March 25 2007 | Pouring the sand

That's right "pouring" the sand -we'll see how it works eh..
the trick was to use microballons like the ones you buy to make the snow on dioramas, then tint it with paints, and then pour the stuff on the right places.

Why "pour"? well because the stuff is half liquid, it will roll naturally around the various emebeded stuff, from the boat to the little bricks that will be added later!

March 25 2007 | The sand #2

 It looks pretty weird right? yes but the point is, the stuff is very slow to dry, so you can actually *blend* the differnet shades one into another..

March 25 2007 | The blended sand

And here is what looks like the sand after 1 hour work of blending!

note that one good trick is also not to stir that well the paint of the microballons, as it will create if applied well some kind of color variations in the sand..

March 25 2007 | The top of the sand is finished

And rightly so. Tomorrow i will do the beach..

March 27 2007 | Work on the sand #1

Here is the sand near the rear part of the boat, the color is okay i guess, but i will have to shade the wood accordingly.

March 27 2007 | Work on the sand #2

Pressing the various details in the "sand", like the bricks, the trace of the boy on the sand, bits of asbestos and plaster..

March 27 2007 | Work on the sand #3

I didn't design "fake feet" for not using them -so i first coated the dummies you can see 4 or 5 pages below in olive oil (okay, but I only had that near me) so that the acrylic paste doesn't glue to the feet and pressed them on the still wet mix...

March 27 2007 | Work on the sand #4

Here is the final result -temporarily because I will have to manage to make a joint between the sea (when it's done) and the sand..