Topic: Modelling WATER

[Midaski]

Scenery kick - question 2

Water - I have seen some very special stuff with running water effects on terrain boards dotted around various threads and sites.

I am looking for a simple way to do a small pond.

I have contemplated 'water effects' stuff from the local hobby store, but it seems relatively very expensive.
I have also considered resin, but I am not sure what sort to get, and how and where to get it.

Somebody also suggested a piece of 'obscured' plastic - a sheet with those diamond or jagged patterne etched in to it, which could be trimmed to shape - anyone tried that?

[Etrigan001]

I made a pond and a few marshy pieces by applying the glossy 'ardcoat over the painted water areas.

I made a fountain and used clear pva glue as the water effect over the painted bottom of the fountain pool.  However, when the glue dried I believe it shrank around the foam post in the middle of the fountain and it caused a cracking on the painted area.

Both were fairly easy and worked for my needs at the time.

[ZeroTwentythree]

The plastic can be somewhat tough to work with. The stuff I tried was very hard plastic, and tended to crack or snap when I was cutting it. I've tried some of the water effects, but the stuff I got never set completely and stayed tacky. I swear I mixed it precisely, but obviously something went wrong.

My best results (but not quite as good as some of the great stuff I've seen online) has been from painting the water area then applying quite a few coats of gloss medium & varnish. You can get heavy body clear acrylic medium at art or craft stores. It will be thicker than Ard Coat, and will be available in larger tubes or jars.

[Alleton]

At Lowe's (Or other DIY home improvement stores) you can get that ridged plastic in the blinds and window coverings section. It comes in rolls that you apply to your windows much like tinting for car windows. This will be much easier to cut, though I still can't tell you how well it will work for what you have in mind.

[Midaski]

The acrylic plastic was not really the preferred option - it had been suggested and I just wondered if anyone had tried it.

I have already created my pond - by which I mean I have a hole that I need to fill.
Initially I thought it would just be a case of poring some resin in and letting it set hard - it appears not to be that easy.

I could level the hole up with filla and paint and then use PVA and hardcoat, or PVA AND hardcoat, I suppose - I hoped someone might have the 'golden' solution.



( .... and if anyone contemplates making the obvious follow up remark to that last sentence remember I have a Mace ............ and having a nick like Fifie Trixabell for a month could be pretty embarrassing. )

[Darknight]

I think there is something on the market called EZ Water http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/c1206/page/1 which I have used before with great success.

It is little plastic beads - you heat it up and pour it in when it melts. It then sets. Works VERY well.

Using a little camping stove is the best way to go if you don't have access to a gas stovetop near your modeling area.

Make sure the hole you are pouring it into is bone dry (that is, the paint is set) and that it is not something which will easily melt (although, having said that, we poured it into a simple Styrofoam base with a layer of PVA, sand and GW paints over the top - and it worked just fine).

[Quickbeam]

I think there is something on the market called EZ Water http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/c1206/page/1 which I have used before with great success.

It is little plastic beads - you heat it up and pour it in when it melts. It then sets. Works VERY well.

I can vouch for this stuff. It's awesome. Just be careful not to get it on anything you didn't want it too cause it's a pain in the butt to clean up!
You can also use a heat gun (or a hair dryer if you want a little extra wait) to make any effects you want extra.

[Armholeeio]

Clear silicon mastic ie the stuff that is used in bathrooms  from a DIY store I have seen YouTube vids useing it and it's a lot cheaper than the proper stuff, you can use the clear plastic from packaging to form waves so again cheap

[ZeroTwentythree]

This is the stuff I was talking about. This is just one manufacturer, there are other options.

http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/medsadds/gels/gels.php