the dark seam effect between 2 boards?

[@04Stefan07]

great videos mate, love them!

[@readhistory2023]

If your having problems with bleed through when using wood based backer boards use a oil based primer not alcohol, latex, acrylic etc. Many products will claim they stop the problem but the only one I will guarantee is an oil based primer the first time, every time. Sometimes the non-oil based ones work, sometimes they don't. Any cedar bits or dust at all in the MDF/HDF material will cause a yellowish bleed through when it's painted.

[@waynesbutler]

I just want to say how much I love your channel and so glade I subbed....My channel consist of dio building and other things and I am always ready to learn more from others..oddly enough I just did a Dio base for the Man of Steel figure with a snow ice base..I used the woodland scenic paste and snow effect with good results..the paste is great stuff but takes forever to dry if its too thick..plus the cherry on the cake is the touch of blue after..I made sure I used metallic ice blue and misted it over the snow effect..The metallic adds that glitter you see in snow and the hint of blue makes it cold looking..but considering this vid is a year old I assume you are way past this project..been getting caught up on your channel..great info my new friend

[@Terranscapes]

Thank you. :) I love the misting of the snow with the metallic blue. A very nice touch. And you're right, the WS paste takes a long time to dry if its applied anywhere over 1/4" thick. It should be faster to small layers and build it up. Takes time though (and patience). ;)

[@DM-ICE]

It should say "I'm considering", I haven't made anything. ;) Would using something similar to spackle as a base instead of the flex paste be possible/cheaper?

[@alexandruss8]

Why don't you accentuate crevice between square pieces and make them naturals. Next, you create a top as an iceberg that is embed in. To the top of this "iceberg" you make a thin layer of snow.... or rocks! Then it cover the edges of the crevice. This is possible to get this shape with foam cutter tools. This will hide the horrible straight lines... oh and sorry for this crazy idea, i m just under caffeine. Love your vids!!!

[@TheStonehammerFiles]

I know this is rather old, but would't a semi-gloss be better since snow is a bit reflective>

[@Terranscapes]

No worries. This reply is rather old. :) I just went back and took a quick look at it and I think you mean to apply semi-gloss over the snow for a sheen. I think that would be pretty dependent on how 'wet' the snow is. If its experiencing melt then you can mix in semi or even full gloss medium to get a wet look. But for cold snow, it doesn't have a sheen so much as a sparkle. That is one of things the Nock flake is going for and why I like to mix it in with the WS snow. Try looking at some photos of really cold snow and I think you will see what I mean. Plus, it's always a good idea to look at real photos to guide your work. I sometimes forget to do that myself. :)

[@FlawlessSnake]

Thx for the share :O)

[@SirMeowric]

Although it's slightly different than what you're looking for, this ice board is worth checking out warseerDOTcom/forums/showthread.php?259439-The-Road-to-a-Gaming-Table

[@redgreen09]

welll thare ok noone sede it and must be sede DONT EAET THE YELLO SNOW LOL yes its the baking soda its reating as backing soda does we all seen it vinka and soda macks the vokano work thats why yello snow like sailts soda is bad it reacks with stuf and over time it tarns yello if dont paint it and got allkinds new stuf thats safer like white sirafome hekk youget stuf frome train terran manfaters enny who