hi,
i am planning on creating a diorama with my m41 walker bulldog tank and i am hopping to add a stream to the diorama. so i am wondering how to create a water look to the stream.
any tips, hints or website will be more than appreciated.

thanks,
blind_man

There was a great article on making water on Digital Diorama's website... Try there and I think you won't be dissapointed.

Besides that, we have some great dioraManiacs here on Armorama; KF and Dioman come to mind.. Dioman had a nice diorama with submerged Opel truck and he did a fine job with it.. explained what he did in a tread a while ago.

Mario M.

There are a number of ways. Which you choose depends on your confidence and experience.
Basically I have seen three main ways. 1. Clear Gloss coat over a painted surface. 2. Clear epoxy layering. 3. Water products such as Woodland scenices easywater.
Each has it's own pros and cons.
1. Is done by painting the 'creek bed', then adding layers of clear coat over it. This will give the shine of water and the color you want. However, you will lack depth and detail. Not good for clear deep water.
2. Is done by painting the bottom and then adding layers of 2 part epoxy. You continue layering until you get the depth you want. You can even add color tints to the epoxy as you go. This is slow, but gives you great control and flexibility
3. These are usually plastics that you heat and liquify. Once in liquid form you pour it in your dio. These are easy and ready made, but expensive.

I encourage a forum search on water.

I have found that article.. here you go: water element

Mario M.

Woodland Scenics makes water "products" for model railroaders... stuff you have to heat up, and stuff you can pour directly from the bottle.

Water in Dana's article is amazing. I am thinking that his technique could also be used to create a river in a 'Nam dio. Oh...I feel an idea creeping into my brain.

Try the Woodland Scenics site http://www.woodlandscenics.com/
at the top go to 'Landscaping', then to 'Water'. They have those new products "Realistic Water" and Water Effects" - I have not used them, but they are supposed to work alot better than the old EZ Water.

Peter

"You're gonna need a bigger boat"

As an addendum to the article that was posted:

I've made a few water pieces for war-gaming purposes. If you're creating a body of water that is still (fountain, calm lake, etc.); it's possible to get good effects quickly and easy. I always use clear/un-tinted resin. Instead of adding color to the resin itself, I pre-paint the "pool's" bottom. Using pictures from a nature book, replicate the bottom of the surface to look like you want. Remember: a sandy bottom of a lake is not going to look Afrika Korps tan. It usually looks greenish brown due to light reflection/refraction.

After paiting the floor of the pool, place some pepples, stones, the tar-coated pylons for your dock, some small plastic plants etc. (If you can, insert the plants at a slight angle to represent under currents.) Slowly pour in your resin to the desired depth. After it cures, you will be looking down into a small slice of underwater eden. If you really want to be meticulous about the detail, wait until the resin starts to gel and then carefully insert small reeds/grasses on the shoreline. (If you're doing a fen or marsh, build the whole thing, carving shallow channels into which the water/resin will lay. Plant a lot of flora and then add the resin.)

I've also heard (but never try) of someone who adds a second coat of clear resin (about 1/8-1/4 inch thick). This supposedly creates a hard edge in the resin's depth which forces light to blend, distorting the view.

Just some added thoughts, especially as people contemplate the next campaign.

thanks for the tips and hints,
i will now put them to use.

thanks again,

With these products you often have to work in thin layers not to have problems. Otherwise, cracks might appear...
Otherwise, I bought a very cheap product. It's some kind of gel used to make candles. You are supposed to heat and then to pour it. It is very clear. I haven't tried it yet but will someday...

I just bought EZ water for my T-38 amphibious tank. I´m going to display it half on solid ground, half in the water.
I´m just wondering, how can I place my plastic model kit in the hot stuff? Should I make a dummy until it cools down or what?
Any experience in this product?

I really can´t figure it out.


Toni

Has ANYONE actually tried the REALISTIC WATER from woodland scenics? i posted a photo from their web page that showed a BEAUTIFIUL river and waterfall... but was it done by George Lucas for a movie, or can a normal "Joe" use this stuff?

As for "splash", I often add tufts of stretched cotton balls, drenched in resin... makes a great "white water" affect. you can also pull longer strands to make faster running "rapids". Will have to see if I have on of my old dios that shows the effect.

Keith, I just tried that.
The product works beautifully! Just pour it in and let it dry about four hours. Then it´s gel-like and you can make waves etc. with a toothpick.
I will post some pics this evening, I have my T-38 climbing up from the water and the water part is almost finished. I let it dry and then apply a thin ice layer using candle wax. Over that, SNOW!!!

The only bad thing is the price...it´s ridiculously expensive stuff!

As far as the E-Z Water goes...you CAN´t dip your model in that. So I have to save that stuff for some other purpose when I only need water running free without anything plastic swimming in it...

Toni

Unless I'm mistaken, you're talking about Gel Wax. Yes it is very transparent. It does tend to collect bubbles throughout it (a container of it that I have looks like there is an aerator (sic) in the bottom of it.). If you want to color it, pick up a vial of liquid candle dye. A little goes a LONG way (one or two drops will produce a DEEP blue). If anyone wants, I can brew up a couple of quick batches and submit digital photos. I'd never thought of using candle wax in this way. (I wonder if Future or something similar would sufficently seal it to prevent future eco-conditions from distorting the affect.)

thanks again for all your help!!!!