~Jetmodeler~Thanks for those comments Buddy! & thanks for sticking with me...check this out :
Applying Sand
~~~ After much research and trials to find something aproaching the right size partical for depicting a sandy desert floor(largely rock covered as well), and having sifted down some beach sand from right here at my beach through a paint seive only to get a small amount, It occured to me I could barrow a cup of very fine silica sand from the bin of a friends sandblaster. While still not 1/35 the size of the average sand bits, it's very fine, and later combined with grainy dry pigment powder, should look the part.
Always striving to be different(and avoiding white glue again
)I used my old favorite 3M #77 Spray Adhesive to coat (1st)some sample pieces of foamcore covered in wood filler to try out the sifted local sand(left) & the silica sand(right) and then used a few light sprays of artists' spray fixitive over it to insure it was sealed.
That's the tiniest 5 % of the local beach sand and the silica makes it look big!
The sample above was re-shot with glue and re-coated on the far right end--a pleasing effect you can use for a variation.
Here's a random 1/35 figure to compare.
~~Applied very thin, I got a nice even granular texture while preserving details pretty well. I kept the layer purposely thin up front, but allowed build-up in some other areas, and even used the beach sand in a couple places for some variety. You can see here also why I masked the rock off--as the effect of evenly coating them isn't too hot.
~~Once painted, and some even more powdery effects obtained with pigment powders, I can add small stones and rock chips strategicaly where I wish.--As well as a modicum of grasses.
More ahead~~