Some people make good looking bodies of water without digging down at all.
Personally, I dig down to the scale depth of the water (max 1") and use the typical techniques of color, tint and several shallow pours. I very much prefer my ducks and boats to sit partially submerged than on top of the water - kind of ruins the illusion. Real depth also allows one to model submerged rocks, roots and fish. My water also does not always come up all the way either. After all, something needs to contain the stuff unless it's flood season.
Down grades are tough. I have successfully used two techniques:
1) Very thin pours of water material from the top (multiple layers). It will run down but some will stick - particularly with "realistic water" or water effects. Do not try this with envirotex though.
2) Painting on layers of gloss medium.
Or combine the two.
Experiment a bit.and good luck
Karl
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
I've seen a number of questions on what to use for water and that most of the products should be poured in layers about 1/8" per pour, let harden then add another layer. I know to make the appearance of depth you use a dark color for deep areas lighter colors as it gets shallower. I haven't seen how deep do you actually "dig" to form the pond, river or whatever? Say I wanted to put a pond on a piece of foam or make a "dish" of plaster, how deep do I dig into the foam or make the dish, if I want the finished water level even with the top?
A second question is how to make a brook coming down a grade, it's not level? It's not a waterfall, just water moving down an incline.
All suggestions appreciated.
Thank you,