Modellers’ Magic Earth

Magic Earth is a loose product created from a flushed, multi-milled mixture of various earths, clays, and quartzes, matched to a modeling scale of 1:35, with a magnificent, natural color of ditched earth. The earth has fractions resembling dust, fluffy sand, clods, and grit. Its color and appearance are thus not monotonous, preserving the effect of scale – observed on the diorama as we look at the actual terrain in real life. As a result, it does not require additional treatment after it is fixed. However, if necessary, we can mix it with pigments to change the shade or paint it after fixing it.

Magic Earth: a versatile tool for your creative journey. This magic in powder form offers a multitude of uses, sparking your imagination and inspiring unique creations.

Applying Magic Earth is a breeze, offering different effects depending on the method chosen. Whether you use water, ‘Solution for sands and pigments’, or ‘Pigment Fixer’, you can be confident in achieving the desired results with ease.

• Heavily compressed ground, dirt roads

Smashed and heavily compacted roads are best made by mixing earth and medium into a thick paste. For this purpose, “Solution” will work best. The paste is applied to the base (styrofoam, board, or XPS) and smoothed with a spatula. On the sides and through the middle of the road, it is worth dusting with a loose layer of soil and leaving it to absorb the glue from underneath.

• Compacted and dry sandy soil, fields, and roadsides, with the effect of cracks and unevenness.

Magic Earth also hardens when it comes into contact with water, showing interesting properties different from the ratio of water to earth. Mixed into a thin paste, it creates a hyper-realistic mud, but more later. Mixed to a thick paste, applied especially with a fluffy brush or sponge, when dry, it reveals its texture and graininess beautifully, creating micro-cracks and lumps just like in the real world. Once dry, it is dry and fixed. Still, suppose you plan to move the model often or travel with it. In that case, it’s a good idea to apply a coat of matte varnish or reinforce with “Invisible Pigment Fixer” or “Sand and Pigment Solution” mixed with “Surface Tension Destructor” just to be safe.

• Ditched, loose soil, slopes, fluffy heaps of earth

For the effect of loose soil, such as in trenches, vehicle-torn fields, or dug-outs, the method mentioned above at the end works best – we glue from underneath. We form larger uneven areas and mounds of soil with “Modeling Clay” or “Universal Mud&Ground paste.” We lubricate the surfaces with “Solution” and pour loose earth from our fingers. It is advisable to do this for a minimum of 2 layers; after soaking, we reapply “Solution” and pour the soil so much that its top layer is almost semi-dry at the time of application. Let it soak in a few minutes and leave it to set. For a super plump look of the soil, it’s a good idea to pour even more and spray with “Surface Tension Destructor” the whole thing from afar with an atomizer or soak with a pipette.

Instead of the “Solution,” we can use “Invisible Pigment Fixer,” which, unlike other Fixatives, does not change the shade and dullness of pigments or sands – but attention should be paid to the material of the base. Ordinary styrofoam can melt, especially if it is warm. XPS-polystyrene, wood, or plastic do not show this tendency. We do not recommend other fixers from competing companies, as they strongly affect the appearance of earth and pigments, creating a glaze or even mud effect, which, however, can be used…

• Mud

Magic Earth mixed with water into a fairly liquid mixture or creates a striking, trusty-looking matte and crackly dried mud. We can make muddy splashes, and the color is naturally gray earthy after drying. Of course, we can color it with pigments. If water is used, it is quite easy to peel them off the surface, which can be used on the model, creating a remnant of the mud that falls off. After all, it’s a good idea to protect the residue with an “Invisible Pigment Fixer” or “Sand and Pigment Solution” mixed with “Surface Tension Destructor.”

With Magic Earth, you can create different types of mud. For instance, mixing it with ‘Solution’ will result in less crack-prone mud, while denser mixtures will give a different effect than thin ones. Reapplying ‘Solution’ on already dried mud will give a wet mud effect, and the more layers you apply, the greater the effect. You can also mix Magic Earth with acrylic paints from the ‘Weathering Paints’ series to give a very interesting effect and change the color.

• Addition to other products

As mentioned, Magic Earth can be a great addition to other products. Since it is a natural product, it will not conflict with any acrylic, enamel, or alkyd medium. You can use it as an additive to earth pastes, mud pastes, snow pastes, or paints. It can also be used to coat a diorama for later painting.

• It can be painted and pigmented.

Suppose you prefer to paint everything yourself regardless of the realistic appearance of the earth, or simply want to change its shade. In that case, nothing stops you from painting it – here, we especially recommend our Weathering Paints series, as very matte and grainy paints are great for ground painting. You can also mix the ground with pigments before using the techniques described above, which will enrich its tonal variety. Or simply highlight here and there with an airbrush.

Photos that may inspire you on how to use this product