Best Of Interactive Scenery Clinic Week 4: Water, Detailing Streams , Waterfronts

[wm3798]

Actually mine is ModPodge... It's pretty much the same thing as AGM...
Lee

[AlkemScaleModels]

I don't think anyone's posted using Mod Podge Gloss.

This is a thin layer of wallboard joint compound spread on the blue foam board and then sanded flat. The color was airbrushed on to the joint compound and then about 3-4 coats of Mod Podge brushed on with the final coat going back and stippling with the brush to create the waves.

I have had trouble when using Mod-Podge as a water surface. Over time I have noticed in several different applications that it creates bubbles, and in the worst case, lifted off the base.  It also remains tacky on the surface and tended to attract dust. It might be wise to seal it with acrylic gloss. I'm still looking for the best water material, especially if it is on a slope where Envirotex won't stay.

[Erik W]

Here's my Liquitex Gloss Medium creek,  One of the middle layers is tinted with a drop of black and a little blue.  The second to top layer is drybrushed with white to simulate froth.



This is a Magic Water pond.  The base is painted with black with the edges airbrushed with dark brown to represent shallower water.  That's my wife and I camping by a mountain lake.



Erik

[Chris333]

Erik,
You have a small family 

[GrampysTrains]

Hi all: Since I just joined this forum and am going through some of the posts, I hope this photo isn't too late. This is a stream that I used Magic Water.

[DKS]

Hi all: Since I just joined this forum and am going through some of the posts, I hope this photo isn't too late...

Never too late! Especially for a shot like this. Great job!

[wm3798]

That's the purpose of this section of the forum... As new ideas, techniques and projects get done, and as new members join in the fray, it's easy to find the appropriate thread to post your stuff.
I've been impressed with your work also, Grampy...
Lee

[GrampysTrains]

Thank, guys. This is a great idea.  They don't just fade away, like old soldiers, as happens on some other forums. Here's another stream on my layout that's modeled after a real Stoney Creek. The real one is located North of Harrisburg. I have fished it a couple of times, and the name certainly fits it. This was actually the first stream I did. Originally, I used WS water. But after a couple of months, it developed unrealistic bumps and never really got hard. Dust was beginning to stick to it.  So, I covered it with Magic Water, and I think it turned out pretty good. I did use WS water effects for the waves.
 

[davefoxx]

Forum,

Wish me luck.  I finally decided to risk pouring the second layer of Envirotex on my river this morning.  The real risk is that the batch I used is from a kit that is a few years old, and I have read some things about the need to use fresh batches.  I decided to take the risk, because I am contemplating the building of the next layout.  So, what do I have to lose?  In the process, I might learn something that can be used on the next layout.

I wanted to pour a second coat to build up the depth of my river.  At one end, the rocks in the stream were just not "in the water" enough for my liking.  You can see the pictures that I posted on the previous page of this thread.  The area under the plate girder bridge is where I am seeking more depth.  Of course, once cured, I will need to go back and reblend the ground cover at the edge where the Envirotex is creeping up the river bank.  But that's not a big deal to me.

A trick that I used, which seems to be working well, is to use clear packing tape to form dams at the layout edges to prevent the Envirotex from pouring onto the floor.  This worked well on the first pour, so I'm confident it should work again.  The tape also releases from the fascia and epoxy without much effort.

Once the Envirotex cures and I don't have to worry about dust as much, I'll be sure to post some pictures.  The final step will be to apply gloss medium on top to give some "movement" to the water.

Dave Foxx

[davefoxx]

Whoops!  Seeing this thread come back with its move to the "Best of..." forum, I realized that I never followed up the progress of my last post.  Although my layout is long gone, photos survive, so here's one that really shows the surface after the "de-icing":



Dave Foxx

[wm3798]

I'll update mine, too.  Since the tutorial I'd posted previously done disappeared, I can give you a quick synopsis based on the reconstruction going on now...


I started with a riverbed constructed out of some ceiling tile material I had laying around.  I put a skim coat of drywall mud on as a base and sanded it to be relatively smooth.



Basic scenery is Sculptamold, which is tinted with craft acrylic paints, and then sprinkled with some ground cover.



I use a blend of blue, green, black and some browns to paint the river bed.  While the paint is wet, I drop in some natural stones gathered from the Potomac River valley.  To my eye natural stones look better than plaster castings.  They certainly take less effort!



Once the paint dries, I go back with the first coats of Mod Podge gloss.



Then it's time to detail the banks with more little rocks, ground foam of varying coarseness and color, and some trees.



On this application, the Mod Podge did kick up some bubbles, but I like the way it adds some dimension to the surface of this "fast moving" mountain stream!

Lee

[Dave V]

Woodland Scenics Realistic Water and Water Effects for me...

[wazzou]

All renditions look very good. 

Lee, Do you pour the Mod Podge like you would resin?  In other words, do you start up river and let it self level?

[wm3798]

I'll start by pouring a blob into the middle of the river bed, then use a brush to work it into the rocks and what not.  The bubbles formed when I was stippling it to get some surface ripples.

Lee

[unittrain]

Does the surface the water is placed on have to be level and smooth? I'm getting ready to do a river and the surface is un-even as I carved it out of foam and then have laid paper towels soaked in plaster which I'm going to paint. Also what is the best way to color the water again I plan on using either Envirotex or WS water.
Thanks