Tarps from tissue and glue-water

[John Howling Mouse]

You know how armor modelers make those great-looking tarps from dipping facial tissue in a water-white glue mix?  Sometimes modelers cover aircraft engines or cockpits with them, too.  Great way to show maintenance on any vehicle.

Have always wanted to give it a try but always chickened out for fear it wouldn't work.  The other day I put about half a teaspoon of ordinary white glue in an overturned plastic lid, mixed in about an equal amount of water and dipped some Kleenex 2-ply facial tissue bits (cut into about 2-inch squares).  I had presumed the stuff wouldn't even hold its own weight but I was wrong: the tissue remained surprisingly strong.   I draped the pieces over an old Snowspeeder model and scrunched it up a bit, letting the material make its own miniature folds and so on.

Painted up with a couple of home-mixed Acryl paints, I think these tests worked out rather well.  It's truly as effortless as I've always read and a reminder to myself to get over any self-doubt and simply try out all those great ideas you learn from others!

[GTX]

Well done!

Regards,

Greg

[puddingwrestler]

I've been doing this for years! The neat thing is that if you want a heavier lookin material, you just fold over the tissue so it's got more ply.
I always add a little detergent - dunno if it matters, but the book I got the idea from said to.
I've also made rolled tarps this way. After wetting, roll them up and use some dress makers cotton to tie the ends.
I've also seen it done with paper towel for a more rugged look, although you get the texture of the towel (why do they make them all fancy anyway?), you get a much heavier cloth look. More like untanned leather I guess.

[Allan]

It's a wonderful tip and a great look.
Draping a tarp over the cockpit saves on lots of detail work, too.
What do you do if you want to color the tarp, say with RLM 02? Do you add some thinned paint to the white glue mixture?
With gratitude,
Allan

[John Howling Mouse]

It's a wonderful tip and a great look.
Draping a tarp over the cockpit saves on lots of detail work, too.
What do you do if you want to color the tarp, say with RLM 02? Do you add some thinned paint to the white glue mixture?
With gratitude,
Allan

Hi Allan,
Nope, I just painted the finished tarp.  After a couple of days, it dries like paper mache and looks like some sort of expensive aftermarket resin bit!

[Weaver]

Made a few of those back in the day: it's a good technique.

I was going to do a rolled one for the tanker in my Gloster Goblin build, but time was short and the museum idea didn't need it, so it got canned. Might still do it if I ever re-do the Goblin as originally planned.

[The Rat]

Lookin' goooood! I need to do this on a current project, and I was thinking of using a fine-weave cloth to get the true fabric effect. Might check a craft store to see what they've got, perhaps something for making doll's clothes.

[PanzerWulff]

I use this trick all the time on my tanks,but instead of using tissue i use the paper from pre moistened towelettes.Yup the kind in the little foil packets that some restaraunts give you with messy finger foods.I just let them dry then i scrunch them up in a ball to wrinkle it up,then into the glue & water it goes.It seems to have a more canvas like texture to me,my favorite brand is "Wash & Dri" but I'm sure you can find a similar brand anywhere
"Panzer"

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Always used that one, I find good old Kleenex (MAN size of course), three or four 'layers' cut to size works absolutely fine.

Ian