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Hey guys, so I recently bought some sand and when speaking to the GW guy he said that I should put the sand on before I prime the model. Slight problem here as I've already finished painting the models I want to put sand on. How can I put sand on and then lock it in so that it doesn't fall all over the place?

Put glue, preferably something cheap like Elmers, onto the base making sure you don't get it on the model's feet. Then, put the sand on. Seal it with another coat of glue if you really want.

PVA Elmers gLue on the base

Dip the base into a pot of sand

Shake off the excess

Leave to dry compeletly

Repeat if necessary.

Paint.

Yeah I glued the sand on already, but I was told that you should prime it afterwards as well so that the glue holds and tightens. I can just throw glue on afterwards and it will do the same thing?

I'm guessing so. I've never spent time basing my models. I don't paint well enough to warrant that time.

yeah put a thin layer of glue over the top.

All people have different ways of basing their models. The key to priming the sand is that the extra layer of paint helps hold the sand on the base, adding an extra layer of glue is usually unneccessary. I personally add the sand to the base first, paint it, then attach the model, you don't have to worry about getting the sand or the paint on your model's feet, and its easier to drybrush and work with.
Hope this helped,
Granesh

The main reason I prime the sand is to paint it afterwards. Unpainted sand looks un-natural, you you have to paint sand to look like sand... It's all about scale.

As others have said, PVA glue (elmers) will stick your sand to the base. Tf you dilute some PVA glue (elmer's glue) with water and put that on top of your already stuck sand, it won't go anywhere.

Good luck. I would recommend that you also put on static grass to draw attention away from the unpainted sand.

The way I bast my models, I got this off of a viedo on youtube and it works great.

"Paint" the base useing PVA glue

Dip the model in the flock and brush off the extra

Let it dry for 24 hours

Dip the flocked base into some scenic cement and let it dry for another 24 hours

Once your done your now the proud owner of a flocked model where the flocking will never come off.

I will primer the model and sand together just to save time but its not necessary to do it in that order.

1 Glue down the sand and let dry.

2 Water down some black and add as a base coat.

3 Dry brush with some mid it dark gray.

4 Do a light dry brush of a light gray.

Have a look in my gallery (link in my sig) to see a example.

everyone has a different method. I glue the sand on after the figure is painted. I put a little bit of glue down, put the figure in the sand tray and let it dry overnight, then I give the entire base a very heavy wash of thinned acrylic Burnt Sienna, which also helps bind the sand. I drybrush with Bleached Bone, add some static grass, and I'm done.

I only apply PVA glue once to get the sand on. Then once it is completely dry, I paint it. It isnt going anywhere.