Sandbagging

MMG Sandbags (3)

I’d been unhappy about how my Partisan MMG looked: too much empty space on the base. After seeing this picture of some French Resistance:

Partisans

I decided to solve the problem with sandbags.

I’d remembered John saying something about making sandbags with teabags (and that’s about all I remembered).  So: I sculpted some chiclets out of apoxie sculpt (I used black here because I had some and I hate it: never buy black apoxie sculpt unless you want black fingertips).

Making Sandbags (1)

Then, I snipped emptied out some teabags and chopped them out into squares.  A quick soak in some watered-down glue, then folded it around the block.

Making Sandbags (3)

I’d expected the teabag to provide texture, and it does, a little, but really where it’s really been useful is in how it behaves like cloth.  Folds, wrinkles: that sort of thing.

Making Sandbags (2)

After everything dried, I superglued them together while placing them on the model, then brushed over the teabags with it as well.

They’re not perfect, but for a first attempt I’m pleased.  Where it falls short is the chiclets: they’re inconsistently thick, and a little too brick-y.

MMG Sandbags (2)

MMG Sandbags (1)

MMG Sandbags (4)

Next time, I’ll try to get them more consistent, and with rounder, baggier shapes. I think that’ll be the key If I can time right, I’d try to catch the chiclets mid-cure: firm enough to be manipulated but soft enough to be shaped so they sit like bags.

Might even try doing the teabag-mache with them at that stage; I think that can only help make them look like they have weight to them.