Coloring agent for Realistic Water...?

[Jim Duda]

I may have missed this in my topic search, but what works best to "color" the clear Realistic Water? I'm after a "murky " effect and wonder if just painting the lakebed brown will look realistic enough.

Thanks for any info...

Jim Duda
Austin, TX

[Anonymous]

Paint the riverbed and then cover the color with a THIN layer of two part epoxy. Brown sounds too generic. Mixtures of brown and green are more appropriate; maybe even a little blue. Colors should be darker where the water is deeper.

Before you pour the epoxy, make sure everything is level and leak-proof!

[Jim Duda]

Thanks Don...but if I put tires, and other crud on the bottom won't the "clear" epoxy show them too clearly? I would like them to be barely visible and I would think that tinting the epoxy would help that effect? I would like the imitation water itself to be murky looking rather than relying on the bottom to get that effect. Am I not understanding this correctly?

Jim Duda
Austin, TX

[Anonymous]

I pour my water using Enviro Tex. After each pour I add just a sprinkle of ground foam before it sets, or even a mist of dark wash. As the layers build, they become more murky in a 3d effect that I can control with successive pours.

It takes some practice, but is more real when finished. At least that has been my experience.