Yesterday, my bloggy Christmas card featured a 4mm scale snowman. When I thought of the idea, it all seemed so simple.
It wasn't.
In theory, all you need is a couple of small balls and some wire. And perhaps a tiny carrot.
The balls came from 4D models and are made of compressed paper. They also sell sponge versions which I tried as well. The balls are fitted to a length of brass wire like a kebab. That's a tough bit as the wire doesn't just poke through the paper. The trick seems to be to drill a pilot hole in the top, not the bottom which has a hole in.
Next, the balls are covered with PVA and dipped in snow. I used some from Precision Ice and Snow. Once dipped, the excess was shaken off. Another layer was applied using hair spray as a glue. And another. Finally the surface was sealed with spray varnish. The result on paper balls was realistically uneven, just like the snow on a ball made by rolling it around the garden. Sponge balls are less successful so don't bother with them. After that, things are a lot easier. The tiny carrot is cut from the end of a cocktail stick and glued in place with superglue. A touch of orangy-brown paint finishes this off. The twiggy arms are fine iron wire twisted and poked into pre-drilled holes.If the snow falls off when you drill, just glue it back with PVA.
Finally, some "coal" from black paint provides buttons, eyes and mouth. I had contemplated a hat and scarf but decided my real snowmen never had them so my model would follow suit.
There is probably an easier way to do this but I'm pleased with the result, even if it did take 3 goes to achieve. How come the simple jobs take the longest?