Water for a Dio

Cheers Andy, i did look at some of that stuff at Hobby craft, but wasnt too sure. Ive heard that some stuff called clear casting resin is sposed to be pretty good. Need more research. WIll i see you on wednesday?

...Guy

For large bodies of water that have a lot of color, I use plaster textured "waves" with crumpled aluminum foil with high-gloss Mod-Podge.. After I pour the plaster, I paint it, then pour the Mod-Podge to give it some depth...

Here's a plaster/Mod-Podge dio (in progress, but the water's done)..

Nice looking dio Hans. I like the look of you 'Sea'. Im thinking for mine, it will be based by a jetty in a lagoon/ river/ Harbor sort of thing. So the water would be stiller so maybe your sea idea might not fit the bill.

...Guy

I used a two part polyester resin and powdered pigments for this "water" in an Amsterdam canal. I cast it on a sheet of perspex/plexiglas in thin layers and could cut it to shape as needed.  I blew a fan over the surface as it set so that ripples would form. I used Golden's gloss acrylic medium for the surface and to fill any gaps between the wall and the cast water.

Wow Vespa boy, that is one hell of a dio. The water looks like just what i want. Do you have any links to where i can buy the stuff from? Also, would the plane be able to be set in the stuff. Is there much creep around the edges?

...Guy

Guy,

I personally would not recommend polyester unless you have some type of fume extraction system. The monomer is toxic and will stink up your entire house. There is a fumehood at my work which I used.

What I suggest is that you go to the art shop and get some gloss acrylic medium that you can mix in acrylic paint and tint, and you can pour it in thin layers around your model. The lowest layers should have the most tint and the top layer be completely clear. Be patient and let everything dry before adding more layers. I've seen excellent results this way. The important thing from my canal dio, is that I blew air over it as it dried so that it developed a surface in the same way that 1:1 water does.

 Check out model railway forums as they have great ways of simulating water. And also other modelling forums (armorama, migforums), Shep Paine's book on dios etc etc. And try out your techniques on a model that doesn't matter before making a mess of one that does. Experimentation is the only way to find out what works for you.

Good luck.

vespa boy wrote:

Guy, I personally would not recommend polyester unless you have some type of fume extraction system. The monomer is toxic and will stink up your entire house. There is a fumehood at my work which I used. What I suggest is that you go to the art shop and get some gloss acrylic medium that you can mix in acrylic paint and tint, and you can pour it in thin layers around your model. The lowest layers should have the most tint and the top layer be completely clear. Be patient and let everything dry before adding more layers. I've seen excellent results this way. The important thing from my canal dio, is that I blew air over it as it dried so that it developed a surface in the same way that 1:1 water does.  Check out model railway forums as they have great ways of simulating water. And also other modelling forums (armorama, migforums), Shep Paine's book on dios etc etc. And try out your techniques on a model that doesn't matter before making a mess of one that does. Experimentation is the only way to find out what works for you. Good luck.

vespa boy wrote:

I used a two part polyester resin and powdered pigments for this "water" in an Amsterdam canal. I cast it on a sheet of perspex/plexiglas in thin layers and could cut it to shape as needed.  I blew a fan over the surface as it set so that ripples would form. I used Golden's gloss acrylic medium for the surface and to fill any gaps between the wall and the cast water.

 VESPA ~ That is smoking cool !!  Quite possibly the best faked water I've ever seen. Once again your dio is mistaken for a reference shot. Amazing. Where can we see the entire Dio? Also  sounds like great advice for the thread question. Layer by layer style. I did it that way with Vallego 'Still Water' and it worked well.Not as well as your example though, I may have to try the 2/part (the shop that I work in has a powerful paintbooth fan )

 Manny  LOL ---->   Nice place to agree  LOL

Where can we see the entire Dio?

Thanks Indy. You can check out some dios I have made at the link in my signature.

The Golden acrylic gels are great place to start experimenting with water effects.

http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/medsadds/gels/gels.php