Perhaps one of the best locations to find inexpensive, quality modeling supplies is your local craft store. These businesses carry a wide variety of products at extremely low prices. Seasonal sales and in-store coupons can often save you 50% or more! I bought my Patriot airbrush at 40% off at Michaels Craft Store.
Here in the states there are a few different options for big-box craft stores and many independent local retailers as well. These stores are treasure troves of inexpensive, high quality modeling and terrain supplies. The following are just a few of the various supplies I spied during my last trip to the craft store.
There are a lot of great materials for creating foliage.
Florist wire is a great material to have on hand for modeling, sculpting, and terrain building.
Sand of various sizes are available for all your terrain and basing needs.
Styrofoam cutters and glue are great tools to have for terrain making.
Floral foam is easily sculptable and makes for great terrain.
With a little greenstuff stress moldes can help you adorn your vehicles and terrain.
This stencil immediately made me think Necron!
You can never get enough cogs and the scrapbook aisle has some great ones for you.
I would love to use some of these to create a clock tower for my gaming board.
A variety of stencils are available for adding detail to your terrain or models.
These textured panels for use in scrapbooking would make great textures for gothic buildings.
Microbeads are an invaluable tool for creating rivets, eyes, and pustules.
Hole punches make great rivets! At craft stores you can find hole punches in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Balsa and basswood are great materials for making terrain and plinths.
Looking for Dulcote? Look no further! Testors Dulcote is by far the best matte finish I have ever encountered. I like the rattle can but it is available elsewhere in bottles for airbrushing if you prefer. I prefer to buy out my local craft store.
Various sizes and densities of foam board are available in both the craft and framing sections.
Clippers, crimpers, benders, and tweezers galore!
Jewelry wire comes in various sizes materials and even textures. Some are perfect for power cables.
There are countless sizes and types of chains available at craft stores in the jewelry section. Real chain beats a sculpted one any day!
There are various hole punches and other tools which you may use to either emboss or punch rivets for your modeling.
Balls of various sizes can be useful for a number of applications. Ball joints, eyeballs, boils and pustules can all be created with the use of these beads.
These gears and cogs can be found in the jewelry/bead aisle and make a great addition to steamp punk, industrial, or Ork models.
