This is for any of you that read the tutorials that I posted here:
I've learned a few new tips while grinding these out for my friends. I've made another 24 craft sticks worth over the last few days and discovered a few things.
ONE…DO NOT use Krylon Camouflage paint. Repeat DO NOT.
Quite simply it dries too quickly for the static grass to fully adhere to the sisal. I tried it and it was frustrating. I went back to regular Krylon browns.
TWO… If you are making thicket that will stay glued to the craft stick, there is an easy way to skip the PVA steps. If you are proficient with the hot glue gun,
you can just attach the sisal string to the craft stick with hot glue. No need to go through the PVA process.
THREE… Craft sticks come in different lengths and widths. I prefer the longer, "tongue depressor" type sticks. But, it's also good to mix sizes. Michael's has a good selection of various sizes.
FOUR….Mix up your flocks before applying them. For example, I made a 12 piece set for Saratoga. I mixed fine dark green, some coarse autumn gold, a coarse medium green and finally brown leaves. I mixed it all together and ran it through my fingers several times to eliminate any clumps. You want to grind the coarse turfs down as fine as possible.
I used the fine dark green, because it will sink into the recesses, near the "trunk" of the bush. The fine powder is perfect for this effect. I sprayed the whole piece again, after applying the mix, to lock it in.
After it dried, I sprayed near the bottom and applied the brown leaves by themselves. Perfect for deadfall.
If you decide to mix a custom blend of turfs, remember to write it down.
FIVE…..and lastly. After much consternation with cheap Dollar Store hairspray, I have discovered a much better alternative. I asked my wife "What hairspray turns your hair into shellac". Without hesitation she said "AquaNet".
So, I went to CVS, where I purchased a couple of cans of Super Hold, Unscented, Maximum Strength Aqua Net for $ 3.29 per can. Which is cheap, because it comes in a 16 ounce can, rather than the Dollar Store brand's 8 ounce cans.
In any case the AquaNet has twice the holding power and is a bit thicker, so it won't run like the really cheap stuff does.
The AquaNet yielded much better results, in a quicker time.
OK, that's it. Hope you find this useful.
.JPG "picture")