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Dioramas: Techniques
Diorama techniques and related subjects.
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Water
Digger
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Australia
Joined: July 31, 2002
KitMaker: 94 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 10:35 AM UTC
Hi,

Iv'e always enjoyed looking at Dos with water. Is there a cheap method that one can use to replicate water. I'm interested in all types from puddles, ponds, streams etc.

Digger
KFMagee
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Texas, United States
Joined: January 08, 2002
KitMaker: 1,586 posts
Armorama: 1,225 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 02:30 PM UTC
I prefer EnviroTex two-part resin. i build models professionally, and a lot of my customers bring me requests with water. I've tried everything from sandwiched plexiglass under a layer of future to resins, and without a DOUBT, Etex is the best stuff on the market. Fairly inexpensive ($15 for two bottles that will last a long time!), plus easy to use (50-50 mix). Best of all, it cures slowly (8-12 hours), giving whatever bubbles do form a chance to rise and escape. Heck.. i even use it to create window panes for use in my dioramas! Can be found at most craft stores such as Hobby Lobby or Michaels.
REMEARMR
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United Kingdom
Joined: August 17, 2002
KitMaker: 443 posts
Armorama: 357 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 03:30 PM UTC
A cheap way to simulate water is to use clear floor polish. I don't know how good it is for large area's of water but it's fine for small ponds and puddles.
Top Tip ; Make sure that wahtever you pour it into is sealed as it has a habit of running out when your not watching. Expensive mistake cost me a set of pine chest of drawers!

Robbo
Plasticbattle
#003
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Donegal, Ireland
Joined: May 14, 2002
KitMaker: 9,763 posts
Armorama: 7,444 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 03:56 PM UTC



I made this water by first pouring the riverbed with quick drying hardwall. Then painting a few coats of gloss varnish tinted with a dark green oil colour. Then make little waves with a clear gel superglue flicked up into little points with an old brush. When dry, a few more layers of the varnish with a green tint, maybe starting to have a little less green. Then between each layer of varnish drybrush the waves with a lighter version of the green getting lighter each time, tipping it of with an almost light grey-white. This works well for inner city water where you need it dark and a little reflection of the river sides. Its a very slow process, but a layer each eveing for 2 weeks, you will have a very cheap, realistic looking water. This was my first and only attempt at making water, and I choose the advice from people on here and at my local IPMS club to do it. Im happy with it anyway.
slodder
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: February 22, 2002
KitMaker: 11,718 posts
Armorama: 7,138 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 08:33 PM UTC
Plasticbattle, about how thick did your water in this dio end up being? I have been toying with water and I've seen the epoxy method and that I can see will get a bit thick. You method sounds thinner.
Plasticbattle
#003
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Donegal, Ireland
Joined: May 14, 2002
KitMaker: 9,763 posts
Armorama: 7,444 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 11:01 PM UTC
At most 1 mm at the flat parts, then whatever height you make the waves at. I guess choppier water would overall be higher. But with this mithod a still pond or river would only be 1mm of varnish and maybe 5 mm of hardwall that can be finished also to waves etc, if you have time.
slodder
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: February 22, 2002
KitMaker: 11,718 posts
Armorama: 7,138 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 11:35 PM UTC
Thanks for the feedback Plasticbattle.
GeneralFailure
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European Union
Joined: February 15, 2002
KitMaker: 2,289 posts
Armorama: 1,231 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 26, 2002 - 02:28 AM UTC

The trick for realistic water is not to put a large volume of clear material on a painted surface, but to start with a paint/varnish mixture and keep putting layers on top, each time becoming clearer and clearer. The theory is easy, but I've rarely seen finer examples than this. That is some of the best water I've seen yet. Really amazing.
TUGA
#034
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Setubal, Portugal
Joined: April 26, 2002
KitMaker: 1,718 posts
Armorama: 1,130 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 26, 2002 - 05:04 AM UTC
Hi,

Some threads here at ArmoramA about water on dios:


HTH
Josenhans
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United States
Joined: August 13, 2002
KitMaker: 46 posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 29, 2002 - 11:25 AM UTC
Thanks for gathering those great links TUGA. m :-)
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