modeling water

[Anonymous]

What products do you like to use to model water on your layouts? The stream I'm modeling generally had pretty muddy-colored water; what color paint do you recommend using under the "water?"

[eastcoast]

I HAVE FOUND THAT A GOOD PRODUCT RIGHT NOW IS WOODLAND SCENICS REALISTIC WATER AND WATER EFFECTS, BOTH COME IN A BOTTLE AND ARE EASY TO USE. AS FOR THE COLOR, A WATER BASED PAINT SUCH AS MUD OR DIRT COLORS BLENDED WITH BLACK TO GIVE ILLUSION OF DEPTH, WORKS AWESOME>

[Anonymous]

I like 2 part epoxy like envirotec due to its shine, ease of use, and durability. Some pointers, use acrylic paints, start with line of bank color, then darker line, and then black in middle and then repeat to other bank. Now with 1/2 inch brush blend the colors together to obtain light to black to light shading. If you want some ripples and rocks add ballast and either paint it ( for below) or leave blank for rocks sticking up. Add thin amount of epoxy. When dry drybush with white to simulate white water if wanted. To see examples http://www.trainweb.org/zmtshortline/zmt8.html http://www.trainweb.org/zmtshortline/zmt35.html http://www.trainweb.org/zmtshortline/zmt36.html http://www.trainweb.org/zmtshortline/zmt38.html FRED

[Anonymous]

I have used epoxy in the past, with good results. If you want water that will get comments, though, you should try modeling the stream bed rather than just painting flat colors. You'll end up using a lot more epoxy, true, which can get expensive, but if you 're like me you'll do it anyways! Think about what would be on the bottom of your creek and model it as though all the water was removed. Then start pouring epoxy to fill over it.

The first layer of epoxy (you don't want to pour it deeper than about 1/8" at a time) can have some dark acrylic paint mixed into it, to add a little depth. The next layers can be clear, or you can mix in lighter tans to represent sediment and murkiness. Nearer the top, you might mix in blues or greens to get the reflections of the sky that will otherwise be missing, but don't go overboard. In the end, you'll have epoxy several layers thick that looks like it is carrying sediment, flowing over rocks and gravel beds, and is very very flat. I've heard of people doing things to make the epoxy set up with some surface disturbance built in, but I have not been successful at doing this. Instead, you need one more coat: acrylic gloss medium, which you stipple on with a whacked-out brush, to create ripples and waves.

This technique is prime for small creeks and streams, but for big oceanfronts or harbors you might want to look for other methods. There are clear plastic light diffusers meant for use in an office with 2x4 flourescent lights which may have a plausible wave pattern, and there is also shower-door glass at hardware stores that can serve well. I bet there's all kinds of other ways to get ingenuitive with materials not yet tried, just keep your eyes peeled!

[preceng]

I have had good results with Woodland Scenics products. They also have excellent books and vidoes on the subject.

[cp1057]

Do these products mentioned give off heat while curing?

The reason I ask is that I was planning to model a stream bed by cutting into the extruded styrofoam I use as a scenery base. If so are there any other alternatives? I was thinking of using hobby plaster, working some waves into it then painting it a dark green colour with a gloss topcoat.

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cp1057

Do these products mentioned give off heat while curing?

The reason I ask is that I was planning to model a stream bed by cutting into the extruded styrofoam I use as a scenery base. If so are there any other alternatives? I was thinking of using hobby plaster, working some waves into it then painting it a dark green colour with a gloss topcoat.

Charles
Hillsburgh On

Envirotec is safe to use on foam, it may get 10 degrees over room temp. It takes 24 hours to set and is thin as water so leaks are a problem sometimes. Plaster gets hotter when it sets than envirotec. Your method will also work. Try gloss medium from art/hobby stores for gloss. I use it on mountains to simulate melt water and it looks very good. It's water based and works on acrylics and foam. In fact it's made to mix with acrylic paints to make them glossy. Also look at the hobby store (hobby lobby) for gel gloss medium. It comes in different viscousities and could be used for waves. FRED