How to create realistic snow

[frank mack]

I am carving a northern cardinal and want to put in a snow setting.Does anyone have suggestions on how i can get a realistic texture to the snow. There will be snow on branches with berries as well as on the ground. Any help is appreciated.
frank

[Robson Valley]

There used to be push-button cans of spray-on snow for window decoration. Theatrical productions of The Nutcracker use a shredded plastic which might be too coarse for your application. I suggest you look into the suppliers of art materials for model railroad landscapes.

[frank mack]

thanks will check on railroad supplies

[Orygoner]

I attended a workshop at the Lincoln City Carvers show on the Oregon Coast this past weekend. Judy Caldwell, a very good Oregon carver, put on a demo on habitat. Mostly it covered lichens, moss, etc, but she also touched on snow. She was working on a Snow Leopard lying on a snow covered rock at her booth during the show. The technique that she had settled on for her snow is to buy some "glitter foam". I'm sure that's not exactly the right product terminology but would be in the ball park. She breaks that into chunks and puts it into an old blender to create small particles that she glues onto the habitat surfaces that she wants to snow covered. The finer particles come from high speed blending and longer blending times.

I have no doubt that I'm giving very inadequate information here, but maybe it's a start for you. Her snow scenes look very, very good.

[Orygoner]

Here's another thought for you. I am including a link to a website created by the late Ed Walicki. The link should take you to a page he has labeled, "tips and tricks". Much of it relates to fish, but about mid-way down is an essay on creating a sand bottom (as in stream bottom) habitat. I think there might be some useful information in this essay for you.

Fish Carving Tips and Tricks

[Claude]

Lynn has mentioned a few times in his blogs how he does snow. OutWestWoodCarving Just look through the archived blogs.

Claude

[Merle Rice]

I got a Jar from Target, It's called,(Snow-Tex ). Water Based and when day it's hard as a rock. Looks good also. Merle

[decoysales]

Go to Van Dykes taxidermy supplies. I have made several carvings with snow scenes it is artifical snow. You put Elmers glue where you want to put the snow at then sprinkle the artificial snow on it. When the glue dries it is clear and the snow looks like the real stuff. Also if you want to add ice sickles cut small pieces of plexiglass and heat it up with a propane torch to look like melted ice.


http://www.decoysales.com

[BlueCrab]

I have recently completed a miniature Cardinal on habitat with snow. I used the snow habitat material available from Blue Ribbon Bases. It is similar (or the same) as that mentioned in the post immediately above, applied with Elmer's glue. I don't have a good photo yet, but will post it when I get one. My one worry is how much of a "dust catcher" the snow will be.

[frankieg]

Hi, I did the same thing when I carved a male cardinal winter 2011. I walked in a dollar store and picked up a bag of artificial `shredded snow`. Dropped a couple of sunflower seeds and it turned out alright, I believe. If you care to see the finished mounted cardinal, let me know.