i'm buildig a dio of Tarawa with an LVT learching over the seawall with some wounded Marines and a few running. my big hang up is getting the water just right; so any help suggestions for the following would be awesome..
- best way to dye or tint the water...
- best way to get some realistic waves coming in..

its far from being done and i'll try to get some good pics of the WIP.

Semper Fi,

Tony

Hey Tony. Need to know what you are using for your water first. Envirotex can be tinted with Tamiyas transparent colors and water based paints. Run off a test first to see how various paint brands work.

thanks Dave..i'm using Realistic water from Woodland scenics. can i use those same technics using that brand?

Hello Tony, How deep are you planning to make your water? Woodland Scenics Realistic Water is good for shallow applications, but you will need a lot, a real lot, to achieve any kind of real depth. I just did a small diorama (8 1/2"X 12")with a LVT coming ashore. The water is just about covering the tracks, but not the wheels, about 1/4" deep, and I used more than a whole bottle of the stuff. I did a Tarawa dio the same size a few years ago with a LVT sitting in water almost up to the top of the sponsons. I used the resin Bob mentioned and had good results. The only drawback to using resin is that it generates heat when curing. You must pour it in several shallow (1/8") layers, allowing ample time to cure between each pour. Both the resin and Realistic water can be tinted with Acrylics or ordinary food coloring. The resin also allows you to see down to a greater depth. Waves can be simulated using another Woodland Scenics product called 'Water Effects', or an Artist's Acylic Gel (medium). They are both a white toothpaste-like product that dries clear. I suspect that they are actually the same thing. Again,they can both be tinted with acrylics. I hope this helps you and if I can answer any other questions, just ask. Al

thanks for the great info Al. i'm on my second layer of it now. it doesnt look as good as i hoped it would but its my first time using that stuff. i have to admit the blood in the water does look pretty good (atleast to me..lol). do you have any pics of yours posted anywhere cuz i'd love to them so i can compare mine to it and get some ideas for any upcoming ones of that nature. thankfully my next project is in an upside down Sherman on Okinawa. I found an awesome pic from the Okinawa campaign with a Sherman that hit a mine and flipped over. The title of the photo was "The death of a Sherman" and i have the perfect figures for it as well as a Sherman the my son accidentally broke the barrel off..lol. So i figured i wouldnt let it go to waste. once again thanks...

Semper Fi,

Tony

Glad I could help, here are a couple of pictures as an example:







If you would like to see more of my work, you can go to the Hudson Valley Historical Miniatures Guild (HVHMG) photo website here:
http://public.fotki.com/HVHMG/members_gallery/al_bubnis/als_models/

Looking forward to seeing your work, if you have any other questions feel free to ask.


Al

here are a few pics of the one i've working on. its not close to being done but its what i've done so far. i wish my camera was alot better then it is..i'll prob have to invest in a better quality one...lol.

top of the seawall..


i like the view through the bunker gun port..








not bad too bad for my second one. let me know what you think..


Semper Fi..

Hello there, I can't see the water very well, but the rest looks pretty good. There is a lot of action and you made good use of the space. I like the palm log sea-wall, and the bunker. A few things though, first, the leggings on the running Marine should be a different a color than his uniform, Khaki I believe. Secondly, the dead Japanese in the bunker. He is 'floating' above the ground. You should build up the ground work around him a little more. Finally, the belly of the Amtrac is pretty exposed, I don't think an enemy gunner could have resisted putting a few rounds into it. Al