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Mud Technique

When simulating mud, particularly on AFVs, I have always used Celluclay. Here is my method.

I start out with the following materials:
Celluclay,
water-based glue,
water-based acrylic paints
water.


The first step is to mix the water and celluclay until the consistency is that of partly thawed frozen cookie dough. To your cookie dough, add in your colors. As seen here I use craft store hobby acrylics. Mix in whatever colors best suite your specific application; tans for desert, browns or ETO, reds for clay and so on.

The next step is to pull out the amount of "Mud" required for the job and put it into a separate container. Set aside the main portion of the mud for your diorama groundwork that will cover the base.

At this point I mix in some "Vegetation"- giving that "Chewed - up Sod" effect. A little goes a long way, so not too much! Add in whatever vegetation materials you have, seafoam, static grass, natural herbs, broken small sticks; anything that may fall on the ground and get stuck in your 'muddy situation'.

The next step is application. I use a variety of tools to apply the mud. There is no standard tool; whatever feels right is what I use. Various tools may be toothpicks, dental picks, and hobby knives.

Go lightly with your application, it is often easier to "Add to" than to "Remove from", this is true with Cellucly Mud as well.

Once applied and slightly dried, the mud can be touched up with darker tones to simulate fresh mud over older mud. Note: Celluclay is a name brand product found mainly in the US. It is a paper mache type product. It comes dry dusty, you simply add water to get the consistancy you desire. Apply it and let it dry.