Suggestions please for how to make it look like a snowing effect

I am going for a snow storm effect paint job on one of my rockets.
What I envision is to have a bunch of white individual dots to make up the snow flakes.
I have tried applying white spray paint directly on with a stencil I made by poking a bunch of holes in paper using a pin and the sharp point of a compass. It didn't work.
I suppose I could try painting on the dots themselves by hand or using chalk or a white pencil.
Before doing so, would anyone have any ideas using the spray paint?
Thanx in advance for any replies.

You could try dipping a tooth brush in paint, and running your finger through the bristles so it splatters paint in little drops. I'm not sure if it will be the effect you are envisioning though.

rc dude said:

You could try dipping a tooth brush in paint, and running your finger through the bristles so it splatters paint in little drops. I'm not sure if it will be the effect you are envisioning though.

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That also works well for creating random starscapes.

rc dude said:

You could try dipping a tooth brush in paint, and running your finger through the bristles so it splatters paint in little drops. I'm not sure if it will be the effect you are envisioning though.

Click to expand...

Any suggestion is appreciated.

I'll try it out on a different background before doing it to the rocket itself. Like on another tube or board.
And I take it that I shouldn't use the toothbrush for my teeth after using it with paint. Unless I want to add poison to what I digest? :dark:

There are nontoxic paints out there

LaunchPad said:

I am going for a snow storm effect paint job on one of my rockets.
What I envision is to have a bunch of white individual dots to make up the snow flakes.
I have tried applying white spray paint directly on with a stencil I made by poking a bunch of holes in paper using a pin and the sharp point of a compass. It didn't work.
I suppose I could try painting on the dots themselves by hand or using chalk or a white pencil.
Before doing so, would anyone have any ideas using the spray paint?
Thanx in advance for any replies.

Click to expand...

Well There are a bunch of ways "Crafters" simulate snow or snow covered scenes on all kinds of substrates, even body tubes. One is available at Micheal's called something like Snowflux or SnoTex or something like that. It's sort of like soft fluffy spackle but very light weight, about the consistancy of creamcheese. it is spread with a pallet knife of flat blade of just about any type. Then pat to desired fluff making the texture you want. once it drys (overnight) it can be painted, or clear coated to seal the surface from finger prints and dirt.

I think you need to have snow falling into piles of snow or a winter scene at the bottom of the rocket. Just a bunch of white dots will look like... just like a bunch of white dots. You need to give the viewer context. Snow falling onto piles of snow or a winter scene will let the viewer see that the white dots are really snow flakes.

Im hating snow at this point. In fact, its SNOWING NOW at me house. IT WONT END AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Certain doilies work too for masking snow flakes.

You may can try your stencil again but this time use masking tape instead of paper. Put the tape on wax paper and punch your holes. Peel off the tape and transfer it to your rocket.

--OR--

You may can use a sponge, either natural or manufactured. It would create a more random effect and wouldn't be all white dots. I have used to em to texture walls and ceilings but nothing small scale like a rocket. There are a few ways you can try it. But try it on a scrap piece of something first, primed cardboard is usually my test area, or a plastic bucket. I would suggest using cheap craft paints to play with and see if you can come up with a technique to give the best results.

Technique #1:
Paint the surface whatever color you will use for the background or sky. For this we will say blue. Squirt or spray a small amount of white onto a piece of wax paper, coffee can lid or whatever. Dob your sponge in it, then dob it onto another scrap of something - newspaper, cardboard, terry towel or the like - once or twice to get off excess, then dob it onto your blue background. You should have a speckled effect. If the speckles are too crowded, repeat the sponging but use blue rather than white. It will only cover up some of your white speckles. Try using a sponge with a different pore size if you go back with blue over your white. When you dob your sponge, don't press too hard and don't smear it around. Straight down and straight back up, turn your sponge to change pattern then dob again, straight down and straight back up... repeat. You can try "rolling" the sponge as you dob, but it may smear.

Technique #2:
Almost the same but you will be pulling paint off rather than putting it on. You will paint the part to have the snow white. Then spray it blue. You will have to work faster than with technique #1 so the blue won't dry on ya and you can't dob it off. Dob your clean, paint free sponge into the still wet blue. It should grab some and pull it off. If it pulls off too much, you can use technique #1 to cover some back up.

When all is said and done, the finished product will be textured. You may can sand it, but more than likely it will mess up the pattern. You will have to build up with your clearcoat before sanding. And it can be a fairly long process. Follow the instructions on your clearcoat and spray on a couple of coats. Let it dry (it will feel like and orange probably) for the recommended time and wet sand it. Make sure your sandpaper can be used wet. I would suggest a high grit sandpaper but I recently went through the process and resorted to medium grit sanding sponges. My final sanding was with 2000 grit. Wet sand it and you will see dull spots appear. That's the sand paper taking off the high spots. Don't over do it with the sanding. Wipe it off and dry it. (I use denatured alcohol to clean just about everything but make sure it won't strip your clearcoat) Spray it with clear coat again and let it dry. You should notice a difference, less orange peel like. Repeat until nice and smooth. Or until you are satisfied.

I recently used a similar technique using saran wrap. Here is the build thread, the last few posts have pictures of the finished rocket. (TRF still not letting my upload pics and the pics from photobucket will be too big, I don't want to hijack with big pictures)

You're not gonna want that much coverage though. I tried technique #2 but the paint dried too fast so went with technique #1. My saran wrap was angles, lines and curves. Your sponge will be circles and dots. With some patience, it should turn out pretty good.

I am interested in seeing how it turns out. I like the idea of having the snow accumulating around the bottom, maybe on the leading edges of a fin or two.

Good luck,
Mike

I'm not quite sure what effect your trying to get but, You need to choose a background color, say, grey/ grey-blue. The darker the better. As for the snow flakes. The toothbrush pattern seems like a sound Idea probably topped off with the sponge maybe a large dry brush . One thing to remember, snow falling is only bright white up close--so you need a little depth. Start with the back ground color and use a couple shades brighter for your spatter effect until you end up with white. This takes care of the--it all looks like white dots thing--and gives you a little depth..a little blue should do the trick--not much, just enough so the eye sees it but you don't notice--less is more in this case. Well, it's something to play around with in any case and learn a new technique----H

Might take some practice but using an airbrush if you can intentionally get it to spit you could get all manner of dot sizes. Might be difficult to control though, or rattle can at extreme distance might get the effect as well.

or you could make a wrap.
Use an xmas card /paper Or you could make a tube scratch or wrap.
Checkout "Snow storm clip art" at the least it will show the effect you need. Sky, horizon,ground,ect
Or print a pic,ect, you get my drift

I seem to remember using a tooth 'like' brush, dipped in paint (thickness of paint is important here) and tapping the brush on a dowel, or the likes, splattering down on to the intended surface. Seem to work well in art class.